When we were kids growing up here in Puna we always had to keep an out for these very large spiders we called cane spiders. Sometimes they would show up in our shower, shoes, or maybe even in beds. Now some 30 years later we can't remember seeing one in quite awhile. Does parts of Puna still have them or not? What would eat these extremely large spiders to have their population decline so much?
P.S. If I had a picture of these fist size spiders to share I would, maybe someone else has one or can share some insight to why we don't see them regularly anymore?.
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Canes spiders, aka H. venatoria, is still around, but like to hang out in areas with crevice they can hide in (cane grass provided a lot of habitat for them) We have always s had a couple around here...
U of Florida page on them:
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urba...spider.htm
Plenty of them where I live, not lots but no fear they are vanishing. It's still tall grass country up here north of Hilo. Perhaps it's the change in vegetation in Puna, disappearance of cane fields.
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Haven't seen any in Hawaiian Beaches, but when I lived on Maui there were tons of them. Had one living in my cabin.
Maybe if my neighbor doesn't mow his lawn I start seeing them again.
I think they are more afraid of you, then we are of them. Cool Spider.
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There are areas in Kona where I have seen lots of them. I believe the lack of tall grass/cane fields may be the right diagnosis for their demise around Puna.
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Fron Carey's link:
quote:
is a cosmotropical species introduced into and now occurring in the U.S., in subtropical areas of Florida, Texas, and California. It is presumed to have been introduced from Asia,........Being cold-sensitive, these spiders cannot exist outdoors in areas with freezing winter temperatures; occasionally they occur in greenhouses and other heated buildings in temperate climates. On the other hand, in southern Florida where frost is rare, these spiders have become "wild" (i.e., no longer requiring man-made structures). In the Homestead area, H. venatoria is now established in the "wild" and is common in avocado groves (Whitcomb unpublished).
That is interesting as I always thought they were native to Florida. I remember them in Central Florida as long as 50 years ago. And that area will get some freezing temps most years. I was bit by one about 35 years ago. It hurts but no real big deal. I've got news for them though, they've been happy in the wild in Florida, as far North as Central Florida, for a long time.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
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We used to have tons of them but I haven't seen one here (hpp) for years. Wonder if the arrival of the anole had anything to do with it?
I have both anole and cane spiders.
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Maybe they don't like wetter areas as much? When I lived on Oahu, leeward side, I saw them all the time. They are especially creepy when one is carrying an eggsack. *shudders*
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I use to be afraid of spiders until I worked for Puna Sugar. Unless they were crawling on my neck I learned to ignore them. If you get use to those big buggers hopping on you other spiders are no so scary.
