Do dangerous spiders lurk in grocery store produce? - Scientific American Scientific American Health Do dangerous spiders lurk in grocery store produce? A potentially lethal spider was recently found in a bunch of bananas at a supermarket. What should consumers should do if confronted with one of the leggy critters? By Erica Westly on March 24, 2009 Advertisement | Report Ad Last week, a store manager at a Whole Foods in Tulsa, Okla., was surprised—to say the least—to find a large brown spider lurking in a bunch of bananas . The spider was initially identified as a Brazilian wandering spider , a menacing-looking creature with furry fangs and legs as long as five inches (12.5 centimeters) that is considered to be one of the world's most venomous spiders, and one of the few that can kill humans. (Luckily, an anti-venom to the Brazilian’s bite was developed in 1996.) According to the Tulsa World, two local entomologists in the end determined that the invader was more likely a huntsman spider , which is large and brownish in color like the Brazilian wandering, but is nontoxic to humans.

Each year, there are several news reports of wandering and huntsman spiders, the main "banana spiders," showing up in grocery store bananas as well as poisonous black widows , which find their way into bunches of grapes on store shelves. Both fruits are generally sprayed with pesticides to prevent insect infestation and usually washed before shipment. Still, even with these precautions and visual inspections, some insects manage to survive. What draws spiders to bananas and grapes—and what should consumers and produce workers who find the potentially deadly critters in their fruit do? To find out, we spoke with Linda Rayor , a spider expert and senior research associate in Cornell University's entomology department. [An edited transcript of the interview follows.] How common is it to find a spider in grocery store fruit—and are spiders more common in grapes and bananas from certain regions? For the bananas, you have a reasonable chance of getting them in ones imported from anywhere in Central or South America, the main sources of the fruit. I have no idea of the actual risk, but there are different types of wandering and huntsman spiders throughout Latin America. You pretty much have a chance of getting black widows—which are found all over the world—in grapes anywhere they grow.

Is there something else about grapes that black widows find especially appealing? Spiders are going to be found anywhere that there are insects for them to eat—and there are plenty of insects on grapes. They're very common in vineyards around the world. Grape arbors (the supports between grapevines) provide really great support systems for spider webs—they're perfect for cobweb-building spiders like the black widow—and the grapes make great hiding places. (Black widow bites can be toxic to humans, but they’re not nearly as dangerous as those from the most poisonous wandering spiders. They can cause intense pain and shortness of breath, but are rarely lethal in healthy adults.) How about bananas? Banana trees have these tightly coiled leaves coming up, and then the banana flowers lean down over that. Well, these banana leaves turn out to be just dandy places for these spiders to live, especially ones that hang out on the leaves. The leaves have this kind of hollow center, so a lot of the spiders hang out in the central, deep-covered hole during the day and then come out at night to hunt on the outside of the leaf.

Neither one of them are web-building spiders, and so they just kind of hang out on the leaves at night and nab things that wander or fly by. There are two common groups that are both referred to as "banana spiders," but they're totally different from one another. The first group is the wandering spiders, which is the family Ctenidae, or ctenids. The other is an entirely different family, the Sparassidae, which are the huntsman spiders. They're both big spiders that have relatively long legs. They can both easily be the size of the palm of your hand, no problem. Is there an easy way to tell the two types of banana spiders apart? In one description of the spider in Tulsa, the store manager said it jumped at him. That is so much more like wandering than the huntsman spiders. Huntsmans back off and then run away sideways really fast. They're fast, but they're not aggressive. Huntsmans are big enough [for their bites] to break the skin. I've probably been bitten by huntsmans—I work with Australian huntsman spiders—I don't know, five times?

It hurts because it breaks the skin, but their venom is really nothing much, and they're not really inclined to bite at all. When a wandering spider is threatened, though, it tends to rear up so its front legs go up in the air in a pretty feisty way, often with its fangs open. It's really scary. So, you've got very, very different behaviors. The huntsman spiders are also different in appearance. Most spiders stand up on all eight legs, but the huntsman spider's legs are rotated so that they're horizontal to the body. This allows them to get really flat to the ground and to move sideways really effectively. In fact, in the U.S. they're sometimes called "giant crab spiders," because they can scuttle around like crabs. The wandering spiders have normal legs that aren't rotated like the huntsman spiders' legs, so they're clearly standing upright, and the underside of the wanderings' front legs, at least in some of their species, is often brightly colored in reds or yellows. It's a warning coloration. What should consumers do if they encounter one of these spiders in their fruit?

It's like anything: you have to pay attention to what you're doing and make sure you rinse off your fruit. The wandering and huntsman spiders are both pretty big, so you wouldn't miss them. Black widows are much easier to miss, because they're about the size of a grape. Black widows are really fast in webs, but they're pretty inadequate on the ground. They really can't run on the ground at all. Their abdomens are just too big, so they kind of waddle around. So a black widow is more inclined to simply drop off the web or off a grape into, say, your sink. And then, once on the ground, it's not going anywhere fast. Wandering spiders and huntsman spiders are really fast, and they do just fine on the ground. Now, I'm personally not all that big on squishing these guys. I think it's a whole lot more interesting to get them in a jar and get them identified. Spiders don’t naturally attack humans, so the risk of getting bitten is very low. Basically, people shouldn’t worry too much. Black widows, for example, are really shy. They only bite when they perceive a threat, such as a hand trying to grab them.

You should try to get the offending spider to drop on the ground and quickly scoop it up into a large container (just as you would with any other spider). If a black widow does bite you, wait 15 minutes to see if she (only the females are toxic enough to harm humans) has actually injected venom in you--it starts to really hurt. That is the advice given by Poison Control in Arizona. Then go to an emergency room where they can provide antivenom or palliative treatment. Evidently, when a Brazilian wandering spider bites, it hurts immediately, so you go to the doctor or emergency room with the spider if possible, It’s always best for people to bring the spider with them, so the hospital can provide the correct treatment. (For more tips see the CDC’s guide on venomous spiders .) Could stores or shippers do more to keep spiders out of our bananas and grapes? I'm not sure what more could be done. A lot of the insects on these fruits are being doused with chemicals or washed before shipping. For example, before bananas are shipped, they are taken off the plant, put in a water trough to wash them off and then they're packed in large shipping containers, which are kept quite cool.

Grapes are shipped at cooler temperatures, too. What will happen is that the spiders at those lower temperatures become quiescent. Some may be dying, but a lot of animals can take cold temperatures for awhile. Both bananas and grapes are sold at the grocery not chilled. So, basically, what you've got is spiders that have been cooled pretty much until they've reached the grocery that are waking up. How dangerous are most spiders? What's important to keep in mind is that truly a small portion of spiders are dangerous to humans. Basically, most spiders can't do a whole lot. They can't break the skin or their venom doesn't react with human physiology. It's estimated that 50 percent of all spider bites don't even inject venom, and they are unlikely to go after humans. Still, you wouldn't want to be bitten by a wandering spider, Brazilian or otherwise. There are wandering spiders all over Latin America, where most bananas come from, the Brazilian wandering spider, or Phoneutria nigriventer , is only found on the Atlantic coast of Brazil, not in Honduras, where the bananas at the Tulsa store came from. The chances of encountering one are really very slim.

Huntsman Spider | Spider Bite Treatment by admin A male giant huntsman spider can grow as big as the size of an adult human hand If the jumping spider has a spy-like disposition for hunting and the Brazilian wandering spider is the most venomous, the huntsman spider is known for its size. The male species seen in Laos has a leg span of up to 30 cm, and if you measure its whole body, it will roughly be the same as the size of a human hand! All huntsman spiders belong to the Sparassidae family and called as such because of their speed and their mode of hunting. They are not web-weavers and they are known to wait for their prey to come closer before they strike, similar how the lion king hunts for their food. A spider with many names They have several known aliases, which best describe some of their characteristics. In Africa they are called as “rain spiders” because they immediately seek shelter before rain falls, I guess they hate to take a bath. They mostly seek shelter on woody places such as forest, mine shafts, wooden shack and woodpiles, so the name “wood spiders” stick.

They live mostly in Australia, but because they “travel”, they can also be found in the Philippines, Japan, India and some parts of the United States like Hawaii and Puerto Rico. They are also known as “giant crab” spiders because of their huge appearance and their crablike legs that allow them to move freely, either forward, sideways or in any direction for that matter. Even though they are huge, their long twisted legs (their trademark) enable them to travel rapidly through long distances, and allow them to wander on walls and ceilings. What does a huntsman spider look like? Huntsman spiders have smooth furry bodies, brown or gray in color, large fangs and eight beady little black eyes. Their vision is not as outstanding as that of a jumping spider , but enough to detect dangers from some distance, so some are known to run over and bite you if you touch the walls that they are clinging onto. Yes, they are defensive. They are initially known to be shy and harmless creatures except when you are a member of the insect and invertebrate species they eat. Basically, they are afraid of humans, and will immediately scurry away from you unless they are with their young. The female species are known to be much aggressive than males.

It is because they sometimes carry their egg sacs in their jaws. They will arch up their bodies giving you some warning that they are ready for a fight, and when they attack, they use their impossibly long legs to cling onto you, making it hard to shake them off. They can give you a bite or two before you will be able to get away from them. Huntsman spider bite The huntsman spider’s venom can immobilize its prey and this helps to digest its food. Swelling, nausea, headache, vomiting and heart palpitation are some of the effects of its bite on humans. You can place cold packs to ease the swelling and pain but if some symptoms don’t disappear, call the doctor immediately. It is also beneficial to identify the kind of spider that bit you, to give you the right cure. It is really hard to judge animals by appearance alone. To think that this huge spider is one of a timid kind is surprising enough. Just remember to be alert and be careful whenever you encounter them inside or outside your home. UCR Spiders Site: "Deadly" Banana Spider...Or Not "Deadly" Banana Spider...Or Not Deadly Banana Spiders !!!!!!!!!

Or not Updated 3 Aug 2015 Every once in a while in North America, a large spider (or a spider egg sac) is found in international cargo, most commonly in bananas. The spider is collected and taken to a local “authority” who typically has no arachnological experience. A quick search of the Internet leads the “authority” to identify the spider as a deadly armed or wandering spider of Brazil (genus Phoneutria) and then, panic and hyperbolic media coverage ensues. However, most of the time, these incidents are misidentifications of harmless spiders. This is due in part to the dynamic nature of being associated with a potential dangerous animal. People like to jump to the exciting conclusion that they are dealing with a “deadly” creature. Another contributor to the hyperbole is that a quick identification is understandably forced by a desire to know if the spider is indeed dangerous so that cargo crews will not suffer envenomations and cargo can then be unloaded before it decays (in the case of fruit). People then err on the side of the fantastic rather than caution.

Information regarding spiders collected from bananas can be found in the two articles below, which can be obtained from me in PDF form with an email request. rick.vetter@ucr.edu Vetter, R.S. and S. Hillebrecht. 2008. On distinguishing two often-misidentified genera (Cupiennius, Phoneutria) (Araneae: Ctenidae) of large spiders found in Central and South American cargo shipments. American Entomologist 54: 82-87. Vetter, R. S., R. L. Crawford and D. J. Buckle. 2014. Spiders (Araneae) found in bananas and other international cargo submitted to North American arachnologists for identification. Journal of Medical Entomology 51: 1136-1143. Information on spider egg sacs found on bananas is also presented below but read through the information on the spiders first Armed spiders (Genus Phoneutria) Spiders of the genus Phoneutria cause the greatest concern. Typically, harmless spiders are misidentified as Phoneutria spiders when intercepted in cargo.

The reason for this misidentification is the well-known fact that some species of Phoneutria have red hairs on their chelicerae (the two structures below the eyes on the “face” which have fangs at the end). Unfortunately, these are not the only large spiders found in bananas that have these red hairs. Because almost no one in North America has the proper identification publications for South American spiders, they turn to either the Internet (where the spiders are often already misidentified) or the Golden Guide to Spiders, a very rudimentary identification guide. The dangers associated with these spiders for North Americans are very much overexaggerated. First, the most cited dangerous species is Phoneutria fera. This is actually an Amazonian species, (i.e., it lives in the Brazilian Amazon) far from areas of human commerce and the Brazilian banana plantations and, therefore, they don’t have the opportunity to be transported in cargo, or at least are highly unlikely to be so moved. In Germany from decades ago, specimens listed as imported P. fera were most likely misidentified specimens of other Phoneutria species.

(One must also keep in mind that Phoneutria taxonomy has been a nightmare for the last century with new species being named and other names being absorbed by other existing species, back and forth almost like an Abbott and Costello comedy routine. It is really difficult sometimes to pin down a name because for some spider groups, the taxonomy is not yet settled). The spiders intercepted in Germany were most likely specimens of P. nigriventer and P. keyserlingi, which are only found on the Atlantic coast of Brazil and are mostly involved in Brazilian envenomations. All three of these spiders can get up to 50 mm in body length. However, they still are not nearly as deadly as people claim. In one study of 422 Phoneutria bites in coastal Brazil, only 2.3% of the victims required antivenom and the only death was one small child. Although there is an obvious major concern when children are bitten, most bite victims experienced minor problems without long-lasting effects and certainly not death. Most of the bites were in adults; minor symptoms resolved without complications.

Although these large spiders were transported in bananas to Europe many years ago, currently, Brazil consumes almost all of its banana crop domestically so now there is less chance for the spiders to be transported out of the country, at least in fruit. On the west coast of South America, another species, P. boliviensis, exists and has occasionally been transported in cargo to North America (mostly from Ecuador). However, in comparison to its eastern relatives, this species is smaller (30 mm body length) and its envenomation effects are milder. A paper on bites in plantation workers revealed annoying symptoms but no deaths. Workers missed 2 to 3 days of work. So even if these spiders were transported to North America, they are not considered very dangerous and should not cause concern. To summarize: The dangerous species of Phoneutria are found in the Amazon where interaction with people is rare and transport out of the country in commerce is highly unlikely. The two species associated with high human population on the eastern Brazilian coast cause human envenomations but are not as dangerous as they are reported to be. Although they can cause death in young children, most bite victims experience mild reactions. Brazil no longer exports much of their banana crop.

The western South American species of Phoneutria is much smaller than the eastern species and although sometimes is transported, it is not a major medical concern when bites occur. All Phoneutria species are virtually restricted to South America. If a spider is found in a banana shipment from Central America, then it is highly unlikely to be a Phoneutria spider (see next section) Cupiennius spiders These are the spiders that are most frequently mistaken as Phoneutria spiders. They are large, found in banana shipments and one species, Cupiennius chiapanensis, has bright red hairs on its chelicerae. One major contributing factor to the confusion is that C. chiapanensis was only officially described in 2006 so only a few arachnologists in Central America were aware of this spider. There are other species, C. getazi, and C. coccineus, which have sometimes been transported to North America in bananas. The large species of Cupiennius, which are most frequently found in banana shipments in North America, live exclusively in Central America.

They have characteristic coloration: Cupiennius chiapanensis- bright red hairs on chelicerae Cupiennius getazi- underside of legs near body has black dots on white background Cupiennius coccineus - underside of front legs near body has bright red hairs Cupiennius getazi However, because C. chiapanensis has bright red hairs on the chelicerae and was only recently described, almost no sources have accurate information on this spider. Hence, it looks closest to Phoneutria fera and then the hysteria starts. I am aware of 6 cases where a North American arachnologist (including myself) as well as several Mexican authors made misidentifications, most of which came before 2006. No species of Cupiennius spider is considered dangerous and verified bites result in mild pain for a short time with no long-lasting effects. To summarize: Cupiennius spiders are often found in banana shipments to North America but are harmless. Cupiennius spiders are virtually restricted to Central America or at least the ones that end up in banana shipments come only from Central America.

Cupiennius chiapanensis has only been officially known since 2006 and is frequently mistaken as the potentially dangerous Phoneutria fera, even by experienced arachnologists because both spider species have red hairs on their chelicerae. Huntsman spider, Heteropoda venatoria This spider is established worldwide in tropical areas including Hawaii and Florida. It is frequently found in cargo shipments of all kinds and in bananas is common from Ecuador. It has a white “moustache” under its eyes and holds it legs rotated to the side like a crab. The males and females have strikingly different coloration. These spiders are harmless. Summary for the entire page so far If you have a large spider found in bananas from a country in Central America, it is most probably going to be a harmless species of the genus Cupiennius. If you have a large spider found in bananas from western South America (i.e., Ecuador), if it has a white moustache, it is the harmless huntsman spider, Heteropoda venatoria.

If large but with no moustache, possibly it is Phoneutria boliviensis, which is of minor medical concern but could also be one of several other non-related species. You can’t use the red facial hairs alone to accurately identify a large spider found in bananas. None of these spiders are deadly. Spider egg sacs found on bananas In the last few years, there have been more incidences of egg sacs found on bananas brought into North America. Most of these are crushed during shipment but on occasion a few survive transport and babies can hatch out of them, causing panic in the home owner. And once again, people who have no arachnological training immediately identify these egg sacs as the hyperbolically-dangerous Phoneutria fera spider. First of all, the general public is notoriously bad in identifying spiders in bananas when comparing pictures. Considering how there is almost nothing in the scientific literature on egg sacs of these spiders, it is really amazing that people are so assured that they have correctly identified the egg sac to one species of spider. In regard to this, I have personally seen 10 to 20 egg sacs from bananas, several with live spiderlings.

I was not successful in raising the babies; they wouldn’t eat anything that I offered them including each other and I have reared thousands of baby spiders of other species to adulthood in my career. So people freak out because they fear that these spiders will establish in their homes, when I couldn’t get them to eat anything to get them to the next instar (stage between molts). In addition, the egg sacs that I have been receiving have about 50 to 200 eggs inside. According to a paper in the Journal of Arachnology, Phoneutria boliviensis, (the small Phoneutria spider) lays an average of 836 eggs in its egg sac with a range of 430 to 1300 eggs. So the egg sacs that I have been receiving are much smaller than the smallest Phoneutria egg sac. Also, from the spiderlings that I have examined, they look closest to a small harmless spider genus, Acanthoctenus. But because these spiders are so small and hard to identify, there is also the possibility that they are being laid by some other species that is never found in bananas so we have no idea what species it is.

But the overall message here is that the egg sacs that have been coming through in bananas do not appear to be anything dangerous and the reports of “deadly” banana spiderlings being found by home owners is just another case of misidentification and unwarranted media hyperbole. #!i=1249290217&k=wRuKg Spider Family: Jumping spiders (Salticidae) These spiders, found all over the world, are known for their wicked jumping skills and their remarkable eyesight . These survival traits are so amazing that jumping spiders are considered one of the most evolved families of spiders. Estimated number of species: 5468 Zebra spider. Flickr Credit: Pim van den Heuvel Scariest Spider in this Family: Zebra spider (Salticus scenicus) Size: Has a body length of 5-7mm Location: These spiders are found in Europe, northern Asia and North America Scary details: The idea of a spider jumping at you is pretty scary. Zebra spiders can jump about 20x their own length which sounds terrifying, but being just 7mm, that means they can only jump about 14cm.

After putting that into perspective, these guys don’t seem so scary after all. Besides, how can someone be scared of a face like that? P.D. Hillyard. The Private Life of Spiders: page 34-35 Spider Family: Huntsman spiders (Sparassidae) These spiders get their name from their speed and hunting skills. They tend to live in warm temperate regions. They do not build webs, but forage for food instead. Estimated number of species: 1123 Giant Huntsman Spider. Flickr Credit: Insecta62 Scariest Spider in this Family: Giant Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda maxima) Size: Over 4.6cm in body length and has a 25-30cm leg span Location: Laos Scary Details: This spider has the widest leg span in the world which is enough to give anyone the creeps. While human encounters do occur, these spiders aren’t necessarily aggressive unless you disturb their nest or are considered a threat. They also give you a warning before biting. Sources: Peter Jaeger.

A new species of Heteropoda (Araneae, Sparassidae, Heteropodinae) from Laos, the largest huntsman spider? Zoosystema 23.3 (2001): pages 461-465 . Spider Family: Wolf spiders (Lycosidae) These spiders are amazing hunters and have really good eyesight. They rely on camouflage for protection and many live and hunt on the ground. Estimated number of species: 2388 Tarantula wolf spider. Flickr Credit: Óskar87jk Scariest Spider in this Family: Tarantula wolf spider (Lycosa tarantula) Size: Can grow to 3cm in body length Location: southern Europe, especially around Italy Scary details: During the 17th century, a bite from this spider was believed to cause “Tarantism,” a potentially fatal disorder that caused restlessness and excitability. However, now it is widely believed that tarantism was due to a relative of the black widow. The tarantula wolf spider rarely attacks humans and their bite is no more painful than a bee sting . Sources: MobileReference.

First Aid Guide and Home Doctor for Smartphones and Mobile Devices. Mobi Health Series (2007): “Lycosa tarantula” Spider Family: Wandering spiders (Ctenidae) These spiders don’t catch prey in webs, rather they ambush prey on the ground. Estimated number of species: 468 Brazilian wandering spider. Photo Credit: techuser Scariest Spider in this Family: Brazilian wandering spider (Phoneutria nigriventer) Size: Body length is about 3-5cm with a leg span of 12-15cm. Location: Southern South America Scary details: These spiders are fast, highly venomous and aggressive. Unlike most other spiders, they won’t run when threatened. In fact, 60% of all spider bites in parts of Brazil are caused by this P. nigriventer. Venom from this spider is lethal so steer clear of this species. Sources: Dr. Robert S. Anderson, et al. Insects and Spiders of the World: Volume 10. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2003: pages 580-582 P.D. Hillyard.

The Private Life of Spiders: pages 117-119 Spider Family: Actinopodidae These spiders are found in South America and Australia. Estimated number of species: 40 Mouse Spider (Missulena occatoria). Flickr Credit: Peripitus Scariest Spider in this Family: Mouse Spiders (Missulena) Size: 10mm-35mm in body length Location: Mainland Australia Scary Details: These spiders look like the Sydney Funnel-web spider and can be just as toxic. However, they are not aggressive. Although they are often seen around mainland Australia, bites are rare. If bites do happen, funnel-web spider anti-venom has been proven as an effective cure. Spider Family: Recluse spiders (Sicariidae) This family is known for being venomous. They are found around the world in warm climates.

Estimated number of species: 125 Six-eyed Sand Spider with its prey Scariest Spider in this Family: Six-eyed sand spider (Sicarius hahni) Size: Body length of 9-19mm and a 50mm leg span Location: Western half of southern Africa Scary Details: This spider is a cousin of the brown recluse spider and can be just as toxic. It hides under the sand and waits for its prey to come too close. Currently there isn’t an anti-venom for the six-eyed sand spider, but there are very few recorded bites and they seem highly unlikely to bite humans. These spiders are very shy and timid. Rather than attack, it will run away and hide under the sand if it is disturbed. P.D. Hillyard. The Private Life of Spiders: pages 116-117 Spider Family: Funnel spiders (Hexathelidae) Some species belonging to the Hexathelidae family are found in South America, Africa, but most live around Asia Pacific. Their name comes from the shape of their web. Estimated number of species: 105 Sydney Funnel Web Spider.

Photo Credit: Londolozi Scariest Spider in this Family: Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus) Size: Can have a 35mm body length Location: Within a 160km around Sydney, Australia Scary Details: The Sydney funnel-web spider is aggressive and venomous. Males have really strong fangs and are more likely to bite (which is uncommon among spiders). Juvenile and female spiders, on the other hand, are far less toxic than males. Like the Brazilian Wandering Spider, a bite from this spider can be lethal. P.D. Hillyard. The Private Life of Spiders: pages 117-119 Spider Family: Nephilidae They are known for their amazing, not to mention massive, webs that sometime span several feet in width. Estimated number of species: 61 Golden Silk Orb-weaver. Flickr Credit: Clicksy Scariest Spider in this Family: Golden Silk Orb-weaver (Nephila clavipes) Size: Usually grow to be 7.5cm in body length Location: Around the southern United States, Argentina and Peru.

This is the only member of this family found in the Western Hemisphere, the rest live in the South Pacific. Scary details: These spiders build their webs with strong silk and are often found from 2 to 8 feet above the ground, so be careful when walking in Golden Silk Orb-weaver territory or you might stumble into one. Thankfully, while this spider is venomous, it is not lethal to humans. Like the tarantula wolf spider, their bite is comparable to a bee sting! Spider Family: Cobweb spiders (Theridiidae) While many spider webs are beautifully designed and patterned, the cobweb spider is an exception to the rule. Their webs are known for looking tangled and unorganized. Estimated number of species: 2350 Black widow spider. Flickr Credit: theloushe Scariest Spider in this Family: Black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans) Size: Body length is about 9mm, with a 25-35mm leg span Location: Mostly around the United States, but some are found in southern Canada, Mexico and South America Scary details: This spider might be small, but it packs a powerful bite.

Its venom is believed to be 15x more toxic than a rattlesnake’s. Thankfully, Black widows are timid and not aggressive. Its first defence method is to drop out of its web and pretend to be dead. To learn more about the number of spider species that make up each family, click here: The World Spider Catalog Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games , discover amazing facts , meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity . VN:F [1.9.10_1130] Most venomous spider | Guinness World Records Guinness World Records Male Sydney funnel-web spider Atrax robustus What When Not applicable Defining the term "most venomous" as the most toxic to humans (as some venomous spider species show varying degrees of toxicity to different animal species envenomed by them), the world's most venomous spider is the male Sydney funnel-web spider Atrax robustus.

Native to Sydney and its environs within the Australian state of New South Wales, where it can be found in moist habitats including under logs or foliage and frequenting gardens too, in this species just 0.2 mg/kg of the male’s venom is a lethal dose for primates (including humans). The female Sydney funnel-web is far less dangerous than the male, being four-to-six times less effective. n/a All records listed on our website are current and up-to-date. For a full list of record titles, please use our Record Application Search. (You will be need to register / login for access) Huntsman Spiders at Spiderzrule - the best site in the world about spiders, redbacks, huntsmen, garden orb weaver, funnel web, black widow, recluse, hobo spider, daddy long legs. Reply: This is one of the huntsman species, - glen 13 April, 2016: Click for a larger view .. Reply: This is a huntsman spider - glen 28 January, 2016: Hi Glen! Hope you are doing well. I'm sending you this email because I found this spider in my house.

I'm a bit worried about it being some type of brown recluse because of the terrible damage they can do to people. I've looked through several pages on the internet and yours seem to be the best for this kind of stuff. I am from Mexico City by the way. I hope you will be able to help me. Kind regards, Martï¿½n Click for a larger view Reply: Yes I believe they are both Heteropoda (huntsman spiders) - glen 19 February, 2016: Thank you very much Dr. Glen. I have here two spiders, the cephalothorax of image 10524716 is darker than the second image. It seems they belong to genus Heteropoda. Could it be right? Click for a larger view . Reply: This is one of the huntsman species, - glen 10 July, 2015: Nong Khiaw Village, Laos. 10 cms across. Mark ..

Reply: This is one of the huntsman species, - glen 10 July, 2015: Hi, My husband took this picture today of this spider and we were curious to know what it is. We live in Northeast Florida, very near the beach. He works outside, and has for most of his life, but has never seen a spider this big before. He said he could hear it scurrying around and that it was very aware of him being there. He would move around and it would follow his movements. Not aggressive though. Oh, and for scale, the log is about 6 inches in diameter, and about 6-7 inches tall. The shell is bigger than a large man's hand. It was taken in a darkened outdoor structure, so sorry about the lighting quailty. He has a few more pics of it, but all are about the same as this one. Thanks for any help. (P.S He left it alone and it crawled along its merry way). Kelly .. Reply: This is one of the huntsman species, - glen 2 July, 2015: Hello, I was wondering if you could help me identify this spider?

Looks like it could be a brown recluse. This was found at a home in Mesa Arizona. Thanks, Stuart .. Reply: This is one of the huntsman species, not a recluse. - glen 27 May, 2015: Hello, I was wondering if you could help me identify this spider? Looks like it could be a brown recluse. This was found at a home in Mesa Arizona. Thanks, Stuart .. Reply: This is one of the huntsman species. - glen 27 May, 2015: Found this guy on my door last night, he filled up the bottom of a 12 ounce solo cup. He was on my screen door. Very fast. Released him on the golf course so he could thrive. Just curious if it is a huntsmen spider or a wolf spider. This is Phoenix AZ thanks and have a great day! cs .. Reply: This is one of the huntsman species. Don't often see the green ones though!! - glen 29 April, 2015: Not sure if I am sending this to the right e-mail address, found two on your site!

I would be most grateful if you could ID this little fella that I found in my garden in Crete, Greece. With thanks. Carol .. 10 April, 2015: Hi Glen, thought you would enjoy these pics. What an amazing little creature, such detail. I caught him for pictures, but will release him soon (away from my house) ;-) Danni .. 11 February, 2015: Hello Glen, We are in Northwestern AZ and are trying to identify this spider: Brown Recluse, Desert Recluse, Southern House Spider, or Other? You'll put a family dispute to rest! Very large spider - the size of the Palm of adult hand! Thank you!! Love your site! Gina .. 2 February, 2015: Hi Glen, Can you identify this spider for us please - it was on our BBQ yesterday morning - we are located in Blackbutt, Qld. I was later able to get a better photo when the spider moved on to the back of our motorhome. Can send spider on motorhome at high res if you wish. Photos attached. Regards, Ted .. Hi Can you please assist identifying the spider attached. ..

18 December, 2014: Hi, Gerew ~ I hope you can identify this spider. They frequent our house, typically running across the ceiiling. They are yellow/gold, large (3-4" legspan), fast and often jump. Are they dangerous? Poisonous? I live in SE Utah. Thanks if you can help. Roberta .. 17 January, 2015: Hi, Found this spider in a blue gum plantation in the South east of South Australia. Could not identify and have never seen before my whole life living down here. Do you know this one? Thanks Peter Click for a larger view .. 18 December, 2014: Found this in a warehouse on the Wirral that receives materials from all over the world Click for a larger view .. Reply: This is a huntsman - glen 18 December, 2014: He may still be in my room. I didnt want to harm just wanna know if i have to take extra precautions. Additionally i live in Trinidad In a fairly suburban area bordering on forested areas. The moulding seen in the pic is about 1 and half to two inches wide. Click for a larger view ..

Reply: This is a huntsman, Isopeda vasta - glen 18 December, 2014: Click for a larger view .. 18 December, 2014: Found this in a warehouse on the Wirral that receives materials from all over the world May I know what spider is this? Thanks. Click for a larger view .. Reply: Looks like some sort of local huntsman - glen 28 November, 2014: Hi! We are in Costa Rica, in Nosara, and we found this spider in the doorframe in our house. When disturbed, it threw two legs on one side up into the air. It is less than an inch long, and quite orange. What kind do you think it is? .. Reply: Hi Glen, Thank you very much for your prompt answer! Highly appreciated! I've made some additional searching and I think that it could be a Fireback huntsman - at least it is highly similar to the description in that guide (attached). Kind regards, Lukasz 8 June, 2014: Dear Glen, Last month I was visiting Australia and I went to Daintree National Park.

Amongst dry leaves of Drynaria sp. I've noticed quite big spider (photo attached). Unfortunatelly I do not know what kind of species it is. I would be grateful if you could help me. Thank you a lot! Best regards, Lukasz Click for a larger view .. Reply: Looks like a huntsman - glen 8 June, 2014: Hello! My friend was on a trip to Costa Rica and found this spider above her bed. Would you please help me identify it? For scale, she said from toe to toe it was about the length of a hand. I've attached the image to this email. Thank you! - Beth G .. Reply: Looks like a huntsman - glen 8 June, 2014: Good morning, Any idea what this spider is? A friend of mine found it at her house. House is in Ballito, KZN Best regards Charlene .. Reply: This is a green huntsman spider (Micrommata virescens) is a spider with a palearctic distribution, of the huntsman spider (Sparassidae) family. M.

virescens is a species occurring naturally in Northern and Central Europe, including Denmark. It does not build a web, and hunts insects in green vegetation, where it is well camouflaged. - glen 8 June, 2014: Hi I live in spain near Cadiz I found this in the wood store on the door, I think spiders (most) are very interesting but I have not seen a spider like this before, if you can ID it I would appreciate the info. Thanks Craig .. 26 May, 2014: Hiya, I've lived in my new place for 8 months now and I have killed at least 30 of the spiders in the pic below. I do not like killing spiders but I have two curious dogs and I am not sure if these are poisonous. Any help with identity, characteristics, affect bite would have on a dog...etc would be great! They tend to congregate in the crack of my front door and occasionally on the ceiling. Thanks so much, .. ..

26 May, 2014: I can't identify this spider that was sitting on my lounge room wall for some hours before I decided I didn't want to go to bed with it still there. I thought it was a Huntsman at first, but it was more bunched up rather than spread out flat & it didn't move sideways when disturbed. It's abdomen went up off the wall which I always thought was a trait of White Tails? Then it looked like a Wolf Spider, but you don't or rarely find them inside right? Plus with that white tail of hers...? Can spiders cross breed at all? Can you please help me identify what this Spider is? I'd very much appreciate it. BTW It was still wet from insecticide in the first photo. Cheers David .. 26 May, 2014: Hi Glen, This is 'Fang'. I managed to get his cage clean. Instead of a jar I used a cylinder of paper and coaxed him into that. Much easier because it is flexible and it can't hurt him. It didn't stress either one of us :-) Not the greatest picture but the best I could get. Thanks again. Wendy ..

Reply: This is some sort of huntsman, not a brown recluse - glen 26 May, 2014: I live in Phoenix, AZ and came across this spider on the side of our house, at night a little over an hour after sunset. I looked at many pictures of brown recluses on your website but am not 100% sure the one we had was a brown recluse. Can you please answer this question for me so I know for sure what kind of spider I encountered. .. Reply: Looks like a huntsman of some sort - glen 6 May, 2014: These large ones were in the Dominican Republic ï¿½ SW part of the country about 30 km from Haiti. Had to have been about 6-7 cm from leg tip to leg tip. Any ideas? Even Family would help me. . 26 January, 2014: Hi there! I came across your website on line. I was wondering if you might help me identify this spider (picture attached). This picture was taken by a friend of ours, here in Cape Town, South Africa.

I thought it may be a Huntsman Spider, but for the dots on its bum, or a Field sac spider, according to some of the pictures I looked at online this morning? But we just arenï¿½t sure, and I would really like to know. J If you are able to help, or send me in the right direction to identify it myself, I would be grateful! Many thanks, Alisa . Reply: This looks like a huntsman - glen 19 December, 2013: Good day Could you assist in the ID of this spider. Its very aggressive and the second one, we find them in the kitchen. I live in South Africa, gauteng area. Thank you .. Reply: This looks like a huntsman too- glen 30 October 2013: Good Morning, Office & Warehouse in Fort Myers, Florida ï¿½ USA Please help me identify the spider attached & pictured below.. We receive & store cardboard boxes ï¿½ filled with invoice paper ï¿½ from all over the country (on a daily basis).. Boxes received via palletized freight trucks &/or small parcel.. Thanks, Shel ..

Reply: This looks like a huntsman - glen 19 December 2013: Hi, We currently live in Perth Western Australia (Floreat Suburb). What kind of spider is this? Thanks, Scott .. Reply: This could be a huntsman but not positive - glen 19 December 2013: Here is a spider we found in Southern Afgan, any idea what it is? is it dangerous? .. Reply: This looks like a huntsman but not positive - glen 19 December 2013: Hi glen, found this spider in Dubai. is it dangerous? .. 30 October 2013: Hello, This little guy showed up in my room one day. Actually my niece saw it first. I had never seen a spider like this before. I love spiders so I caught it in a jar took it to Fresno State University hoping some one could help confirm that it was a Huntsmen or Olios giganteus. Unfortunately we only have a bug guy and no spider guys. So he was no help. He said just to let it go outside. We have a allergy free garden which I hope they don't spray with pesticides and let him go there.

Enjoy the picture. .. Reply: This looks like a huntsman - glen 19 December 2013: Hi, We currently live in Perth Western Australia (Floreat Suburb). What kind of spider is this? Thanks, Scott .. Reply: This is probably a huntsman - glen 10 August, 2013: Hi I saw your website on spiders and me and my family found this in Cyprus on holiday and were wondering if you could tell us what it is? Thanks, James .. Reply: This is a huntsman - glen 10 August, 2013: Hi Glen Have found this spider in my house. Can you identify it. .. Reply: This is a huntsman - glen 10 August, 2013: Hi Glen I wasnt sure if this was the same fella as the one on your website so thought I'd sent you a pic. It was spotted on a wall in a small church up in the forested hills (pine) of the Paphos district of Cyprus. Scared us to death after we realised he/she wasn't part of the painting on an Icon!! :) Thankyou Junie ..

Reply: This is a huntsman - glen 17 May, 2013: Hi I just found your website while i was browsing. a friend of mine send me this pic. and i found it hard to belive cause it is so big that i never saw this size. the spider run away and they could not fiso soon.nd it and they r scared. would u pls tell me what kind of spider it is? thank u very much waiting to hear from u .. Reply: This is a huntsman - glen 17 May, 2013: Really need your help!!!! Please can u tell me what this spider is .... Got a dead one at home so can send more pics if need be! I have found three around the house! They really freak me out! The pull their bodies in and the looks extremely tiny until they move and spread their legs and bodies out! They really are freaky lil creatures! Will send another pic or 2 later to make it easier! Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom - let your email find you! .. Reply: This could be a huntsman - glen 17 May, 2013: Hi!

I live in San Diego, California in the mission hills area, over looking the bay, and have never seen anything like this. Can you please help? I found this spider on my bedroom wall. I know I shouldn't have killed him but he was very aggressive and I was scared to get bit! Needless to say he went for a swim. Thanks Dan .. Reply: This could be a huntsman - glen 17 May, 2013: I'm in Northern California and my friend just moved into a new house and found this spider. We have no idea what it is. Can you help? .. Reply: This looks like a huntsman - glen 13 April, 2013: could you tell me what kind this is please I would really appreciate it .. Reply: This could be a huntsman - glen 13 April, 2013: Hi Glen, I live in Vero Beach, Florida and I have been finding quite a few of these huge but flat like a pancake spiders in and around my back yard & around my daughters playhouse. We do have a lot of oak trees in our yard as well. I just need to know if it's dangerous?

This is the 4th one I have found in the past week. I'm ready to put my house up for sale! Hope you can email me back with good news that its safe to let my kids play again in my back yard. Thank you, Laurie .. Reply: This is could be a huntsman - glen 13 April, 2013: could you tell me what kind this is please I would really appreciate it .. Reply: This is a huntsman - glen 13 April, 2013: I live in 29 Palms, CA and my son Jeremy killed this spider. Do you know what it is? .. Reply: This is a huntsman, the others are a wolf spider and a tarantula - glen 13 April, 2013: these spiders are from our trip to Panama this Feb. can you tell us if they are venomous and what kind are they. thanks ..

Reply: It think this is a huntsman - glen 20 December, 2012: Wow thx 4 the reply - I never expected it - I hav another weird lil guy we found (was already dead) mayb u know what this dude is - thx .. Reply: This looks like huntsman too- glen 20 December, 2012: This 1 was alive - neighbor ask me 2 help since she knows I'm not scared - I don't kill them either (only flies - eeeew). Anyway - not sure if its the same - was like a week apart and was same size thou - we freed this 1 thou. (?) .. Reply: This looks like huntsman too- glen 20 December, 2012: I live in Florida, and this spider was in a box on my back porch. Leg tip to leg tip was about 6 inches maybe. I have looked on all the spider sites but can't seem to find it. I thought it might be a nursery web spider, but I am not sure. Thanks. -- Veralynne ..

Reply: This looks like huntsman too- glen 20 December, 2012: Hi, Can you help me identify the spider in the attached photo? I live in Cape Coral, Southwest Florida. Thanks for any help! Jerry .. Reply: It looks like huntsman - glen 20 December, 2012: doesn't seem like any other huntsman i've seen in these parts (gold coast)... .. Reply: It looks like huntsman but not sure - glen 3 November, 2012: Found in the Hajar Mountains Oman. Please could you identify this Spider.. Thanks, Matt .. Reply: It is a huntsman - glen 3 November, 2012: Hi Glen I found this one in our bathroom this morning, exactly the same as the one sent in by Dru, and just a mile down the road from his location of San Marcos La Laguna, Lake Atitlan Guatemala. It was about 4-5 inches in diameter legspan and seemed pretty fast. It didnï¿½t seem aggressive, and was caught and released into the coffee plantation. Gave my girlfriend a bit of a shock when she found it in the bath though!

Cheers Mark .. Reply: It is a huntsman - glen 3 November, 2012: I came across this spider at the showers in the Picacho Peak campground (in Tucson, AZ) this past week. It was about the size of my palm. Just curious about what it might be. Iï¿½m not a fan of spiders, so I took the picture and then went away. Thank you, Shannon. .. 25 Sept, 2012: I live in Bermuda btw have 3 yr old and want to make sure nothing is dangerous .. Brazilian Wandering Spiders: Bites & Other Facts Brazilian Wandering Spiders: Bites & Other Facts By Jessie Szalay, Live Science Contributor | November 19, 2014 08:26pm ET MORE Credit: Nashepard | Shutterstock Brazilian wandering spiders, also called armed spiders or banana spiders, belong to the genus Phoneutria, which means "murderess" in Greek. And it's no wonder why — it's one of the most venomous spiders on Earth. Its bite can be deadly to humans, especially children, although antivenin makes death unlikely.

The Guinness Book of World Records has named the Brazilian wandering spider the world's most venomous spider in multiple years, though, as Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal , an arachnologist at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad, pointed out, "Classifying an animal as deadly is controversial," as the amount of damage depends on the amount of venom injected. Also, a "well-publicized study that an intravenous injection of 0.006 mg of venom from these spiders caused death in mice could be regarded of little concern to humans, since we are many times larger than a mouse," she said. Classification/taxonomy There are eight species of Brazilian wandering spider, all of which can be found in Brazil. Some of the species also can be found throughout Latin America, from Costa Rica to Argentina, according to an article in the journal American Entomologist . Author Richard S. Vetter, a research associate in the department of entomology at the University of California, Riverside, wrote that specimens of these powerful arachnids have been exported to North American and Europe in banana shipments.

However, Vetter noted, in many cases of cargo infestation, the spider in question is a harmless Cupiennius species that is misidentified as a Phoneutria species. The two types of spiders look similar. The taxonomy of Brazilian wandering spiders , according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), is: Kingdom: Animalia Phoneutria reidyi Size & characteristics Brazilian wandering spiders are large, with bodies reaching up to 2 inches (5 centimeters) and leg spans reaching about 6 inches (15 cm), according to the Conservation Institute . The species vary in color, though all are hairy, mostly brown and may have a black spot on their bellies. Behavior According to Sewlal, these arachnids "are called wandering spiders because they do not build webs but wander on the forest floor at night, actively hunting prey." They kill by both ambush and direct attack. They spend most of their day hiding under logs or in crevices, and come out to hunt at night. They eat insects, other spiders and sometimes, small amphibians, reptiles and mice. Because of the toxicity of their bite and their alarming-looking posture, these spiders have a reputation for being aggressive.

But these behaviors are actually defense mechanisms. "When threatened, they will raise their first two pairs of legs," said Sewlal. This dramatic and intimidating posture exposes the scarlet hair surrounding the fangs on some species. Their threatened stance serves as a warning, indicating to predators that the poisonous spider is ready to attack. "Their bites are a means of self-defense and only done if they are provoked intentionally or by accident," Sewlal said. A Brazilian wandering spider guards her egg sac. Credit: Dr. Morley Read Shutterstock Mating In almost all spider species, the female is larger than the male. This dimorphism is no different in the Brazilian wandering spider. Males approach females cautiously when attempting to mate, according to the biology department at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Males perform a dance to get females' attention, and males often fight each other over the female. The female can be picky, and she often turns down many males before choosing the one she will mate with. Once she does pick one, the male needs to watch out; females often attack the males once copulation is finished. The female then can store the sperm in a separate chamber from the eggs until she is ready to fertilize them.

She will lay up to 1,000 eggs, which are kept safe in a spun-silk egg sac. Brazilian wandering spiders typically live for one or two years. Bite Brazilian wandering spiders' venom is a complex cocktail of toxins, proteins and peptides, according to the Natural History Museum in Karlsruhe, Germany. The venom affects ion channels and chemical receptors in victims' neuromuscular systems. After a human is bitten by one of these spiders, he or she may experience initial symptoms such as severe burning pain at the site of the bite, sweating and goose bumps, Sewlal said. Within 30 minutes, symptoms become systemic and include high or low blood pressure, fast or a slow heartbeat, nausea, abdominal cramping, hypothermia, vertigo, blurred vision, convulsions and excessive sweating associated with shock. People who are bitten by a Brazilian wandering spider should seek medical attention immediately. In addition to intense pain and possible medical complications, the bite of a Brazilian wandering spider can deliver a long, painful erection to human males. The venom boosts nitric oxide, a chemical that increases blood flow. Several studies have looked at incorporating the venom into drugs for erectile dysfunction.

However, these bites are rare, and envenomations are usually mild, Vetter said. He cited a Brazilian study , published in the journal Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo in 2008, that revealed that only 2.3 percent of bites were treated with antivenin. (The other bites did not contain enough venom to require it.) The study also pointed out that, as of that year, only 10 deaths had ever been attributed to the spider's bite in Brazil. According to the study, "cases of serious envenomation are rare (0.5 percent)." "It is unlikely that the spider would inject all of its venom into you, as this venom is not only needed as a means of defense but to immobilize prey," Sewlal agreed. "So if it did inject all of its venom, it [would] have to wait until its body manufactured more before it could hunt." That would leave the spider vulnerable to being attacked by predators. Furthermore, Sewlal pointed out that venom production requires a lot of a spider's resources and time.

"So if the spider were to attack frequently and use up all of its venom, it [would] be safe to assume that it has a ready food supply to replace the energy and resources used. This situation does not exist in the wild." Additional resources Learn more about Brazilian wandering spiders from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse . See a gallery of the world's largest spiders , including the Brazilian wandering spider, at the Conservation Institute. Find a spider in your bananas ? It may or may not be a deadly species, according to the University of California, Riverside. Editor's Recommendations 10 of the World's Largest Spiders - Conservation Institute 10 of the World’s Largest Spiders Jul 15 • Nature • 268631 Views • Comments Off on 10 of the World’s Largest Spiders We share this world with a lot of types of spiders and some of them are unbelievably (like horror movie) big. Take a look at our list of the world’s largest spiders, starting from the smallest of the largest, all the way to the winning monster-sized, biggest spider in the world. 10.

Cerbalus Aravensis Cerbalus Aravensis (Wikipedia Commons) The smallest, but still large, spider on our list is the black and white Cerbalus Aravensis spider, which was discovered in Israel in 2009. It has a leg span of 5.5-inches and lives underground where it peaks out ready to jump on unsuspecting prey. Stay out of the Israeli sand dunes at night because this is when the Cerbalus Aravensis likes to hunt. 9. Brazilian Wandering Spider Brazilian Wandering Spider (OurBreathingPlanet/Flickr) The Brazilian Wandering spider isn’t the world’s biggest spider with it’s 5.9-inch leg span, but it does have one of the deadliest venoms. This spider’s venom rarely kills humans, but its bite will make you writhe in pain. You don’t have to go to Brazil to find this venomous spider either; one was found in the Whole Food’s produce apartment in Oklahoma. It had snuck into the country and health food store by riding on a banana. Watch out, this spider likes to hide in shoes. 8. Camel Spider Camel Spider (Wikipedia Commons) Myth surrounds the Camel spider.

People claim these spiders eat camels and humans, but really they do neither. They do probably scare both though. The Camel spider is also called the Scorpion spider because it’s related to both spiders and scorpions, and it looks a little like both. If that isn’t scary enough, they’re also 6-inches long. 7. Hercules Baboon Spider Hercules Baboon Spider (stompromper/Flickr) The Hercules Baboon spider is the rarest spider in the world. This huge spider has an 8-inch leg span, but don’t let that scare you, because none of these spiders have been seen since the year 1900. So don’t be fooled by those pet stores that try to pass off other spiders as the rare Hercules Baboon. Despite its name, the Hercules doesn’t eat baboons. It prefers to feast on insects. 6. Colombian Giant Black Tarantula Colombian Giant Black Tarantula (xenesthis/Flickr) The Colombian Giant Black tarantula — with the less pronounceable scientific name of Xenesthis monstrosa — can have a leg span of up to 9.1-inches.

Its mostly black in color, but has brownish hairs and some reddish markings. This species is an extremely aggressive eater, but is harmless to humans, besides the scare factor. Like all tarantulas, these guys experience balding in the thorax area in their senior years. 5. Brazilian Giant Tawny Red Tarantula Brazilian Giant Tawny Red Tarantula (José Luis Bartheld/Flickr) Native to Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina, the Brazilian Giant Tawny Red is a spider that is among one of the biggest in the world. It can have a leg span of up to 10.2-inches. Don’t think your safe from this beast if you live elsewhere, because it is also found as a pet worldwide. What makes these spiders interesting is that, unlike most spiders who suffer from parental abandonment, its mother actually sticks around to help it break free from the egg sack. 4. Poecilotheria Rajaei Poecilotheria Rajaei (Wikipedia Commons) The Poecilotheria Rajaei spider has been recently discovered in Sri Lanka 2009.

This spider has an 8-inch leg span and has a pinkish-gray band on its abdomen. These spiders like to live in fallen trees, rocks and inside people’s homes. Think about that before visiting Sri Lanka. 3. Brazilian Salmon Pink Birdeater Brazilian Salmon Pink Birdeater (Wikipedia Commons) Despite the name, the Brazilian Salmon Pink Birdeater spider doesn’t eat birds. It instead feasts on insects, lizards, frogs and mice. This spider lives in the rainforest and has a 10-inch leg span. It has a brown body with salmon-pink hairs that it shoots at its prey to disable them. Then it pounces on its prey and spits digestive juices on it, pre-digesting the victim before sucking it up. 2. The Huntsman Spider The Huntsman Spider (coolerclimes/Flickr) The Huntsman spider is really big. Its body can reach 1-foot long and its leg span can get up to 6-inches long. This spider is native to Asia, but can also be found in subtropical areas of Florida, Texas and California. The spiders traveled into the U.S. by hitching a ride on bananas, which is why their also called Banana spiders.

Yuck, watch out next time you eat an imported banana. The creepiest factor about the Huntsman is that they are really fast, can walk sideways and can scurry up perfectly smooth surfaces, such as window glass, without a problem. 1. The Goliath Bird-Eating Tarantula The Goliath Bird-Eating Tarantula (alishadevochka/Flickr) The largest spider in the world is the Goliath Bird-Eating tarantula. Yes, as the name suggests, this spider is large enough to eat birds, and it does. Yikes! The Goliath can reach up to 1-foot in body length and has 1-inch long fangs. It’s considered bigger than the Huntsman Spider because it has a heavier body mass. The Goliath has tiny hairs on its body that it shoots at whoever or whatever is threatening it. Its bite isn’t deadly to humans (unless you’re allergic), but if you get bit by one, expect to experience severe pain, nausea and profuse sweating. The Goliath Bird-Eating tarantula’s natural habitat is in the rainforests of South America, but they can be found as pets around the world.

If you hear a hissing noise, watch out. The Goliath rubs its legs together to make this frightening noise and it can be heard up to 15-feet away. Reading this list of the world’s biggest spiders may have left you feeling creeped out, but you have to admit these humongous creatures are interesting. Besides, they may be big, but you’re even bigger. Spiders of the Amazon | USA Today Spiders of the Amazon Travel Tips John Cagney Nash The hairs of a tarantula can irritate the soft tissue of the nose and throat when breathed in. (Photo: BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images ) Vacations to the Amazon The Amazon rainforest is home to a mind-boggling abundance of spiders. In fact, 90 percent of all the creatures that live in the rainforest are arthropods: insects, spiders, millipedes, centipedes and the like. Approximately 3,600 species of spiders inhabit the Amazon basin. Some spiders are tiny, while others are much larger than the human hand; some spin vast webs, while others live in tunnel systems in the ground; some are solitary, and others live in massive colonies.

The Tarantula Tarantulas have inhabited the Earth since the era of the dinosaurs. They are the largest of the spiders, and the largest tarantulas -- all of the Theraphosidae family -- are Amazonian tarantulas. The biggest is Pseudotherathosa apophysis; adults can measure 13 inches across. Such giants, perhaps 30 years of age, are invariably female; males die after mating. The creatures have an exoskeleton, two claws at the end of each leg, and live either in burrows or in treetop nests. Amazonian tarantulas typically have a covering of barbed hairs, called urticating hairs, that hook into soft tissue such as human flesh and cause extreme irritation. Despite what Hollywood would have you believe, the resultant of a tarantula bite is typically less bothersome for humans than the effects of the spider's hairs. The effects of a bite are comparable to that of a bee or wasp sting. The Brazilian Wandering Spider The Brazilian wandering spider, Phoneutria fera, is an example of a highly aggressive and venomous spider.

There are eight species of spider that fall under the category of Brazilian wandering spider, all part of the genus Phoneutria; that name comes from the ancient Greek word for "murderess." Thought to be the most venomous on Earth, they are colloquially known as "banana spiders" from their habit of hiding in bunches of the fruit; they have been known to enter the U.S. in this way. At 5 inches across, they are fairly intimidating, although not close to their tarantula family cousins. An untreated bite from a Brazilian wandering spider can kill a human in as little as 25 minutes. Jumping Spiders There are more than 500 known species of jumping spider, all from the family Salticidae. They inhabit the rainforest canopy and earned their name from their habit of leaping from tree to tree; this they do with a safety tether of excreted silk attached to their rear ends. Although also used for regular travel, the technique is primarily a hunting technique.

As an order, jumping spiders are perhaps the most likely to creep out on the unwary traveler; although harmless to humans, they are very curious creatures and prone to investigating anything new: Human hands, faces and food are all likely to be new, and therefore worthy of a visit. The Goliath Bird-Eating Spider The Goliath bird-eating spider, Theraphosa blondi, earned its name when an early explorer of the Amazon saw one consuming a hummingbird; their diet consists more regularly of insects and other invertebrates, along with lizards, bats and snakes. The Goliath is the second-largest spider on Earth by leg span, and the largest by body mass. The female Goliath sometimes eat their mates after copulation; males die soon after reaching maturity anyway, typically living only a fifth of the female's expected lifespan of 25 years. They are deep burrowers -- making complexes that run several yards down into the earth -- and prefer marshy habitats where the soil is soft but not prone to flooding. They are not averse to occupying burrows vacated by other creatures.

A mature specimen may have fangs up to 1.5 inches long, which are entirely able to puncture human skin, but the venom's effect is minimal to humans, comparable to the sting of a wasp. References Brazilian Wandering Spider - Peru Rainforest Expeditions Brazilian Wandering Spider Brazilian Wandering Spider The Brazilian Wandering Spider is the name given to any number of spider species that belong to the Phoneutria genus. Large, intimidating, and infamous for having the most toxic spider venom in the world, these spiders actually occur in many areas outside of Brazil, including the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica south to northern Argentina. Nevertheless, the Brazilian Wandering Spider (Phoneutria nigriventer) is the most well known member of this group of eight species due to its tendency to live near human habitations and occasionally bite people. It gets its name from being a familiar spider in many parts of Brazil as well as its behavior of actively searching for prey rather than lying in wait at a spider web. Although the Brazilian Wandering Spider doesn’t actually occur in the Tambopata rainforest, there are at least two other closely related species that live in the Peruvian jungle that surrounds the Rainforest Expeditions lodges.

However, despite the hype that the Brazilian Wandering Spider has received from the press, this creature rarely bites people and the species in the Tambopata rainforest do their best to stay hidden at all times. As with most other small creatures that make their home in the Amazon rainforest, the wandering spiders of Tambopata are preyed upon by everything from large birds to peccaries and would much rather hide in the leaf litter than rush out and bite someone. Although guests of Posada Amazonas, Refugio Amazonas, and the Tambopata Research Center may encounter wandering spiders on hikes in the rainforest, they are more likely to see one on a night hike as it searches for prey on the forest floor. Getting bit by one is extremely unlikely unless you try to pick the spider up or stick your hands into leaf litter, bromeliads, or under fallen logs (ill-advised as scorpions, snakes, and other venomous animals also hide in such places). A few interesting facts about the Brazilian Wandering Spider: Most toxic spider venom known: The venom of at least one species of Phoneutria is much more toxic than the Black Widow Spider and can easily kill mice with one bite.

Human fatalities have also occurred in Brazil although this is an extremely rare occurrence. No web: Unlike many other spiders, the wandering spiders don’t build webs but actively search for their prey. The banana spider: Wandering spiders are also known as the Banana Spider as they have occasionally turned up in shipments of bananas! One such stowaway actually bit a man in England in 2005. He survived but spent a week in the hospital! Understory predator: These spiders are active, aggressive predators that feed on large insects, small lizards, mice, and frogs that they find in the understory of the rainforest. How to see Brazilian Wandering Spider when taking an Amazon adventure tour: Go on a night hike: Since these large spiders are most active at night, a night hike in the rainforest with one of the trained Rainforest Expeditions guides may result in sightings of wandering spiders. To see wandering spiders and other creatures of the wild Peruvian Amazon in action, take a jungle adventure tour with Rainforest Expeditions!

Question: What type of creature is a Brazilian Huntsman?
Answer: A Spider