Can You Spot the 6-Inch Huntsman Spider Lurking in This Backyard Fence?
A self-confessed arachnophobe has described the shock she felt after discovering a giant spider lurking in the backyard of her family's home.
Kathyrn Rivers from Viveash in Perth, Australia, has shared footage of the moment she came face-to-face with a 15 centimeter (6 inch-long) huntsman that was hiding in a gap of their garden fence.
There has not been a recorded death in Australia from a confirmed spider bite since 1979. Huntsman spiders do have a venomous bite but they are not viewed as harmful to humans with bites tending to result in some pain and swelling but little else.
Even so, as the footage and pictures shared by Rivers attest, there's something undeniably unsettling about encountering a giant arachnid in the comfort of your home.
"I was hanging the washing out and saw a shadow," Rivers told Newsweek. "The sun was shining through the fence and upon closer inspection I realized it was a giant spider."
The mom-of-two has a pathological fear of spiders, so her reaction was a strong one. "I came out in goosebumps and felt sick," she said.
"I was shocked at the size. Spiders are common in Australia but they are not often that big. I was a bit paranoid it would come out and frighten me at a random time. They run super quick and have big long hairy legs almost like a crab."
Rivers shared a picture of the spider on Reddit knowing that videos and pictures of large arachnids trend to garner attention on social media.
"People are generally in awe of large spiders," she said. "I had mixed emotions and was shocked but also impressed. I thought the local community would appreciate her size."
Rivers was quickly proven right with fans flocking to comment on the image of spider. "I wouldn't be able to handle this," one Redditor said with another telling Rivers to "burn the fence down." A third commented: "God I hate when they slink into tight spots."
A fourth, meanwhile, shared a story detailing their own, equally amusing, encounter with a large spider found hiding in the house. "I found a huge one behind my sister's curtains (she'd recently passed away)," they wrote. "I closed the curtains, cleaned around him/her and sold the house with a free spidey."
Unfortunately, Rivers does not have that option with the situation leaving her increasingly paranoid about when her large spider lodger might spring a surprise on her.
"I keep checking the fence as my washing line is right there," she said. "She is hanging around, I haven't seen her again yet, so I'm not sure. Probably will come out and scare me again soon!"
The family's spider problem could be set to multiply further too. "She has an egg sac she is protecting," Rivers admitted. "Not looking forward to that hatching."
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