The Huntsman spider, a large arachnid belonging to the family Sparassidae, is found in warm climates across the globe, from Australia to Asia and the Americas. Unlike many of its relatives, this spider does not build a web to catch its prey, instead relying on active pursuit. Huntsman spiders are widely recognized for their impressive size and crab-like appearance, a characteristic that hints at their capacity for rapid movement. Speed is the primary tool this hunter uses for both acquiring food and escaping danger.
The Measured Speed of Huntsman Spiders
The Huntsman spider’s reputation as a high-speed predator is substantiated by recorded measurements of its locomotion. Certain species within the family Sparassidae have been documented achieving top speeds in the range of 1.0 to 1.6 meters per second. This translates to approximately 2.2 to 3.8 miles per hour, a velocity that is fast for an animal of its size. When scaled to their body length, this rate of travel is equivalent to covering around 40 times the spider’s own body length every second.
While the Heteropoda maxima, the giant huntsman, holds the record for the largest leg span of any known spider, its speed is a trait shared across the entire family, defining their mode of life. This sustained velocity allows the spider to instantly close the distance on prey or disappear from sight when threatened.
Anatomical Features That Enable Speed
The speed of the Huntsman spider is a direct result of several physical adaptations. Their most notable feature is the laterigrade leg orientation, where the joints of all eight legs twist forward, causing them to fan out sideways in a posture similar to a crab. This stance gives them tremendous lateral mobility and enables sudden, rapid changes in direction without slowing down. The legs are also disproportionately long relative to the spider’s body, functioning like powerful levers that maximize stride length and ground coverage.
The body itself is flat, allowing the spider to quickly squeeze into and navigate narrow crevices, such as under loose tree bark or rocks. This flattened design is important for both ambush hunting and defense, providing immediate access to protective cover. Furthermore, the undersides of their legs and feet are covered in specialized hairs, which provide exceptional grip on vertical and slick surfaces.
Hunting Strategy and Movement
Huntsman spiders are known as cursorial hunters, meaning they actively roam and pursue their food instead of constructing silk webs as snares. They are primarily nocturnal, using their agility and speed under the cover of darkness to find prey like cockroaches, crickets, and small lizards. Their hunting method typically involves a combination of stalking and ambush, where they wait patiently for an unsuspecting insect to pass by. Once within striking range, they deploy a lightning-fast pounce or short chase to capture the meal and subdue it with venom.
Their speed is also used as a primary defense mechanism against predators, including birds and geckos. When disturbed, their instinct is not to fight but to flee, using their velocity to dart away and find a hiding spot. They are generally shy and non-aggressive toward humans, preferring to avoid confrontation entirely. Although they possess venom, a bite is considered rare and is typically a defensive reaction; while painful, it is generally not medically significant for humans, only causing mild, localized symptoms like swelling.