The Giant Spider Invasion

I (Shorel) am not overly fond of big spiders. Especially ones that are larger than my hand.

I have big hands.

Alas, I have occasionally seen this large variety of spider around, especially in some first floor apartments. They are very quick and have a tendency to scare the snot out of me when I encounter them.

They are known as the Brown Huntsman spider. Here’s the article from Wikipedia:

The brown huntsman spider, Heteropoda venatoria, is found in many tropical and subtropical parts of the world, including Asia, Réunion Island, the Caribbean islands, the Southeastern US, and (especially) Australia. In Hawaii, where it was introduced, it is known as the cane spider. They are fairly large, some having a leg span of approximately five inches (13 centimetres). Although they are rather fearsome in appearance, they are very easily alarmed by the approach of humans and will very rapidly flee.

The female brown huntsman can be recognized by her stout body and the pillow-like egg sac that she often carries under her. The male typically has a slender body, longer and thinner legs, and a distinctive pattern on his carapace. Both male and female are reddish-brown to grayish-brown in color, and slightly hairy.

Brown huntsman spiders do not spin webs. These spiders are known to hunt by waiting quietly on a vertical surface (or even a ceiling) and then rushing forward when their prey gets within close range. Their exceptional agility and speed, as well as their ability to contort and squeeze through tight spaces, give them a strong advantage both in capturing prey and evading predators. They feed at night. Brown huntsmen are welcomed in many homes as they feed on pests such as cockroaches and silverfish.

I really don’t welcome them in my home. I have only seen one in my apartment once and it fled out the window rather rapidly. But, if it will take care of any pests and kindly depart before morning, I suppose I could tolerate it.

Yes, the huntsman spider is large enough to have red eye.

“Oooh! THAT looks tasty!”

Oh, we also have these large centipedes that come out in the spring. I often see people selling them to Chinese medicine stores. Thankfully, they don’t often make it up to the 5th floor.

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