The huntsman spider can move very quickly and they are very hairy with long legs, and due to their size, they are one spider that intimidates many people.
Many immigrants and Australian tourists are terrified, due to Australia's reputation for dangerous creatures, and you can understand why when looking at the size of these things!
I remember one late summers night coming down the stairs to make my baby a bottle when I peered onto the wall to find a massive huntsman, legs sprawled out against the wall... it wasn't there for very long cause I made sure it was squashed in a hurry!
An Australian comedian who does have a fear of spiders mentioned in one of his shows that he knows the Huntsman spider is not dangerous, but how could we not be scared when they have been given the name Hunts... Man....! ( remember they are harmless)
The spider can measure up to 15 cm wide from leg to leg. They have a flat body, which allows them to crawl underneath bark and other hiding places.
The huntsman can deliver a painful bite, but it differs from the majority of other Australian spiders in the fact that it wont kill you.
A female huntsman can lay up to 200 eggs and she will guard these eggs, and not intake food or water for up to 3 weeks! Hows that for maternal instinct...
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Maybe we should be asking ourselves does the size, hairiness & the fear of the huntsman in & around our homes, outweigh the benefits of having them around?
After reading and researching this topic I am somewhat sitting on the fence on this matter, so I would love to hear your views!
~Leanne~
