WE’RE ON THE HUNT!
They’re
creepy and they have too many legs. That’s what I always say about spiders.
Unfortunately, for many of us who have an aversion to spiders, they are
everywhere. My husband likes to remind me that I’m never more than ten feet
from a spider. Now that’s very unsettling.
Since they
don’t get a lot of good press, and since they do have some good qualities, I
thought we’d investigate the extraordinary class of Sparassidae, which contains ninety-four
different species and are commonly called Huntsman Spiders.
Photo credit: Flickr
Unlike
most spiders, the Huntsman does not spin webs. Webs are used for catching a
spider’s prey. Instead of building a web, the Huntsman forages or ‘hunts’ for
its next meal, hence their name. They are fond of insects, and that's the good thing about spiders; they kill insects that might be harmful to crops. They will also eat other small invertebrates like a small skinks or geckos.
Their
bodies are somewhat flattened, which allows the Huntsman to live in cracks and crevices
of tree bark or rocks but they are not averse to living in houses or cars. No need
to worry, these spiders, which are venomous, prefer to run rather than bite. As
their Greek name indicates, Sparassidae
are known for their speed and are among the fastest of all spiders. Their venom will not kill, but it can cause a great deal of pain.
There
are thousands of sub-species in the family Sparassidae, and they can be as small as one
inch in diameter. However, the Giant Huntsman is considered the
largest spider by leg span. It can grow up to twelve inches. It is often
described as being as large as a dinner plate. I read that the Giant Huntsman
was discovered in Laos in 2001. Scientists at that time thought it was incredible
that a spider of such size had remained undiscovered for so long.
Photo credit: Sandra Caldwell,
Shutterstock
I
know, most of us don’t like spiders, but they play an important part in the
ecosystems of the world. Most spiders eat bugs that can destroy crops. They are
also food for other animals, adding further importance to their environments. Their
silk is also being considered for use by humans as it is exceptionally strong.
Apparently, Pennsylvania State University did some research and found that if
we could find a way to make artificial spider silk, it could be used in
artificial tendons, or even bullet-proof vests and parachute cords.
Photo: Australian Huntsman –
credit: M. Grey, Australian Museum
Prepare
yourself, because this is going to freak a lot of you out. Spiders can live anywhere and everywhere, and they’re watching you
with all eight eyes!
Photo credit: http://bit.ly/PIPPhotographers
To
read more about spider eyes, visit this website: http://www.mdavid.com.au/spiders/eyes.shtml
Here’s
a map to give you an idea where spiders live. All that red stuff shows you where spiders are.
Yup,
spiders are pretty much everywhere. I have to admit to you that I did look for
a video to add to this post. However, the ones I did find creeped me out so
much that I decided against it. It’s enough just to look at their picture and
to think about them. We don't have to watch them move! That's even creepier.
Quick!
Check the floor near your feet! Made you look!
Thanks
for visiting, and if you’d like to learn more about the Huntsman Spider, visit
the following sites. Some of the pictures included in these sites are not for
the faint of heart. J
If you have enjoyed the post,
please share it. Thanks so much.
Enjoy!
Jeanne E. Rogers, Award Winning
Author
The Sword of Demelza, The
Gift of Sunderland and
One Hot Mess, A Child’s Environmental Fable
Where Endangered Animals Heroes Roam
the Pages!
Visit my 'Author' page on Amazon to read all about me and my books.
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