Scientific Name: Delena, Holconia, Neosparassus, Olios Although
many people's immediate reaction to finding a huntsman in their
home is to reach for the insect spray, they actually serve a
very useful purpose in the control of cockroaches inside
buildings. Huntsman spiders are familiar to many Australians as
the large, flat-bodied and extremely fast intruders, which, to
some people's horror, occasionally take up residence in kitchens
and living rooms. There are around a hundred different species
of huntsman spider in Australia. The two back pairs of legs are
shorter than the ones at the front and the legs fan out sideways
enabling them to walk forwards and sideways often giving them a
crab-like appearance. They come in a variety of colours and
patterns but are mostly brown, black and grey. Some species are
very large reaching over 160mm in leg span. Huntsman spiders
occur Australia-wide and are usually found on tree trunks, under
bark, beneath stones or on the walls of houses. Some species are
extremely compr