The Vietnamese Cane Spider (Heteropoda venatoria) is an arachnid in the Sparassidae family of tropical huntsman spiders. It is also called the Vietnamese Giant Crab Spider. Sparassids are eight-eyed spiders.
The Vietnamese Cane Spider has a flat, brown body. Its body is very hairy, but its 8 legs only have hairy tips. The clypeus, the area in front of its eyes, is yellowish. The carapace, behind its eyes, has a wide tan-coloured band on the female and a cream-coloured band on the male. It has eight long, banded legs.
It measures 4-6 centimetres (1.5 to 2 inches) long. The male has longer legs than the female.
It is found in tropical regions of the world. If it is cold, it moves inside, to places like houses, sheds, and barns.
It feeds on insects, such as butterflies and moths, as well as other arachnids, such as scorpions. It does not spin a web. It catches its prey and injects it with venom (poison).
The Vietnamese Cane Spider is not considered to be dangerous to humans, but its bite might be painful.
The female produces an egg sac, like a pea. She puts it under her body. It contains about 100-400 eggs. The hatched baby spiders are called spiderlings.
The lifespan of the Vietnamese Cane Spider is about 18 months.
Location of photographs: Vietnam
Photographer: Alison Powell
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM