Spiderbloggers

I live in Australia - actually South Australia, in Gawler, near Adelaide.

There are numbers of Huntsmen species in Australia, with most being solitary, but some living communally ... I think Wikipedia has quite detailed information.

Anyhow we occasionally have a Huntsmen spider living in the house - probably a female, though female Huntsmen are not particularly inclined to eat their blokes, so who knows?

Neither do I know if it is always the same spider who turns up from time to time, but I have an interesting little story anyway.

The other day I started doing some washing up when Hermione (as I call her) nearly fell in the water and so I rescued her and she ran up my arm, until I transfered her to a safer place in the house.

Now the interesting thing is that when I had tried to approach her (with my hand) previously, she'd run away. But since the rescue it hasn't bothered her in the least when I've got close.

It'd be silly to put this down to "gratitude", but not at all silly to suppose that (having palped me/scented me) she no longer perceives me as a threat ... which implies memory ... which implies intelligence ... which implies less of a gulf between us (and other animals indeed) than human supremicists like to believe. And I have had similar interactions with other spiders and, of course, innumerable other animals ... from my own dogs and cats, to many farm animals and more.

I too have witnessed spiders doing "intelligent" things. A couple years ago I had a jumper (Playtcryptus undatus-female) that lived in my house. She regularly took small crickets from my hands. My approach did not seem to bother her much either.

Hi nikki.

I have a much more complicated tale to tell about spider behaviour, which I observed when I was still a kid ... but I'll have to try to put the story together and post it in the appropriate slot.

You have encouraged me by your post.

Maybe I will try to start a new topic about "spider intelligence".

I have heard that the salticidae genus, Portia, shows some very intelligent traits.

I am so keen on Portia, although we are in the wrong forum - who cares?! I would love a topic on Spider Intelligence. Maybe Gerry will come back and do so. In fact, I will make a forum on that very topic. I write about Portia a lot in the book, and got great help from the researchers, especially Dr Robert Jackson, who have worked on them.

Now to add a new forum. I wish I'd done that ages ago!

Although very late in replying, I have also seen signs of 'intelligence' in a huntsman.

I removed a very aggressive huntsman (banded, I think) from the house, after his threat displays at anything coming within a metre or two of him convinced me he could be a danger to my dog. I caught him in a plastic container and placed him outside and waited for him to find his way to a wall. Instead, as soon as he left the container, he charged me with his front legs raised. When I stepped back he broke off the charge, then aimlessly wandered in another direction before finally climbing a wall. He paid no attention to me approaching him after that, even when well within distances that would provoke a threat display while he was inside.

Although it's hard to believe, it seemed as if he accepted my moving away from his charge as a submissive gesture and no longer considered me as a threat. I spotted him a few days later in very close contact with a much larger huntsman, so I'm assuming he was definitely male, and his aggression was mating-related.

I have been sitting on a story that might sit among these for a few months. Like the others I might spend a little time writing it up and putting it in the proper slot. I cant wait to see what people have to say

I can't wait to see it, Steve!

I'd love to see more on spider intelligence. I have not a doubt in the world that we are greatly underestimating them. But then, I am also worried that I am so biased that I might read into their behaviour. Its a topic that really intrigues me. Your story sounds so plausible, Dynastia. I wish we knew for sure!