Large Unknown Spider
June 28, 2010
Hi- I noted this spider inside one of the cells of my honeycomb window shades. I encouraged it to come out, whereupon it quickly made its way to the ceiling. It’s legspan is at least 2 inches and its body is about 1/2 inch log. I did capture it but want to know what it is before I release it. Thank you very much.
Alison
San Francisco, California
Hi Alison,
This is a Giant Crab Spider in the genus Olios, so called because of their crablike sideways movements and large size, and they are sometimes called Huntsman Spiders because they do not build webs for snaring, but rather, they hunt for prey. Often when we get a letter claiming to have seen a really big spider, we chuckle when we see the photos of a small house spider, but your Giant Crab Spider can truly be called a large spider.