Tarantulas are the Arizona’s largest spiders.  Although their bite can be painful, it is not life-threatening. Female tarantulas can grow up to 4 inches across. Males are considerably smaller.  What may surprise you is their longevity.  Female tarantulas can live for 20 years or more.

Accidents are the cause of 28% of childhood (< 14 years old) fatalities in the state. Motor Vehicle are the cause of 45% of these accidents and drowning 31% of accidents.

After accidents, cancer is another leading cause of childhood deaths, causing about 14% of them. Other leading causes of childhood fatalities are assault/homicide 5%,  suicide 4%.

“Dust Devil” is the common name for the tornado like plumes of dust you often see spinning in the Arizona deserts on hot days.  Typically the wind speed in these little twisters is only about 25 mph. The worst damage they do is to spread dust and trash along their path.  Occasionally they can pack quite a wallop. The wind speed in some dust devils has been measure at 100mph and they have been reported to have torn the roofs off of buildings.