Meet the Huntington native behind The Tarantula Collective—a YouTube channel dedicated to fostering appreciation, community, and education around spiders.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY RICHARD STEWART
Richard Stewart’s childhood in Huntington was much like any other Appalachian’s, with days spent catching crawdads, exploring wooded hollers, and sharing space with the state’s wonderful wildlife. But there was one type of animal he couldn’t stand: spiders. Yet today he owns a studio in Wheeling filled with hundreds of spider species from around the world, where he films these eight-legged wonders for hundreds of thousands of subscribers to his YouTube channel, The Tarantula Collective.
Let us spin you a tale of an arachnophobe–turned–tarantula enthusiast.
Stewart was in college when he recognized that his fear of spiders came from a place of unfamiliarity. The solution was a rose hair tarantula. He named her Rosie, and she lived in his dorm. After months of feeding, observing, and holding her, he was hooked.
That was back in 2000, and it wasn’t until 2018—after acquiring more tarantulas—that he began to share his love of arachnids online. Turns out, there are lots of people looking to learn about spiders to combat arachnophobia, plus lots of longtime lovers of arachnids.
It can be difficult to understand keeping a tarantula as a pet. After all, they’re uninterested in cuddling or going for walks, like a dog. But Stewart says it’s about personal fulfillment and appreciation for a unique animal.
“Taking care of an animal and making sure it has a safe place in the world, it feels good,” he explains. “But there’s also a selfish aspect: Tarantulas just look amazing. They’re fascinating and beautiful, and they’re unlike any other animal on the planet. Just watching them eat or move around can be better than TV. You just get mesmerized by their actions.”
That’s why thousands of people tune in to his videos every week—and why people travel from across the country to tour his studio in Wheeling during his annual open house, Spider Fest. It’s scheduled for September 13, 2026, and will feature vendors like The Tie Dyed Tarantula, a Princeton store specializing in tie-dyed clothing and pet tarantulas. It’s an opportunity to explore the country’s only place dedicated to the photography and videography of arachnids—right here in West Virginia.
“Spider Fest is cool because you have people from all over the country who probably never would have thought about visiting West Virginia,” he says. “Now they’re getting their first taste of the mountains, and they’re like, ‘Wow, OK, I see why you want to live here.’”
Stewarts’ career keeps him crawling across the continent. He’s observed, photographed, and filmed tarantulas in a variety of natural habitats, ranging from Arizona to the Andes. West Virginia is a place of great biodiversity, but it lacks any native tarantula species. Yet these hills are always home.
“I’ve lived in Florida, and I’ve traveled all over the place, but I always want to come back here,” he says. “Even in places like Peru—the mountains are beautiful, but it’s just not the same. No matter where I go, I’m always looking forward to coming home.”
Spiders suffer from stereotypes and misconceptions, but when approached with an open heart, they’re a source of wonder and wisdom—something Stewart thinks the arachnids share with Appalachians. Give The Tarantula Collective a try. You might see some of yourself in Stewart’s eight-legged companions.
thetarantulacollective.com, @tarantulacollective on IG and YT, @thetarantulacollective on FB
READ MORE STORIES FROM OUR FALL 2026 ISSUE
Leave a Reply