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Spider Photos - Huntsman - 2010 |
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Many people are confused by
5 similar looking spiders - the harmless Huntsman, Wolf
Spider, Southern House Spider (Kukulcania), Fishing
Spider and
the notorious Brown Recluse. Occasionally, the Huntsman Spider, Heteropoda
venatoria (Linnaeus), is misidentified as a Brown Recluse. However, the
colour pattern on the carapace of this species is reversed, with a light
median mark on a dark background, and adults of this spider are much
larger than a brown recluse. Huntsman spiders are large, long-legged spiders, measuring up to 15 cm across the legs. They are mostly grey to brown, sometimes with banded legs. Many huntsman spiders, especially Delena (the flattest), and including Isopeda, Isopedella and Holconia, have rather flattened bodies adapted for living in narrow spaces under loose bark or rock crevices. This is aided by their legs which, instead of bending vertically in relation to the body, have the joints twisted so that they spread out forwards and laterally in crab-like fashion ("giant crab spiders"). Both Brown (Heteropoda) and Badge (Neosparassus) Huntsman spiders have less flattened bodies. Huntsman spiders, like all spiders, moult in order to grow and often their old skin may be mistaken for the original spider when seen suspended on bark or in the house. The lifespan of most Huntsman species is about two years or more. Predators of Huntsman Spiders include birds and geckoes, Spider Wasps, nematode worms and egg parasites (wasps and flies).
Here's some photos sent in by
viewers. All photos are copyright to their
owners and may not be reproduced without permission.
Please choose a
section.
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Huntsman spiders are not found in the United States any further north
than Southern California. They can not survive but in the most tropical
of situations which are hot all year round, or in desert scrubland like
the Olios giganteus on my website. That is one thing to consider before
labelling a spider from the states as a Huntsman. Most are imported, and
fewer than 3 species are common enough to be called native to this
country, besides some smaller Olios species, which are found in the
southwest (not San Francisco, which is in Northern California). While
you may in some rare instance find a huntsman up north, it'll die as
soon as season changes occur. - Paul Day |
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Reply: This is a huntsman spider- glen
22 August, 2010:
Hi Glenn,
We live in Florida and have just recently found multiple spiders in our house!!! We found them inside and outside and they are HUGE! They are approximately 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch wide and 11/2 to 2 inches long, leg span probably 4 to 5 inch circumference!!
The legs seemed hairy and we didnt noticeable see fangs or eyes.. but then again we didnt pick them up!!
Can you please help us, our friend told us the picture looks like a brown recluse and we have spent time online looking and we cant tell one from another!!
We have a 5 year old son and if this spider is harmless it would really alleviate my worries.
Attached is a picture.. Help please!!
Thanks,
Heather
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Reply: This could be a huntsman spider too - glen
21 August, 2010:
Glen,
Hi! We found this huge spider hiding out in my husbands "new" canoe. He recently bought it from someone that hasn't used it in years. It needed some work and when my husband took the seats out, he found this spider! We live in Bradenton, FL.
Love your site!!! Great information.
Thanks,
Jennifer |
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Reply: This is a huntsman spider too - glen
14 August, 2010:
Hi!
Can you please identify this spider?
I found it on my wall...inside my house...never saw such a big specie here in Greece (her size was 11 cm)
Thank you in advance for the try...
Mina,
Athens Greece |
Click for a larger view
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Reply: This is a huntsman spider- glen
19 July, 2010:
Hi,
I know you must get a ton of emails like this so I apologise for yet another. I found this on the underside of our house eve, the evening after we had just had a new roof put on our house. It was extremely still and didn't move at all for at least an hour.
From the pics I see on your website ( which is the best I have found so far ) I think it's either a Running Crab Spider or a Huntsman Spider. I could be wrong on both counts but would appreciate any help you could give.
Please feel free to use the photo as you wish. Hopefully you can use it on your website for other visitors.
Many Thanks.
Keith |
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More from Kim: Thank you so much for
your prompt response! After I emailed you I screwed up my
courage and took a few more photos; lo and behold, there ARE
babies emerging from the egg sac. What I took to be dark
markings were actually holes in the egg sac through which you
can see the bodies of the babies. I've never seen anything like
this before. |
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Reply: This is a huntsman spider - glen
25 June, 2010:
Can you tell whether this is a wolf spider, a nursery web spider, or something else? I have waged a long and valiant war against my unreasoning fear of spiders, and I want to transfer this mama and her babies to a somewhat safer location (my cat is intensely interested in her and will swat her if she gets a chance, and while I am managing my fear, coming upon this magnificent being unexpectedly will cause me to have a stroke). If it helps, the egg sac is not round at all but very flattened with some dark markings on it. And are those babies starting to emerge?
Thanks for your help!
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Reply: This is a huntsman spider- glen
22 June, 2010:
Can you please help identify this spider? Thanks! |
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Reply: I don't think this is a wolf
spider, the eye pattern is wrong. I think it is a huntsman -
glen 10 June, 2010:
Hi Glen,
I love your website.
I live on Paros Island, Greece. I thought you might like these photos of our new furry friend who visits most nights. He/she is about 8cm long/wide (tip to toe). I think it’s a wolf spider.
Is it true that they eat cockroaches? If so, I’m thinking of starting a breeding program…
You have my permission to do whatever you like with the photos. I’m not a photographer and really struggled to find the best setting to get a close up shot. These images have been ‘photoshopped’ to reduce the physical file size. I have the originals if you want them.
Kind regards,
Alex |
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10 June, 2010:
Hi Glen,
I found this spider floating in my swimming pool, a neighbour said that it is a Brown Widow Spider but I am not sure if it is or not can you help identify it please.
Kind Regards,
Rick Dallas.
Avgorou
Cyprus. |
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Reply: This is a huntsman spider. Click
for a closeup- glen
24 April, 2010:
Hello Glen,
I've browsed through your Spiderzrule website & decided to contact you about this spider I discovered in my bathroom.
I live in Baguio City, the capital of Benguet Province in the Philippines. Baguio is located up in the mountains & has a cool climate.
I keep seeing large spiders with Mercedes Benz logos on their back. It's about the size of my hand. Last October 2009 I took a photo of one of them. Tonight, while I was taking a shower I saw another one. I'm not sure if it's the same spider, as I have no idea how long they live. What is their lifespan? Someone said it's a Brown Huntsman Spider & directed me to a Wikipedia link.
You seem like an expert on these things so I wonder if you can help me identify them & tell me if they are venomous.
The first photograph was the one I took Oct. 2009, the 2nd one I shot tonight.
Thanks for your help.
Byron
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Reply: This is a huntsman spider- glen
5 April, 2010:
Lake Worth, FL: I've been finding a few of these around the house, and I
can't find any photos of these on the internet. So I figured you could help
out.
Richard |
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Reply: This is a huntsman spider,
harmless and quite common in Australia - glen
23 February, 2010:
This spider was in security at Sydney airport. It almost ran over someone’s foot and then a security guard stepped on it twice to stop it from continuing on. Can you tell me what kind of spider it is?
Thanks for your help.
Jason |
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Reply: You are correct. this is a huntsman
spider. The brown markings on the cephalothorax identify it for
me - glen
23 February, 2010:
My guess is that it is a "Brown Huntsman" spider. Though many in Guam said that big brown spiders are wolf spiders. How can you tell the two apart? I thought the wolf spider's legs looked shorter. But maybe it is just the pattern on the back that helps to identify them?
This is the picture I saw from your 2007 unidentified spiders and attached is the picture of one I took in Guam.
Robert |
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Reply: I'm pretty sure its a huntsman but not certain -
glen
23 February, 2010:
We live in Southern California and my neighbour found this spider in his back yard. Please let me know if you can ID it from the pictures provided. It is alive and we are feeding it crickets.
Thanks,
Bryan |
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Reply: This is a female huntsman and
she is guarding her egg sac - glen
3 January, 2010:
This Guy Was in my patio sun umbrella we were in 150klm
north of Cabo San lucas in Baja Mexico he is apx 2-2-1/2 in
any info would help
Thank you
Robert |
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