Talk:Huntsman spider

Clock Spider

There's an internet meme, although a bit old, for the "clock spider," which is a large huntsman spider hiding behind a clock. Does anyone think this article could use a "Huntsman Spider in Popular Culture" (or something to that effect)? --MadameArsenic 14:27, 18 October 2006 (UTC)

Range

The range of the huntsman spiders is far wider than Australia and New Zealand. They also occur in the U.S., and, I'm pretty sure, across Eurasia. I'm pretty sure I've seen them in Japan, in the Kyoto area too. I wouldn't be surprised to discover that they occur in Africa as well. It's odd, but I just got started on them tonight because I was trying to identify something that ran up and tried to bite in the Riverside, CA area.

Patrick0Moran 07:10, 3 Aug 2003 (UTC)

I expect you're right - I've only seen them in Australia but that doesn't mean they are not elsewhere. All I can say is they are NOT found in the UK! A Google search was inconclusive - almost all refs I found were Australian. GRAHAMUK 07:14, 3 Aug 2003 (UTC)

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I found one source that says their distribution is all across the topics: http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg/guidebooks/spiders/text/Heteropoda_venatoria.htm

Then for Laos: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~dp7a-tnkw/referenc.txt

Thailand: http://www.axbridgecavinggroup.org/page32.html

Can huntsman spiders run on glass? I've seen something that looks like a large wolf spider in the SW part of the US and in Japan. It is about 3/4 in long, looks in general conformation like one of the wolf spiders, but it can run like crazy on vertical surfaces, even glass. And it is the only spider I've ever seen that will run up to a pencil tip and bite. Unfortunately, I didn't have anything to collect the spider with that day...

Patrick0Moran 22:32, 3 Aug 2003 (UTC)

Also, Israel: http://research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog81-87/BIB7.html

Also, Japan -- but their charset is strange, haven't been able to get it to change into Japanese for me yet. http://mirukashihime.cool.ne.jp/asidaka2.htm

Also, Tunisia -- http://www.britishspiders.org.uk/bultn/v11.html

Also, Virginia, USA -- http://www.loven.plus.com/nicksspiders/readers.htm

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Anyone have a picture of one of these things? I would love to see a good pic of a 15cm spider. :)--Lucky13pjn 01:04, Jun 9, 2004 (UTC)

There are some spiders with leg spans of around those dimensions, but not huntsman spiders. I have fixed the figures to something more reasonable. Also will need to "globalize" this article as it currently pertains mostly to Australia and New Zealand. P0M

§ Wow! I have to take that back. Just by chance I received the following communication from one of the tarantula enthusiasts/specialists:

Heteropoda maxima males can get a legspan of 25-30 cm:

JÄGER, P. (2001): A new species of Heteropoda (Araneae, Sparassidae,

Heteropodinae) from Laos, the largest huntsman spider? Zoosystema 23(3): 461-465.

Of course people usually mention the body length of spiders, but even so, the body to go along with a legspan of nearly one foot must be four inches or more. Huntsman spiders, generally speaking, are not built like some of the web weavers that are designed to keep their bodies well away from their thrashing prey. I would like to see a picture of one of these creatures too. P0M

P.S. See http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_425061.html

Merge cane spider

There is a notice suggesting that this article be merged with the cane spider article. "Cane spider" is just a local English term for the Huntman spider found there. There is hardly any other information in that article that is not found in this one. P0M 06:27, 16 July 2006 (UTC)

Huntsman spider northeast US?

The article does state a few species in non tropical areas, and I have photos
of male and female - identical to description of huntsman spider. The female
is quite large, hence my intrigue to take photos. I am certain it is a variant of huntsman spider (found in maine)

 photos here

Sorry, but Huntsman spiders do not make spiral webs. I have one much like her on my back porch. They like to come in close to buildings, and they seem to be able to locate places where there are electric lights that are left on at night. I brushed her web last night and she dropped like a shot, evidently concluding that anything that could shake her web so badly was something to get far away from. They are reaching their full adult size around this time of the year, so people tend to notice them. Treat her well, she'll rid your environment of lots of horse flies and other such bugs. P0M 21:14, 30 August 2006 (UTC)

Check Google for Araneus species. My guess: A. diadematus. The body can be 3/5 of an inch long. P0M 01:26, 2 September 2006 (UTC)