Huntsman Spiders in Jacksonville | Huntsman Spider Habitat & Info

Huntsman Spider

Actual Size: 3 – 5” at their longest including legs

Characteristics: Long legs with distinctive black spots, flattened cephalothorax, with a characteristic black border around the head.

Legs: 8

Habitat: They live in dark areas, under tree bark or leaf litter. They cannot tolerate cold temperatures so come indoors to overwinter under furniture or cabinets, behind wall hangings, and inside closets and garages.

Habits:

Not web spinners. As their name suggests, they chase and hunt prey.
They eat mostly insects and worms, though larger specimens may even prey on small lizards and frogs.
Sometimes referred to as the giant crab spider.

Huntsman Spiders in Jacksonville FL

Huntsman spiders are relatively common around the world, but less common in the United States. Unfortunately, they are becoming more common in the Jacksonville FL area due to our warm tropical climate they enjoy. Occasionally mistaken for a large brown recluse spider, the huntsman spider is not venomous. Huntsman spiders run fast, and unlike most spiders, ambush and hunt prey.

Huntsman Spider Habitat

Whether they live indoors or out, huntsman spiders prefer spending the day in hiding, emerging at night to hunt. Trees, woodpiles, buildings, and even cars can easily turn into huntsman spider habitats. Their flattened bodies allow them to fit into cracks and crevices to enter homes, barns, and sheds. Cold-sensitive, these spiders cannot exist outdoors in areas with freezing winter temperatures. They will either migrate indoors or die off.

Huntsman Spider Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Huntsman spiders bites are painful and may cause side effects such as allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, but they are not highly venomous. These arachnids are large, so they can easily frighten, but they are not generally aggressive. Most huntsman spiders will try to run away from humans rather than bite. Huntsman spiders are considered beneficial as they feed on a variety of insects, such as cockroaches, moths, and on occasion, small reptiles.

Dealing with huntsman spider problems on your property? We can take care of them! Contact your local spider exterminators and schedule an appointment today.