Pest profile

Pantropical Huntsman Spider

Heteropoda venatoria · Araneae: Sparassidae[2]

Huntsman spiders are big, fast, flat spiders with a leg span up to 5 inches; they hunt insects and bite only when handled or trapped.[1]

Pantropical huntsman spider, a large flat brown spider with long legs, on a white surface
Pantropical huntsman spider, a large flat brown spider with long legs, on a white surface. Photo: kcthetc1, public domain (CC0), via iNaturalist

How to identify it

  • Adults have a body about 1 inch long and a leg span of 3 to 5 inches, brown, flattened and with little pattern.[1]
  • It's sometimes called the giant crab spider or banana spider, for its occasional appearance in bananas.[1]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Wolf spidersThe huntsman has a flattened body and is sometimes called the giant crab spider.[1]

Where it lives

A cosmotropical species introduced into the United States, it occurs in subtropical areas and can't survive freezing winters outdoors.[1]

US map: public records from 12 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

It shelters in houses, barns, sheds and under boards, and occasionally in heated greenhouses farther north.[1]

Health risk

It can bite, sometimes with noticeable swelling, if handled carelessly or trapped, for example in a shoe.[1]

Control

Prevention

Bites happen when a huntsman is handled carelessly or trapped, for example in a shoe, so avoid both.[1]

Common questions

What is the huge flat spider on my wall?
In warm regions, likely a pantropical huntsman spider.[1]
Does the huntsman spider bite?
Only if handled or trapped; the bite can cause swelling.[1]

Sources

  1. University of Florida IFAS Extension (Featured Creatures), “Pantropical Huntsman Spider, Heteropoda venatoria (EENY-160).” edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN317 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. iNaturalist, “Heteropoda venatoria taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/48765 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-14. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.