Need Help identifying this spider

JoryJour

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 23, 2017
Messages
1
Hi guys. My house has almost become infested with these spiders. They only seem to come out in the summer. I want to know the type of spider it is and its breeding habits IMG_1963.JPG FullSizeRender.jpg IMG_1963.JPG IMG_1963.JPG IMG_1963.JPG FullSizeRender.jpg IMG_1958.JPG FullSizeRender.jpg IMG_1958.JPG
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
Staff member
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
4,096
Hi guys. My house has almost become infested with these spiders. They only seem to come out in the summer. I want to know the type of spider it is and its breeding habits
I can't see a lot of detail, and I am not terribly familiar with the spiders of Jamaica, but it looks like a giant crab spider (Sparassidae) of some kind, perhaps Heteropoda venatoria or Heteropoda simplex. (Jamaica also has another sparassid called Neostasina antiguensis, but I couldn't find much information about it.)

They aren't medically significant, in case that was a concern. (In some tropical areas, they are regarded as beneficial, since they eat pest insects like roaches.)

The University of Florida has some good information about Heteropoda venatoria. (Much of that information would apply to Heteropoda simplex as well.)
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
11,044
But watching them zoom around the house is more fun than many TV shows. Not to worry, they don't want to have anything to do with people and will easily avoid you.
 
Top