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huntsman spider

I shot this Huntsman spider that had crawled inside a plant to escape

from the rain.

 

This is an Australian Huntsman spider. They are large, long-legged spiders, measuring up to 15 cm across the legs . Eight eyes

 

Huntsman are often found on foliage but some woodland species are burrow builders, with and without trapdoors. Huntsman spiders of many species sometimes enter houses. They are also notorious for entering cars, and being found hiding behind sun visors or running across the dashboard. These large spiders move very quickly, they are hairy with long legs. They often shock people who are not from Australia, as Australia has a reputation for dangerous creatures.

Due to their size and speed, they do manage to intimidate a lot of people.

 

The female huntsman lays up to 200 eggs and guards these eggs, without leaving them or eating for around three weeks

 

Huntsman spider bites usually result in temporary local pain and swelling. However, some Huntsman spider bites have caused prolonged pain, inflammation, headache, vomiting and irregular pulse rate.

 

Happy to say my second shot was OK, as he became quite agitated with the confrontation of my camera, and his fangs were large enough for me to know when to leave well alone.

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Uploaded on May 4, 2009
Taken on May 4, 2009