Are huntsman spiders venomous? Perth spider facts
Huntsman spiders are venomous but not dangerous to people. These large, fast spiders inject venom to subdue prey, but they rarely bite humans and pose no medical threat in Perth. Their size and speed can startle homeowners, but identification and basic management steps settle most encounters without calling a technician.
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Published 2 October 2026 · Reading time 7 minutes · By DJ Pest
What does a huntsman spider look like?
Huntsman spiders belong to the Sparassidae family and are among Perth's largest household spiders. Adults typically measure 15 to 30 millimetres across the body (not including legs), with a flattened shape that lets them squeeze into tight spaces. Their colour ranges from brown to grey, often with darker markings on the legs and body.
The hunting posture is the key identifier: legs splayed wide, body held flat and close to surfaces. This flat profile distinguishes them from other common Perth spiders. Huntsman spiders are sometimes called 'tarantulas' or 'giant crab spiders', though they are unrelated to true tarantulas. When disturbed, they move with sudden rapid bursts, which often causes alarm. They are not aggressive and will flee rather than attack.
Where huntsman spiders hide in Perth homes
Huntsman spiders do not build webs. Instead, they hunt at night and rest in tight crevices during the day. In Perth homes, they favour harbourage in tree bark and garden mulch outside, roof voids and eaves, wall cavities (especially in brick veneer homes), sheds and garden storage areas, under loose bark on timber fences, and inside window frames and light fittings.
In limestone foundation homes, common in some Perth suburbs, they shelter in cracks and crevices around the stone exterior. In raised-floor timber homes with sub-floor spaces, huntsman spiders often rest above the sub-floor in joist cavities and timber ledges. On slab-on-ground homes, they prefer external harbourage: under eaves, in weathered timber, and along the roof line where debris collects.
Spring activity increases as temperatures rise and insect populations grow. These conditions bring more spiders indoors in search of prey. Summer extends this pattern, making spiders more visible indoors and outdoors.
Huntsman spiders in Perth and why they are here
Perth's climate and warm season create ideal conditions for active huntsman spiders. Spring (September to November) sees the first peak as warm weather triggers breeding and hunting behaviour. Late autumn and winter see fewer sightings but do not eliminate them entirely, especially in heated homes.
Northern suburbs properties (Joondalup, Warwick, Greenwood, Duncraig, Kingsley, Woodvale) often report higher activity in homes built before the 1980s. Older brick veneer and timber-frame houses offer more harbourage and entry points than modern sealed homes. Properties near bushland or with mature gardens attract more insects, which brings more hunting spiders.
The short answer: huntsman spiders are native to Australia and are most active when insect prey is abundant. They are not an infestation in the way cockroaches or ants might be. They are solitary hunters, not colony-forming pests.
What to do if you find a huntsman spider
The safest approach is capture and release, not killing or spraying.
- Keep calm and keep the spider in view. Huntsman spiders will not pursue you.
- Use a glass or container to trap the spider against a wall or floor.
- Slide a piece of paper or card under the glass to seal it.
- Carry the container outside and release the spider in a garden or shrub, away from the house.
- Never swat, spray, or stomp on the spider. This risks injury to yourself (from broken glass or a fall) and is unnecessary.
If the spider is on a high surface like a ceiling, give it time to move or gently brush it into a container with a broom handle. Most huntsman spiders will walk onto a broom if given the opportunity.
Monitor your home for entry points: gaps around doors, cracks in weatherstripping, and holes in screens. Seal these where practical. Remove harbourage outside by trimming back vegetation touching the house, clearing dead wood piles, and inspecting eaves for loose debris.
No pesticide is needed for a single spider sighting.
What not to do
Do not spray commercial household insecticides at huntsman spiders. These products are not designed for effective spider management and often miss a fast-moving target, wasting the product and creating unnecessary chemical exposure inside the home. The spray may also damage wall paint or stain carpets.
Do not use fipronil, bifenthrin, or any APVMA-registered spider product without reading the label first. The label is the law. You can search registered products on the APVMA PubCRIS database. Most residential sprays are not labelled for huntsman spiders specifically.
Do not accept advice to 'bomb' the house with off-label pesticides. This is illegal under the Health (Pesticides) Regulations 2011 in Western Australia and creates health and fire risks. Off-label application voids any warranty and can create liability if someone is injured.
If you have already sprayed and the spiders are still visible, stop spraying. Get the area checked by a licensed technician to make sure the chemical was applied safely and to label.
When to call for spider management
A single huntsman spider in your home is not a reason to call a technician. But professional spider management makes sense if you are finding multiple huntsman spiders regularly (more than two per week), you have a known entry point or harbourage that you cannot seal, your home is in an active area and you want preventive treatment around entry points and external walls, or you are uncomfortable and removal is not practical.
If you do call, we assess the situation and explain what management involves. Spider management typically focuses on sealing entry points and treating external harbourage (roof eaves, gaps in weathering, areas where spiders rest during the day). Work is carried out by, or under the direct supervision of, a technician holding a WA pest management technician's licence, and applied to label.
Visit our Spider Control Perth page for details on the assessment process and next steps. You get the price in writing before we book, and the treatment record after the job.
How much does spider management cost?
Spider management typically costs between $220 and $300 for a standard three-bedroom home in Perth's northern suburbs. General pest control that includes spiders as part of a broader treatment plan costs between $250 and $350. These are typical ranges, GST inclusive.
Every job is different. We assess your home, identify entry points and harbourage, and give you an itemised written price before we confirm the booking. You get a treatment record after we are done, detailing what was treated and the re-treatment period.
Most spider management falls under our general re-treatment promise: 6 months, terms at djpest.com.au/warranty. This covers spider nests and entry-point treatments. For detailed pricing information, see our guide to pest control prices in Perth.
Text your suburb and what you are seeing to 0468 170 107 for a written price.
Frequently asked
Are huntsman spiders dangerous?
Huntsman spiders are venomous but not dangerous to people. They have venom to subdue prey but rarely bite humans. Even if bitten, the venom is not medically significant and there is no antivenom required or available. Most bites are purely defensive and occur when the spider is pinned or threatened.
Can a huntsman spider kill you?
No. Huntsman spiders do not cause systemic envenomation and pose no fatal risk. Redback spiders and funnel-web spiders are the only Australian spiders with venom of genuine medical concern. For more information about spiders that do pose a medical risk, see our guide to white-tail spider bites.
Why is my huntsman spider so big?
Huntsman spiders in the Sparassidae family grow larger than most household spiders. Females are typically larger than males. Size is not a sign of danger; larger spiders are often older and slower. A 30 millimetre body is normal for a mature female.
Do huntsman spiders bite?
Huntsman spiders rarely bite. They are not aggressive and will flee when disturbed. Bites occur only if the spider is trapped, pinned, or squeezed. Even then, the bite is a reflex response and venom is minimal.
Can I kill a huntsman spider with household spray?
Most household sprays are not labelled for spider management and are often ineffective on fast-moving spiders. Capture and release (using a glass and card) is faster, safer, and avoids chemical exposure.
What should I do if I see a huntsman spider outside my house?
Leave it alone. Huntsman spiders outside are natural pest controllers: they eat mosquitoes, moths, cockroaches, and other insects. The spider will not enter your home unless there is a food source and an entry point. Seal cracks around doors and windows instead.
How often will I see huntsman spiders in Perth?
Frequency varies. In spring and summer, when insects are active, you might see one or two per month in or around your home. In cooler months, sightings drop. Homes in bushland areas or with lots of garden vegetation see more spiders than new homes in sealed estates.
Sources
- Australian Museum: Huntsman Spiders
- Australian Museum: White-tailed Spider
- Australian Museum: Redback Spider
- APVMA PubCRIS Database (pesticide product information)
- Health (Pesticides) Regulations 2011 (WA)
Related
- Spider Control Perth, the full service and the investment
- Pest management investment ranges in Perth, every service with a typical range
- What's my pest?, pick what you saw
- All guides
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