Hawaii is home to some large, aggressive spiders, but these are not usually the ones you have to worry about. The four poisonous species are easy to identify and relatively timid.
The Brown Violin Spider
The brown recluse spider is not found in Hawaii, but its cousin the brown violin is. A bite from a brown violin spider can be fatal in rare cases, and it is fairly common under old boards and bark.
The Cane Spider
The cane spider is one of the most well-known Hawaiian spiders; it can grow to the size of a softball and has been known to chase people around rooms. It is, however, nonvenomous, and known to be beneficial in homes for its love of larger insects like cockroaches.
The Hawaiian Centipede
While not technically a spider, the centipedes of Hawaii deserve mention in this section because their bites, while not poisonous, are known to be among the most painful of the insect world, with the only cure, according to some locals, being to "stay drunk for three days."
Asian Spiny-Backed Spider
Another fairly common spider in Hawaii is the Asian spiny-backed spider, sometimes also known as the crab spider. While its bite is not poisonous, it's known to have an aggressive tendency to attack anyone who steps into its extensive web.
Widow Spiders
Hawaii is also home to three poisonous "widow" species of spiders, of which the two species of brown, not black, widow is most common. They can all be distinguished by the trademark hourglass on their bellies.
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