How Long Do Huntsman Spiders Live?

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Have you found a huntsman spider in your house and don’t know what to do with it? Wondering whether it will die on its own, or should you call an exterminator? We will answer these questions in the blog below.

One of the most common questions about the Huntsman Spider is how long they live.

People hope and pray that a huntsman in their house might die on its own rather than having to deal with it.

Wondering why this question is so well-searched online?

This is because these species of spiders are humongous in size, fast, agile, and often run directly toward their prey.

Moreover, it is capable of devouring small-sized possums and rodents, so it is certainly a formidable spider.

So let’s answer this question for you in the blog below.

Huntsman Spider

 

How Long Do They Live?

Huntsman spiders belong to the Sparassidae family of arachnids. They are also known as Giant crab spiders and wood spiders.

Present in almost every continent except the Antarctic and Arctic belt, over 1,300 species of Huntsman spiders have been discovered to date.

They have a longer life cycle compared to most arachnoids. Living up to two years, the spiders shed their skin regularly to keep growing.

The hairy, long-legged spiders may not live like tarantulas for 17 to 20 years, but they certainly live more than 8 to 14 months, as in the case of araneomorph species.

These spiders reach sexual maturity by the age of nine to twelve months and live an additional year or more after that.

Lifecycle of Huntsman Spiders

Once the huntsman spider attains sexual maturity, its physiological appearance changes. In the case of males, the palps (the claw-like things in the front) become bigger.

In females, the genitalia on the underside of their abdomen becomes harder in readiness for producing eggs.

Mating

The males start searching for younger females and guard them until maturity.

Often found in pairs, when it is time, the males vibrate their palps to signal the mating process.

They step on the back of the female spider and insert their embolus into the female epigynum (you probably get what sexual organs they are equivalent to in humans).

The male uses one palp to mate first and then switches sides with the other palp. The mating ritual lasts anywhere between 1 to 8 hrs.

Huntsman Spider

 

Laying Eggs & Hatchlings

Once the eggs are fertilized, the female spider lays an oval sac made of spider silk inside the loose bark of trees or crevices on rock walls. The sac contains about 180 to 220 eggs.

It takes anywhere between 3 to 4 weeks for the eggs to hatch. The mother opens the egg sac can by tearing it when it is optimal for the hatchlings to emerge.

Once the eggs hatch, the mother stays with the spiderlings until they undergo the first few stages of molting and grow a little bit.

How Big Can They Grow?

It is easy to mistake Huntsman spiders for Tarantula due to their large size and hairy appearance. However, they are easily distinguishable if you look carefully.

These spiders have a very long leg span. While their bodies grow between 0.8 to 1 inch in size, their legs can grow 7 to 12 inches during their lifespan.

At its peak, the giant huntsman spider is as big as a full dinner plate. It is the largest spider by leg span in the world.

Notably, the male huntsmen have longer legs than the females. Also, another difference between huntsmans and tarantulas is the crab-like positioning of the legs.

They are more flat-bodied than tarantulas, which allows them to crawl through the narrowest spaces despite their incredibly long limbs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do huntsman spiders jump at you?

When disturbed, they appear to jump or fall from the surface they cling to, but these spiders are not jumpers.

It is their escape mechanism to run away from an alarming scenario by stunning the predators.

They have skinny, long legs located far away from their body, so when they fall, it looks like they are jumping.

Should you leave huntsman spiders in your house?

Huntsman spiders thrive by preying on insects; hence if you have a cockroach or lizard problem in the house, letting the huntsman do its hunting may not be such a bad idea.

These spiders are not at all harmful to humans. Even though they can cause painful bites, they are very timid and usually run away from us instead of trying to pick fights.

You should know that they are venomous spiders, so you should avoid being bitten.

However, these spiders aren’t good as pets, unlike other rare species of spiders, such as tarantulas. Huntsman spiders love to prey, so leaving them alone is a wise choice.

Huntsman Spider

 

What kills a huntsman spider

Despite their sheer size, it is easy to kill huntsman spiders with insect sprays and aerosol alone. The aerosol impacts their nervous system and stops their breathing.

There is no need to call any insect or pest exterminators. Most often, you can easily capture them in a closed container and release them outside.

Why do huntsman spiders run at you?

Huntsman spiders have feeble vision. In their vision, humans resemble giant predators.

Rather than running at humans, these spiders often try to escape to a safer place the so-called predators cannot reach.

However, because they can’t see so well, they rush toward us rather than away.

Huntsman Spiders Aren’t Going To Die Away Quickly

Huntsman spiders do not bite humans without cause, nor do they pose a threat. However, their creepy crawly appearance can shock kids and adults alike.

Though they rarely appear as unwanted guests in human homes, it is best to capture and release them in the forest if you find one.

They can live for more than two years, so if you don’t like them, don’t wait around for them to die.

The huntsman spider is highly beneficial in handling unnecessary pests and insects that thrive on the destruction of the natural ecological balance.

If you find one in your home, you can release it in your garden and reap the benefits.

Authors

  • Bugman

    Bugman aka Daniel Marlos has been identifying bugs since 1999. whatsthatbug.com is his passion project and it has helped millions of readers identify the bug that has been bugging them for over two decades. You can reach out to him through our Contact Page.

    View all posts
  • Piyushi is a nature lover, blogger and traveler at heart. She lives in beautiful Canada with her family. Piyushi is an animal lover and loves to write about all creatures.

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Tags: Huntsman Spiders

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11 Comments. Leave new

  • That poor spider! I already think being parasitized by a spider wasp must be one of the top 10 worst ways to die (be thankful there are none that attack humans), and having all your legs bitten off just adds insult to injury.

    Perhaps the purpose of biting off the legs is to make it fit easier in a narrow burrow, or be easier to carry.

    Reply
  • OH MY GOODNESS! I found a smallish (body roughly 6-8mm long) green spider which had had its legs removed by some creature or another, and I had been searching for possible culprits… I even thought perhaps it was my much-younger brother, as I found it on my parents’ patio table. It was such a mystery at the time, but the possibility that it was a wasp is very neat!

    Reply
  • Thanks for the info! I live in Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia (very close to Kuta), found one of these in my house last night about the same size as the one you found. We picked it up in cup and put it off in the far end of the garden for it to continue his nocturnal hunting.

    Reply
  • I believe that this is an elusive Bark Huntsman (Pediana sp., probably P. regina). See http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_spiders/BarkHuntsmanSpider.htm

    Reply
  • Ide like more info on the phoneutrignigriventer- brazilian spider- on the subject of it’s venom as an aphrodisiac (sp).
    An article I read a couple of years ago stateted that a doctor helped a young lad that was bitten by one.
    To my knowledge no one has followed up on this yet
    It could be the best thing ever for ED for men over all the other so called mail orders that have been tried with no results.
    If there is anyone that can search this topic and get back to me on it or who may want to try and developed it please reply.

    Reply
  • Jeffrey Conz
    March 23, 2018 1:18 am

    Came across a spider in Malang, Indonesia. I think it is a Crab Spider.
    A picture is attached.

    Reply
  • Jeffrey Conz
    March 23, 2018 1:18 am

    Came across a spider in Malang, Indonesia. I think it is a Crab Spider.
    A picture is attached.

    Reply
  • How in the world do you catch those things, theres one in my room right now!!

    Reply
  • Jeffrey H Conz
    July 24, 2018 3:56 pm

    I would use a jar and then slide a piece of paper under neath it, then put a lid on it.

    Reply
  • Spider hunter
    August 29, 2019 10:38 pm

    If you are really concerned about it running around while trying to catch it – splash some water on the spider to stun it. This will slow that bugger down enough for you to capture in a jar and move out. 😉

    Reply

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