We thought this was a huntsman, but the large size and its viciousness were puzzling. There were a couple of them in our tin mailbox. When we tried to remove them, they arched up and wouldn’t back away.
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E.M., Beaufort.
This is a female huntsman. She looks cornered and threatened, so she has her fangs ready to strike. The fangs are normally almost hidden.
In that mailbox she is backed into a corner with nowhere to go, so she is ready to defend herself. Her only other option is to run up to the light and into the potentially dangerous unknown.
There are quite a few species of huntsman spiders, some greyer and some browner. Some are plainer and others more mottled. The sexes vary slightly in appearance too.
- Questions and photos are welcome. Send to Roger Thomas at The Courier, PO Box 21, Ballarat, 3353, or email to rthomas@vic.australis.com.au