THE huntsman has copped a fairly rough run from us humans.
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Many run away from it shrieking, or grab a shoe and squash it.
And it doesn’t help when a hunstman is enlarged and stars in movies like Eight-legged Freaks and Earth versus Spider.
But Border bug doctor Dennis Black, who lectures in environmental management and ecology at La Trobe University, has urged people to take care of these furry arachnids as recent extreme weather pushes them indoors.
“There’s been quite low precipitation in recent months,” Dr Black said.
“They’re looking for areas of high humidity and indoors would generally be more protective than out in the outdoor environment.”
Dr Black said huntsman are not considered a major health hazard and the bite hurts as much as a bee sting, even from the big ones.
He said if you can’t stand one living in your home then re-locating it outside without damaging its legs is the next best thing.
“These things aren’t nearly as threatening as people fear them to be and if possible, they should be treated gently and re-located if they end up in your house,” Dr Black said.
The common huntsman is the species that is mostly seen in urban Albury-Wodonga, while the Murray Banded Huntsman with black and pale grey striped legs is mostly found along the Murray River.
Dr Black said he is a spider-lover because of their ability to climb.
Just don’t present him with a white-tailed spider after he was scarred by the tales of the late Eddie Kneebone, the much-loved local Aboriginal artist who lost his leg from a bite.