Huntsman spider nest discovery reveals arachnid's unusual family ties
- ruby457
- Dec 6, 2019
- 1 min read
The discovery of a massive nest of huntsman spiders on WA's south coast has given researchers a glimpse at how the arachnids live in large family groups.
Bush Heritage Australia ecologist Angela Sanders made the surprise find while inspecting timber habitat boxes installed in Monjebup, east of Albany, for pygmy possums.
While some boxes had become homes for possums, one box was full of dozens of huntsman spiders, all believed to belong to one family.
"On lifting the lids of some, we found many huntsman spiders of all sizes whizzing around inside," she said.
Comments