My sister had this monster in her house last night. I’ve never seen a spider like this before. (Had nightmares last night about this critter devouring small children, and am currently entering an anxiety attack just for posting the pic…) Anyhoo, what kind of spider is it?

That appears to be the glorious Huntsman spider. I miss them :(

Anyhoo, what kind of spider is it?

a dead one, hopefully.

I ain’t never seen a huntsman like that :-/

Sister’s bf “relocated” it. Bloody hippies.

kii said:

That appears to be the glorious Huntsman spider. I miss them :(

And kii, you’re weird.

Divine Angel said:

I ain’t never seen a huntsman like that :-/

Sister’s bf “relocated” it. Bloody hippies.

I hope he relocated it a good distance away. I have had a relocated huntsman travel 50 metres back to its spot in the kitchen.

Divine Angel said:

kii said:

That appears to be the glorious Huntsman spider. I miss them :(

And kii, you’re weird.

Probably.

Divine Angel said:

I ain’t never seen a huntsman like that :-/

Sister’s bf “relocated” it. Bloody hippies.

I had one about that size on my neck, thought a tree branch was brushing against me until I saw my fellow campers faces…

morrie said:

Divine Angel said:

I ain’t never seen a huntsman like that :-/

Sister’s bf “relocated” it. Bloody hippies.

I hope he relocated it a good distance away. I have had a relocated huntsman travel 50 metres back to its spot in the kitchen.

LOL. i can see DAs face from here

morrie said:

Divine Angel said:

I ain’t never seen a huntsman like that :-/

Sister’s bf “relocated” it. Bloody hippies.

I hope he relocated it a good distance away. I have had a relocated huntsman travel 50 metres back to its spot in the kitchen.

As long as it’s not in my yard…

poikilotherm said:

Divine Angel said:

I ain’t never seen a huntsman like that :-/

Sister’s bf “relocated” it. Bloody hippies.

I had one about that size on my neck, thought a tree branch was brushing against me until I saw my fellow campers faces…

I think my heart just stopped.

Divine Angel said:

Anyhoo, what kind of spider is it?

Southern Queensland Child-Eating Spider, by the looks of it.

They have done very well to get it into the container without losing any limbs.

Divine Angel said:

poikilotherm said:

Divine Angel said:

I ain’t never seen a huntsman like that :-/

Sister’s bf “relocated” it. Bloody hippies.

I had one about that size on my neck, thought a tree branch was brushing against me until I saw my fellow campers faces…

I think my heart just stopped.

Had one land on my face one night in bed…

fairly harmless I reckon…

Arts said:

fairly harmless I reckon…

Same. My kids are too old to be taken by them.

heh I was going to post that for you yesterday DA.

don’t make me start posting spider photos to show you how cute they are…

a young DA takes out the spider

Arts said:

don’t make me start posting spider photos to show you how cute they are…

.

Feel free. Spiders are interesting.

Divine Angel said:

I went to uni with a woman who left her car on the freeway in western Sydney because of a spider. Engine running, doors open and she ran home.

Arts said:

don’t make me start posting spider photos to show you how cute they are…

Please don’t. Charlotte’s Web gave me nightmares :-/

Michael V said:

Arts said:

don’t make me start posting spider photos to show you how cute they are…

.

Feel free. Spiders are interesting.

Start another thread and I won’t click on it :D

Divine Angel said:

Arts said:

don’t make me start posting spider photos to show you how cute they are…

Please don’t. Charlotte’s Web gave me nightmares :-/

you know DA, it’s because of you that I don’t post (too many) on facebook… you and all the other wingers… erm I mean friends with phobias…

;)

Arts said:

Divine Angel said:

Arts said:

don’t make me start posting spider photos to show you how cute they are…

Please don’t. Charlotte’s Web gave me nightmares :-/

you know DA, it’s because of you that I don’t post (too many) on facebook… you and all the other wingers… erm I mean friends with phobias…

;)

That’s so sad :(

Dropbear said:

a young DA takes out the spider

I read Firestarter as a teenager and wondered if she harnessed her powers for such an event. I would!

kii said:

Arts said:

Divine Angel said:

Please don’t. Charlotte’s Web gave me nightmares :-/

you know DA, it’s because of you that I don’t post (too many) on facebook… you and all the other wingers… erm I mean friends with phobias…

;)

That’s so sad :(

which bit? that charlotte’s web gave her nightmares?

Aww thanks Arts *fist bump *
Seeing that pic on my sister’s fb last night was quite enough, and even now I’m almost back to normal after a short anxiety attack. The psychological processes of phobias are really interesting…

Arts said:

kii said:

Arts said:

you know DA, it’s because of you that I don’t post (too many) on facebook… you and all the other wingers… erm I mean friends with phobias…

;)

That’s so sad :(

which bit? that charlotte’s web gave her nightmares?

The sad bit :P

Divine Angel said:

Aww thanks Arts *fist bump *
Seeing that pic on my sister’s fb last night was quite enough, and even now I’m almost back to normal after a short anxiety attack. The psychological processes of phobias are really interesting…

yes. I experience the whole physical reactions every time I go on a plane. What’s interesting is that the rational mind is overtaken. Even “strong” (eg otherwise non suggestable types) rational minds can experience phobias. The whole time I know and understand the process and ‘odds’ of survival (as I’m sure you do) , yet physically I can’t stop the heart racing, the flushes, the intense fear….
It’s an interesting area of study.

Arts said:

Divine Angel said:

Arts said:

don’t make me start posting spider photos to show you how cute they are…

Please don’t. Charlotte’s Web gave me nightmares :-/

you know DA, it’s because of you that I don’t post (too many) on facebook… you and all the other wingers… erm I mean friends with phobias…

;)

My sister in law still treats me coldy a decade later after I intervened whe she was trying to claim that her daughter is aracnophobic.. I still claim that people are talked into such fantasies.

The psychological processes of phobias are really interesting…
——————————————————————————————————-
Mine is heights, though I can happily climb up ladders. You should have seen me at the Grand Canyon :( I so wanted to go there but I was so terrified the whole time. It was interesting to watch the crowds and see the people who were freaking out quietly – we all hugged the spaces furthest from the railings, glancing around at everyone nervously.

kii said:

The psychological processes of phobias are really interesting…
——————————————————————————————————-
Mine is heights, though I can happily climb up ladders. You should have seen me at the Grand Canyon :( I so wanted to go there but I was so terrified the whole time. It was interesting to watch the crowds and see the people who were freaking out quietly – we all hugged the spaces furthest from the railings, glancing around at everyone nervously.

.
Heights are very very difficult for me, too.

Interestingly, when working underground, I have had to climb up and down ladders up to 40 metres to get into and out of individual stopes, and I had no problems. No chance I would climb that high on the outside of a building – I mean 14 stories – it’s a completely ludicrous notion.

Just thinking of standing on the edge of a cliff is enough to make my legs go wobbly. Even the front verandah here (~ 3 metres) scares me sometimes.

kii said:

The psychological processes of phobias are really interesting…
——————————————————————————————————-
Mine is heights, though I can happily climb up ladders. You should have seen me at the Grand Canyon :( I so wanted to go there but I was so terrified the whole time. It was interesting to watch the crowds and see the people who were freaking out quietly – we all hugged the spaces furthest from the railings, glancing around at everyone nervously.

I am no good with heights either. My friend insisted on standing at a lookout without railings today above a massive gorge. I just quietly walked away and tried to think of something else.

roughbarked said:

My sister in law still treats me coldy a decade later after I intervened whe she was trying to claim that her daughter is aracnophobic.. I still claim that people are talked into such fantasies.

I definitely think it’s a learned response. My dad says that when I was a baby, not yet crawling, he would wiggle his fingers near me and I’d freak out. Whether that was the cause of my current phobia or a symptom, no one is sure.

I’m the opposite- OK with gorges, not so good with ladders…

morrie said:

kii said:

The psychological processes of phobias are really interesting…
——————————————————————————————————-
Mine is heights, though I can happily climb up ladders. You should have seen me at the Grand Canyon :( I so wanted to go there but I was so terrified the whole time. It was interesting to watch the crowds and see the people who were freaking out quietly – we all hugged the spaces furthest from the railings, glancing around at everyone nervously.

I am no good with heights either. My friend insisted on standing at a lookout without railings today above a massive gorge. I just quietly walked away and tried to think of something else.

On the other hand if there is a snake around, the boot is on the other foot.

I get into trouble for runing up and down ladders in the opal mine. My reply always is, “i trust my welding skills”

Luckily no one is usually around when I’m dancing along a suspended tree barefoot with a growling chainsaw in hand

Poor MV :( I also experience the leg wobbles etc when anyone I care about stands next to a great big nasty cliff.

I remember watching my younger brother on an outing with my kids – we were at a lookout and he stood at the fence (nice high fence) because my kids wanted to show him something and the colour drained from his face and his legs looked weak. His reaction was instantly recognisable for me….

It’s fascinating how logic is completely overridden when a phobia is present. I know a huntsman isn’t going to hurt me, especially when it’s in a photo. I know they’re good for keeping bug populations down. Yet just thinking about them, my hands are clammy, my heart is racing and I am close to tears (again!).

We were sent Halloween decorations for the store (by Head Office). I refuse to have the spider decorations anywhere near me- we have them, but they’re above me and on balloons so I don’t see them. Two years ago I had to remove the spider from the EFTPOS machine because it gave me a fright every time I saw it.

I don’t see my fear of heights so much as a phobia, but an exceedingly strong self-preservation instinct. It really doesn’t interfere with my life, and makes sure I stay well back from those nasty cliff-edges.

I think some phobias are ‘rational’ (which I suppose makes them not strictly phobias) in that there is a fear that you could die/be horribly injured. But some people have real phobias. Completely irrational like cotton balls or cats or something equally benign.

It’s fascinating how logic is completely overridden when a phobia is present.
———————————————————————————————
I can’t stop my mind from imagining that the fence at a lookout is going to magically disappear and the person is going to tumble over the edge or that somehow they will fall over a 5’high fence when they are standing a few feet away.

Arts said:

I think some phobias are ‘rational’ (which I suppose makes them not strictly phobias) in that there is a fear that you could die/be horribly injured. But some people have real phobias. Completely irrational like cotton balls or cats or something equally benign.

still think that phobias are created and as such can be undone.. hypnosis or something.

roughbarked said:

Arts said:

I think some phobias are ‘rational’ (which I suppose makes them not strictly phobias) in that there is a fear that you could die/be horribly injured. But some people have real phobias. Completely irrational like cotton balls or cats or something equally benign.

still think that phobias are created and as such can be undone.. hypnosis or something.

Taronga Zoo in Sydney offers a weekend course to undo a phobia. By the end of the weekend, you have a tarantula crawling over you…

Years ago I was watching Maury Povich and he was doing a show about strange phobias. One woman was phobic of buttons. The assistant brought out a wheelbarrow of buttons and the poor woman had a meltdown. I get it- if someone brought out a wheelbarrow of spiders I would react the same way, but the actual fear of buttons was definitely very odd.

If spider photos scare you.. don’t click this http://www.flickr.com/photos/99559986@N00/sets/72157624248791559/ as all the photos are of spiders in my backyard.
There are several huntsman photos .

roughbarked said:

Arts said:

I think some phobias are ‘rational’ (which I suppose makes them not strictly phobias) in that there is a fear that you could die/be horribly injured. But some people have real phobias. Completely irrational like cotton balls or cats or something equally benign.

still think that phobias are created and as such can be undone.. hypnosis or something.

how they are formed is still up in the air, but you can certainly train a person to tolerate the situation better.

morrie said:

Divine Angel said:

I ain’t never seen a huntsman like that :-/

Sister’s bf “relocated” it. Bloody hippies.

I hope he relocated it a good distance away. I have had a relocated huntsman travel 50 metres back to its spot in the kitchen.

I used to relocate Huntsmen using the glass and cardboard technique, until one night I got bitten by one, it was hanging onto the carboard and ran around a bit me on a finger, it felt no worse than a mozzie bite and I didn’t die, so now I leave them in the house as they eat other spiders which maybe dangerous, and I call them all Spiro.
Haven’t seen one yet this season, perhaps the warm weather may bring one.

bob(from black rock) said:

morrie said:

Divine Angel said:

I ain’t never seen a huntsman like that :-/

Sister’s bf “relocated” it. Bloody hippies.

I hope he relocated it a good distance away. I have had a relocated huntsman travel 50 metres back to its spot in the kitchen.

I have some huntsmans that live under some framed pictures, they come out at night and I see them sometimes moving across the walls. They dont bother me, but I assume they bother the buggery out of cockroaches and whatever else they eat so I am happy for them to stay.

I used to relocate Huntsmen using the glass and cardboard technique, until one night I got bitten by one, it was hanging onto the carboard and ran around a bit me on a finger, it felt no worse than a mozzie bite and I didn’t die, so now I leave them in the house as they eat other spiders which maybe dangerous, and I call them all Spiro.
Haven’t seen one yet this season, perhaps the warm weather may bring one.

oops, ignore my previous.

I have some huntsmans that live under some framed pictures, they come out at night and I see them sometimes moving across the walls. They dont bother me, but I assume they bother the buggery out of cockroaches and whatever else they eat so I am happy for them to stay.

I’d rather the cockroaches, to be honest :)

kii said:

That appears to be the glorious Huntsman spider. I miss them :(

Looks like the Lesser Inglorious Huntsman to me.

it’s probably a huntswoman.

LESSER????

That thing could rape and kill Amazonian women

Divine Angel said:

LESSER????

That thing could rape and kill Amazonian women

You haven’t seen the real ones we get out here then :)

I politely decline the invitation.

Spider, spider, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

Divine Angel said:

LESSER????

That thing could rape and kill Amazonian women

.
Mmmm. Amazons.

:) :)

;)

party_pants said:

kii said:

That appears to be the glorious Huntsman spider. I miss them :(

Looks like the Lesser Inglorious Huntsman to me.

could be…it’s been a while since I saw one. The Blue Mtns ones area bit hairier – and wear beanies,

kii said:

could be…it’s been a while since I saw one. The Blue Mtns ones area bit hairier – and wear beanies,

Yes. And they’re nice and stay high up where you can keep an eye on them. Not like the Brissy ones that hide on the floor

Divine Angel said:

kii said:

could be…it’s been a while since I saw one. The Blue Mtns ones area bit hairier – and wear beanies,

Yes. And they’re nice and stay high up where you can keep an eye on them. Not like the Brissy ones that hide on the floor

Except for when they fall on your pillow at night :)

Thankfully, I have never had that happen…

The WA spiders tend to shelter underneath computer keyboards.

Some info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntsman_spider

That’s it, I’m switching to the touch screen keyboard on the monitor!

Some more info:

http://australianmuseum.net.au/Huntsman-Spiders

Divine Angel said:

That’s it, I’m switching to the touch screen keyboard on the monitor!

Ok, I admit it was just a sample size of one.

And it was a wolf spider, not a huntsman.

http://australianmuseum.net.au/image/Green-Huntsman-Spider/

Now that is a pretty spider :)

And it seems they are moving all over the world.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-19889894

“I once heard an Australian comedian mention his fear of spiders, he mentioned that he knows the Huntsman spiders are not dangerous, but how could we not be scared of them when they have been given the name Hunts… Man….! “

Michael V said:

“I once heard an Australian comedian mention his fear of spiders, he mentioned that he knows the Huntsman spiders are not dangerous, but how could we not be scared of them when they have been given the name Hunts… Man….! “

further to the quote in the other thread, there are three sizes of spider: large, HUGE and move house.

Divine Angel said:

kii said:

could be…it’s been a while since I saw one. The Blue Mtns ones area bit hairier – and wear beanies,

Yes. And they’re nice and stay high up where you can keep an eye on them. Not like the Brissy ones that hide on the floor

Yeah, that part is strange. And I’ve studied huntsmen since I got back – none of them are floor-level like the Kweenzland ones.

That one of your sister’s was epic! Didn’t look too big til I saw the convenient decor volumes for scale…

I do get little (well, maybe 5cm legspan) black spiders in my new haus though, so I bombed it. My uncle was bitten by a little black spider (he saw the spider as it bit) and ended up spending 33 days in hospital and got 3 skin grafts for the wound. So if spiders other than daddies are inside, I discharge them to heaven. If they’re outside, I leave them.

More info about HUNTS MAN spiders- from Queensland Museum:

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland/Spiders/Modern+Spiders+Infraorder+Araneomorphae/Huntsman+Spiders

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland/Spiders/Modern+Spiders+Infraorder+Araneomorphae/Huntsman+Spiders/Grey+Huntsman

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland/Spiders/Modern+Spiders+Infraorder+Araneomorphae/Huntsman+Spiders/Brown+Huntsman+Spider

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland

We have a few of those here…

back to work for me…

just in case anyone thinks they have killed the forum..

OCDC said:

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland

We have a few of those here…

.
http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland+wookiemeister?

Michael V said:

OCDC said:

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland

We have a few of those here…

.
http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland+wookiemeister?

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland+1005

As you were p_p.

OCDC said:

Michael V said:

OCDC said:

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland

We have a few of those here…

.
http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland+wookiemeister?

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland+1005

.
I was doing displacement activity. I didn’t want that page advertised.

Michael V said:

OCDC said:

Michael V said:

.
http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland+wookiemeister?

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland+1005

.
I was doing displacement activity. I didn’t want that page advertised.

</troll>

OCDC said:

Michael V said:

OCDC said:

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland+1005

.
I was doing displacement activity. I didn’t want that page advertised.

</troll>

That said < / troll > but sans the spaces.

Should we get DA one of those 250mm grey HUNTS MAN spiders for Christmas?

It’d make an interesting and eminently studyable pet for a couple of years.

Michael V said:

Should we get DA one of those 250mm grey HUNTS MAN spiders for Christmas?

It’d make an interesting and eminently studyable pet for a couple of years.

How much Mortein does it take to kill one?
Howmuch WD40?
How much hairspray?

Interesting:

“Net-casting or Retarius spiders Deinopus subrufa, family Deinopidae

(snip)

Bite
Only one recorded bite when spider accidentally pressed against skin; severe short term systemic reaction. This spider’s venom has not been studied but this one severe bite suggests it may be of concern.”

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland/Spiders/Modern+Spiders+Infraorder+Araneomorphae/Net-casting+spiders

Divine Angel said:

Michael V said:

Should we get DA one of those 250mm grey HUNTS MAN spiders for Christmas?

It’d make an interesting and eminently studyable pet for a couple of years.

How much Mortein does it take to kill one?
Howmuch WD40?
How much hairspray?

For tests like that, you’d need a lot of spiders. Maybe a dozen for each test plus a dozen controls…

Sounds like a Forum Hobby Development Day is needed.

I’ll try to raise some. I’ll see whether I can get Bill to help.

Once Bill offered to remove a huntsman for me (next to the front door). Very obviously relieved when I declined the offer ;-)

OCDC said:

Once Bill offered to remove a huntsman for me (next to the front door). Very obviously relieved when I declined the offer ;-)

.
Truly!

(Shakes head)
Bill’s chivalry knows no bounds.

I could’ve done that without worry. I don’t think Bill could’ve. Cardiac arrest may have been involved.

:) :)

More interesting info:

Brisbane trapdoor spider listed as a species of conservation concern.

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland/Spiders/Primitive+Spiders+Infraorder+Mygalomorphae/Trapdoor+spiders/Brisbane+Trapdoor+Spider

So are huntsman spiders rare in Queensland? Common as muck on the island. Especially if you live in a wooden house :)

Bubble Car said:

So are huntsman spiders rare in Queensland? Common as muck on the island. Especially if you live in a wooden house :)

Nup.

Maybe you’re just not used to seeing their underside.

I do try not to take too much notice of them, so you’re probably correct.

We don’t have any in the house, but then we do have Asian House Geckos, which are agressive predators of anything that moves up to about three times their own body size. They are apparently preying on Huntsman spiders, unfortunately.

We have those too. I have no problems with them :)

The place we moved into when I was 3 had heaps of huntsmen the first summer – several a day, and mum is petrified. Her spider response is to a) spray with flyspray until white, vacuum up, throw vacuum to furthest corner of backyard or b) go out for the rest of the day til dad got home from work…

Then they got rid of the gum tree branches overhanging the house, and we got less than one a week.

Apart from that first summer, I found them as frequent in Kweenzland as Victoria.

PS

Brigitta can make it with a whole jar of spiders in her hand!

Been in my brane for the whole thread :-)

(Sound of Music)

Thanks for posting this thread, DA. I have read a lot of interesting stuff about spiders today.

I’m likely to have more nightmares, but you’re welcome :)

Interesting info. Probably good as pets, then. We had heaps of these in the house in Armidale, but rarely see them here. I blame the geckos.

White-tailed spider (Lampona murina, family Lamponidae)

Bite
Harmless to humans. One of the weakest venoms known of Australian household spiders. Medical research has now removed the stigma of horror wounds from this spider.

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland/Spiders/Modern+Spiders+Infraorder+Araneomorphae/White-tailed+spiders

Michael V said:

Interesting info. Probably good as pets, then. We had heaps of these in the house in Armidale, but rarely see them here. I blame the geckos.

White-tailed spider (Lampona murina, family Lamponidae)

Bite
Harmless to humans. One of the weakest venoms known of Australian household spiders. Medical research has now removed the stigma of horror wounds from this spider.

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland/Spiders/Modern+Spiders+Infraorder+Araneomorphae/White-tailed+spiders

Of course, tell it to current affair.. ;) otherwise the bogans will never know.

Ha! Can you imagine A Current Affair?

“We reveal the shocking truth about white-tailed spiders – ACA was wrong for all those years – scientists prove they can’t hurt you!”

No? Me neither!

OCDC said:

OCDC said:

Michael V said:

.
I was doing displacement activity. I didn’t want that page advertised.

</troll>

That said < / troll > but sans the spaces.

moi??

wookiemeister said:

OCDC said:

OCDC said:

</troll>

That said < / troll > but sans the spaces.

moi??

nahhh you aint a troll. You dont listen, you have odd ideas, you complicate things needlessly and dont think things through to a logical conclusion, but you are not a troll. IMO.

I found a Halloween costume for Jasmine.

Divine Angel said:

I found a Halloween costume for Jasmine.

If you took her for trick or treat I recon you could get the house holders entire grog cabinet.

so much cooler if they didn’t give it 12 legs

Hah! Going to show that to the fam! Hah! Then I’ll run away as quickly as my midget legs will allow.