Categories

Spider almost the size of my hand
Wed, Dec 24, 2008 at 6:26 AM
I found this very large, very fast, and very creepy spider this morning near the back door on the inside of the house here in east central Florida. It has me squirming and freaking out, especially because it ran away and hid and is still somewhere in the house. Please, for my peace of mind, what is that thing?
Kristina
Titusville, FL

Huntsman Spider

Hi Kristina,
This Huntsman Spider, Heteropoda venatoria, is also known as a Banana Spider because it is believed to have been introduced to many worldwide seaport areas with warm climates from Asia with banana shipments.  The species is now well documented in Florida and Georgia according to BugGuide.  The Huntsman Spider is harmless and is a tolerated species in many parts of the world because it is a nocturnal hunter that feeds on cockroaches.

Related Posts

1. Huntsman Spider (August 26, 2008)
2. Huntsman Spider (August 10, 2008)
3. Huntsman Spider (April 4, 2006)
4. Huntsman Spider in China (October 1, 2008)
5. Huntsman Spider (November 4, 2008)