Insects - Dangerous Or Not?

[jgbc]

Hi everyone,

I was at the families home last August and my neighbour showed up with a picture of a spider that he hadn't seen before. Of course the first questions are... Is it dangerous and what species is it?

Not having seen the spider for myself I understand it was up to 3 inches long including the leg span. And what a great colour it is.

But I'm also having difficulty in finding good information on all the insects I've come across lately. More so since the wife has been taking me out at night into the woods for picking mushrooms. It's been quite an adventure at times and each time we go I'm amazed at how everything comes alive with glowing insects and millions of eyes glinting in the light from the torch that's strapped to my head.

Other than that, it's difficult to get reliable information locally as it seems anything that slithers or has six legs deserves to be killed and probably eaten.

So having not found a nature section on the forum my question almost got posted to the Thai Food section 5555.

Ok so thanks in advance...

jgbc

[tw25rw]

It's a harmless huntsman.

[Moonrakers]

Huntsman spider.

Quite harmless

[Moonrakers]

They're actually responsible for more deaths in Australia than any other spider.

Nothing to do with bites. They like to hide in the sun visor and when a driver pulls it down to block the sun, the spiders drop down into their lap. Being quite large they scare the driver who then crashes.

[jgbc]

Thanks guys,

I'll tell him not to worry about them living around his poolside bar...

but they're just another reason not to drive when leaving the bar

jgbc :-)

[dean999]

http://www.thaibugs.com/ I had a quick scan through. Seems quite informative.

In the spider section of the gallery it says, None of Thailand’s spiders have enough poison to worry you, unless you are allergic to them.

[Semper]

http://www.thaibugs.com/ I had a quick scan through. Seems quite informative.

In the spider section of the gallery it says, None of Thailand’s spiders have enough poison to worry you, unless you are allergic to them.

....or have spider phobia ( Arachnephobia )

[travelmann]

http://www.thaibugs.com/ I had a quick scan through. Seems quite informative.

In the spider section of the gallery it says, None of Thailand’s spiders have enough poison to worry you, unless you are allergic to them.

....or have spider phobia ( Arachnephobia )

Yeah that was a crap film wasnt it??

[Semper]

http://www.thaibugs.com/ I had a quick scan through. Seems quite informative.

In the spider section of the gallery it says, None of Thailand’s spiders have enough poison to worry you, unless you are allergic to them.

....or have spider phobia ( Arachnephobia )

Yeah that was a crap film wasnt it??

Didn't know it was a film. Do know of this one though: "It Conquered the World"

[soundman]

Might be quite harmless, but they move vary fast & scare the <deleted> off you if you are walking in the dark and get one on the face.

[jgbc]

Interesting site and plenty of good pictures... Thanks

I'm not sure I know anyone with serious arachnophobia, more like the usual squeamishness of insects.

However, my wife is petrified of snakes and the first time she came to the UK we had a years worth of weeding to do on the garden, which is when she ran into the house screaming that there was a snake in the garden. When I picked up the slow worm to show her it was harmless she burst into tears... oh dear!

Then the same thing happened when my mother picked up a huge garden worm to show her... It was all highly embarrassing lol

I guess you can never be sure what's going to freak someone out

I'm hoping to get back to Thailand for May or June 2012... and I'll see what I can stumble upon in the forest.

[daoyai]

Is it pedantic to clarify that spiders are not insects?

[tutsiwarrior]

I am an arachnophobe but after years of living in my shop house with regular huntsman spider 'guests' I no longer worry in that regard...I'll still kill them if I find them in thhe bedroom as I don't like things crawling on my face when I'm trying to sleep...

you got to watch out for centipedes which are everywhere hiding under things, are aggressive and have a nasty bite...

someone please post a photo, please....

[mataus101]

if its not an Australian spider i dont fear them

[wpcoe]

They're actually responsible for more deaths in Australia than any other spider.

Nothing to do with bites. They like to hide in the sun visor and when a driver pulls it down to block the sun, the spiders drop down into their lap. Being quite large they scare the driver who then crashes.

Not sure if you were serious with that post, but I know of a very similar accident when I lived in Hawaii:

My roommate borrowed a friend's VW Beetle, got stoned and was driving out in the country. She flipped down the sun visor and a cane spider (similar to the huntsman in the OP, but brightly colored, and a bit bigger) landed in her lap. She freaked out, rolled the Beetle into a sugar cane field and ended up upside down. No injuries, and only damage was battery acid holes in the back seat. Our mutual friend -- the owner of the VW -- was mildly peeved, but also saw the humor, so all was forgiven.

[Moonrakers]

They're actually responsible for more deaths in Australia than any other spider.

Nothing to do with bites. They like to hide in the sun visor and when a driver pulls it down to block the sun, the spiders drop down into their lap. Being quite large they scare the driver who then crashes.

Not sure if you were serious with that post, but I know of a very similar accident when I lived in Hawaii:

My roommate borrowed a friend's VW Beetle, got stoned and was driving out in the country. She flipped down the sun visor and a cane spider (similar to the huntsman in the OP, but brightly colored, and a bit bigger) landed in her lap. She freaked out, rolled the Beetle into a sugar cane field and ended up upside down. No injuries, and only damage was battery acid holes in the back seat. Our mutual friend -- the owner of the VW -- was mildly peeved, but also saw the humor, so all was forgiven.

I was being serious.

It is a fact, google is your friend.

[Shot]

Very dangerous, you can die just looking at it.

[Jdietz]

[mataus101]

it is strange but true, many times i have had them come from behind the visor in my car, about 4 times and its the only thing that makes me scream like a woman.

I think perhaps they like the mirror on the visor lol.

[autan]

I came face to face with a Huntsman Spider while on toilet at my inlaws house. I did the only thing a Self Respecting Preserving English Gentlemen could do.

I ran away and shouted for my Mother in law to help, who caught in by throughing the brush (from a brush pan and brush at it) and then picked up and throw it in a ditch near the house, she then gave me a look of shame for my cowardise.

[Gary A]

The huntsman spiders who come in our house have made a fatal mistake. One day they have 8 legs and gradually lose legs one or two at a time. I'm not sure if it is the jingjoks or our resident tookgae. In any case the spiders don't last long. We let the spiders alone for as long as they last.

[tutsiwarrior]

I came face to face with a Huntsman Spider while on toilet at my inlaws house. I did the only thing a Self Respecting Preserving English Gentlemen could do.

I ran away and shouted for my Mother in law to help, who caught in by throughing the brush (from a brush pan and brush at it) and then picked up and throw it in a ditch near the house, she then gave me a look of shame for my cowardise.

yeah...when we first moved into our shop house a huntsman came scuttling nearby and I screamed and then one of sister-in-laws who was in attendance simply grabbed it barehanded and then casually tossed it out the door...

she then gave me an endearing smile that said: 'you're cute...'

[Travel2003]

Is this the same?

My visiting niece saw it infront of her on the door inside a restroom she was using, here in Thailand

[moe666]

They may not be poisonous but one could probably get a good case of blood poison from them. I was in Ram Hospital in Chiang Mai last year and a French girl had a huge foot from a bite of something, very good infection.

[dean999]

They may not be poisonous but one could probably get a good case of blood poison from them. I was in Ram Hospital in Chiang Mai last year and a French girl had a huge foot from a bite of something, very good infection.

She was probably bitten by a centipede.

A bite from one of these centipedes is extremely painful, the pain can last for 4 or 5 days. Severe swelling and bruising often results from being bitten, some people may suffer more adverse effects such as breathing difficulties and a rapid heartbeat. Children are especially at risk and should be taken to hospital if bitten by one of these centipedes, probably a good idea to see a Doctor anyway if you get bitten.

[tw25rw]

Is this the same?

My visiting niece saw it infront of her on the door inside a restroom she was using, here in Thailand

That's a huntsman too..

They're creepy, but harmless. Think of them as a small, 8 legged cat..

[wpcoe]

What, they purr, too?

[jackr]

Ugly brute, the Huntsman. Currently have a Golden Orb in da garden; beautiful thing:

[autan]

There is something about creepy crawlys that scare the living bejesus out of me. No matter how many times, I visit Thailand or where I go, I know at some point, one of these spiders, centipedes even and I am not joking massive butterflys goes out of its way to scare and humiliate me.

[Gary A]

I don't kill snakes, spiders or the big black scorpions. I DO kill centipedes and the little tan scorpions. Fortunately the tookgaes like to eat the centipedes so we see very few here at home.