Huntsman spiders are scary, but are they dangerous?

That is one of the top questions we get from our residential pest control customers. 

The answer depends on what you mean by dangerous.  
Is a huntsman spider’s bite life-threatening? No. Huntsman spiders are not deadly to humans.  

However, it would be a mistake to assume that not being life-threatening means that huntsman spiders are safe. Huntsman spiders are not venomous, and their bites can be painful to humans, causing localised swelling and pain. Some people may also experience headaches and nausea. However, the symptoms are generally mild. 

While symptoms are mild, you also must consider how likely huntsman spiders are to bite humans. Because huntsman spiders are ambush predators, people know they hunt their prey and can run very quickly, covering over a meter within a second. That means that they can get to you rapidly.  

Fortunately, huntsman spiders are generally non-aggressive.

Their usual response is to run away from humans. However, there is a notable exception to this. When females have young, they will be aggressive to defend them.

Since the bites can be painful and cause mild symptoms, it is essential to know how to respond if you are bitten. One of the most important things is to stay calm. If you stay calm, you slow the spread of venom in your body, which makes it easier to keep the symptoms of the bite localised. In addition, you can use ice packs to reduce pain and inflammation at the site of the bite. You can also use NSAIDs to help treat localised inflammation. 

Even though huntsman spider bites are not life-threatening, they are not pleasant. Therefore, if you have a huntsman spider infestation, you want to take steps to eliminate them. However, like with all spiders, infestation can often be a sign of a bigger problem. 

When you have spiders in your home, that means you have a food source for spiders in your home. For huntsman spiders, that means you have insects, frogs, small lizards, and arthropods for them to eat. Therefore, to successfully get rid of huntsman spiders, you need to eliminate the insects they eat.  

Flick offers a variety of residential pest control solutions that will help keep your home bug and spider free. Alternatively, sign up for one of our home protection programs to keep your home pest-free all year round.