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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).

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Brown Recluse Spiders	Candy Stripe Spiders	Common House Spider
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Furrow Spider	Garden Orb Weavers	Giant House Spider
Golden Orb Weavers	Grass spiders/Funnel Weavers	Ground Spiders
Hacklemesh Weavers	Hobo Spiders	Huntsman Spiders
Jewelled Spiders	Jumping Spiders	Ladybird Spiders
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Marbled Orb Weavers	Micarathena	Mouse Spiders
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Woodlouse Hunters	Yellow & Broad faced Sac Spiders

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

2010	2008 - 2009	2007 - 2008
2001 - 2004	2005 - 2006	Badge Huntsman

HUNTSMAN (Badge Huntsman)

14 August, 2011:
Hi Glen, This spider was in my house yesterday. I live in Gainesville Florida. I tried to figure out what kind of a spider it was, but I can't really tell. Some of them look pretty similar. I found a smaller one that looked similar yesterday. Could they have been husband and wife? Is the female spider generally bigger than the male? Thanks for your help! Casey

Reply: This is a huntsman - glen

12 July, 2011:
Hi, I've found two of these spiders in my bedroom in the last two weeks and havent been able to identify it by looking at pictures online, can you help me? Sorry that the picture is not of the best quality. I'm thinking it may be some sort of wolf spider? Thanks, Wendy

Reply: This is a huntsman - glen
4 June, 2011:
Hello! I've been scouring over a bunch of databases of spiders on the internet tonight after I came across this guy (photo attached). I couldn't be sure for certain how to identify it. The spider scrambled in front of me, in the middle of the room, but seemed a bit skittish. The bricks, for scale, are approx 3in by 6in. Ish. To give you an idea of the size. This is the only photo I managed to get. Because he was a bit jumpy I thought of wolf spiders, or perhaps a larger form of the whatever 'jumpy spiders' with large eyes, which are not poisonous I know. I live in New Orleans, Louisiana. While I doubt this one is poisonous, it would be good to know what kind of spider it is, since I've never seen one this size in my 27 years in the city! I've come across some large ones in the countryside but not in the city proper. Any info or leads would be awesome. Thanks so much for your time! Take care, and bests, Adam

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Reply: Yes, this is a huntsman - glen
30 May, 2011:
Is this a Huntsman Spider? It did not seem aggressive at all, and was very fast to run away when it seen movement from my direction. It took me nearly 20 minutes to get near him slow enough to catch him in a cup without injury, before I finally let him loose outside.

6 May, 2011:
We live in southwest Florida and these spiders wander through the house every so often. This one was photographed clinging to my metal garage door. What is it? Dane Hahn
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Reply: This is a huntsman - glen
29 April, 2011:
Glenda, what is this one called? Stefan

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Reply: This is a huntsman - glen
12 April, 2011:
Hello, Could you please, tell me if this is a species of recluse spider. It was in my shed, in Tampa, Florida. I greatly appreciate your help. Regards, Tami

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Reply: This one looks likes a huntsman spider and they aren't dangerous - glen
29 March, 2011:
Hi I found your website http://www.spiderzrule.com/spiderphotos.htm and would like to contact you because I saw this spider in my bedroom last night and was able to take a photo of it. I hope this is not a Brown Recluse Spider... although i didn't get bit it still made me not stay in my room anymore. What would be the best solution to get rid of this spider and its nest (in case it found a place to lay some eggs under my bed or in the closet) Please help! I have a 9 year old kid in the house and I don't want him to be bitten by the brown spider or any other bug. Thanks in advance, Kat

Reply: Yes, this one looks likes a badge huntsman spider and they aren't dangerous - glen
13 January, 2011:
Hi Glen Are you able to identify this spider for me, it ran across my head in the dark whilst in a hut in Thailand – I turned on the lights as I thought it might have been a mouse or something and was greeted by this. I’m afraid it is the only picture I got and it was from my phone camera – but have searched the web for similar pictures, but it’s a bit like a needle in a haystack – Best Guess in terms of size would be that the roof tiles behind it are about 3 inches long (7.5cm). If you can help me that would be great, I’m a huge nature enthusiast, but I must admit coming from the UK, that was the biggest spider I’ve seen by a long way and I was less than cool when I saw it. Thanks and Regards James

Thank you very much Glen, both spiders where found in Uruguay, South America and none where harmed by humans, jejeje.

Thank you!!

Francisco

Reply: Yes, this one is a huntsman spider and they aren't dangerous - glen
2 January, 2011:
Hello, I got your mail from your website. I found these two kind of spiders in my room, I would like to know if it is a dangerous ones. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Francisco