Some different wildlife…

Sometimes when we actually research our different native wildlife species, we develop a new
respect for them. Recently, reminiscing on WILVOS 54 416200 hotline calls, I remembered
someone phoning the hotline to say he had hundreds of tiny spiders crawling over his ceiling.
As it was nearly midnight, I did wonder!
Around this time I had been observing a large Huntsman spider between the wire and the
iron sheeting of my large aviary, and was wondering when the young were going to ‘hatch
out’. It was quite a sight to go down there one afternoon and see little spiders everywhere.
I don’t doubt that for some people the urge to reach for the can of spray would have been the
first instinct! I do have a slight spider phobia so I hope they stay outside and don’t decide to
come up inside the house. I don’t particularly like putting the jar over them and relocating
them outside – gives me goosebumps!
These spiders do eat cockroaches and other annoying insects around our yards and houses so
we should be thankful for them. It’s always good to look at the positives in any situation, and
in this era we can learn so much more about our native animals and with that knowledge
comes far less fear and more understanding.
There are numerous Huntsman species but their breeding cycles are reasonably similar. They
have a flat white silk sac, and can lay up to 200 eggs…..aaaahhhhh! The female guards
these eggs until they hatch in around three weeks. They then have several moults until their
colouring resembles that of the adults, and after a few weeks they all disperse – hopefully
not my way. I will be checking behind the visor in my car each time I go for a drive! That is
a popular hiding place for spiders!
Huntsman live for about two years and I am sure they do much more good than harm in this
time.
Donna Brennan Wildlife Volunteers Assoc Inc (WILVOS) PO Box 4805 SCMC Q 4560 PH
5441 6200 www.wilvos.org.au