Our Midsummers night guest

This is what I encountered last night on my deck. I went up to knock on the sliding glass door, & there he was...scurrying for cover. Even though I am scared to death of spiders, I have somewhat enjoyed learning about it over the past day. Apparently they are very shy & dosile unless provoked.
My neighbor kept it in a jar & was going to offer it to the teachers at back to school night as a classroom pet. Gee, I wonder how that went.?
Now that I am having this wildlife in my backyard experience (giant beetle, bat, tarantula) I am hoping that my next encounters are not a rattle snake (my neighbor found one in her garage earlier this year) or a mountain lion.


Mexican Blond Tarantula
The Mexican blond tarantula, Aphonopelma chalcodes, is common in the southwest United States and northwest Mexico. It hunts small insects, overpowering them with its muscular legs. Females hide in a silk-lined burrow and are rarely seen. Males are more frequently encountered as they roam the midsummer night in search of mates. Tarantulas are shy and retiring creatures despite their fierce appearance. If provoked, they may rear up and wave their forelegs or jump. As a last resort, they will bite, but the wound inflicted by this species is no more dangerous than a bee sting. The leg span of adults reaches 10 centimeters (4 inches).