To think this should be illegal? (Picture of spider included)

[SoniaFouler]

Why? Just WHY? And HOW does something like this exist on the same planet as us?

I know some people say we are all Gods creatures and we all have a right to be here, blah blah blah, but this surely can only be the creation from something evil and to punish humans for something we’ve done in the past?

The article the picture is from says this type is not aggressive to humans but I would BEG TO DIFFER because if I saw that thing in my house it would give me a heart attack and I would die.

How do people in Australia live? I wouldn’t be able to get anything done. I know people say that the long trip is what puts them off from visiting but I truly believe the country would see tourism skyrocket if there was an iron-clad guarantee that people wouldn’t come face to face with this type of thing. And before anyone chimes in with “I live in Australia and that’s very rare/I’ve never even seen a single spider here in my life” sorry, but I do not believe you, and even the mere fact it is even in existence means I will never go down under. I don’t understand how people are able to function in Australia on a day to day basis, honestly, and it’s not even a “I’d never leave the house” or “I’d set fire to my house and move” situation because THEY ARE STILL THERE, EVERYWHERE. Seriously Aussie MNers, are you not looking over your shoulders right now reading this in case one of these or its cousins is behind you? 😭

I always feel sorry for all the poor convicts we shipped off to Australia....convicted for an often minor crime, taken away from everyone you know, suffer a horrendous sea journey and then ate dumped half a world away in an inhospitable environment with no facilities and to top it all off there are all kinds of beasties that they would never have even imagined!

Overdramatic much

You don't even live there so you're not going to encounter it.

I do find the MN hysteria over spiders tiresome, except for the genuine arachnophobes.

Spiders are amazing creatures. I don't like them but I do respect them and feel bad for all the ones needlessly killed.

Went to Australia many years ago, “D” H who’d been several times before, assured me you never see the spiders in the city.

We sat on a covered terrace outside a cafe, for lunch, which was in the middle of a man made “rain forest”, in Brisbane. About half way through a very pleasant lunch, I glanced up to the ceiling.

Fuck me, it was literally alive with spiders. The whole ceiling was just awash with webs, each containing a spider bigger than the last. I have never moved so fast in my life, Usain Bolt would have been eating my dust.

@MrsSkylerWhite

Sorry, love spiders. That one is spectacular, could watch it for hours.

Same! I don't mind spiders at all, that one looks quite cute really.

@TealSapphire

you have scarred me for life with that description!

Fine by me. I'm scared of dogs. Ban those.

Horses for courses!

Good Lord. No more words

I don't understand why I, being terrified of spiders, clicked on this thread.

@Fraine

Overdramatic much

You don't even live there so you're not going to encounter it.

I do find the MN hysteria over spiders tiresome, except for the genuine arachnophobes.

Spiders are amazing creatures. I don't like them but I do respect them and feel bad for all the ones needlessly killed.

100% agree. All the faux hysteria “burn down your house and move away! It’s the only option!” is so weird and tiresome

It’s just the way they move isn’t it?
There is something built into me to be afraid of them, it’s involuntary.

It’s in my genes and there is a reason for the fear. I can’t look at those photos larger than a thumbnail.
It’s the main reason I wouldn’t go to Australia either. Can you imagine waking up with one on your face (like home alone) my heart would stop.

Well I've only been to Australia once for 3 weeks many ago and I had the bad luck to wake up to a huntsman spider on the wall above my bed . My screams were not pretty
😄

Haha, I live in Aus and saw more spiders in my house when I lived in London!!! Granted some of the ones I see here a mahhhoosive but you just get used to them. The big ones aren't as venomous so I prefer seeing them tbh. I hated spiders in London but rub along with them ok here!

Stope being so dramatic!

Apparently there are 32000 different types of spiders. They are here for a reason and are beautiful in a way, but there is a fear deep inside me about them.

I miss my Dad every day, but one of the things I am most grateful for is teaching me to overcome my fear of spiders when I was very young.

I find them fascinating and have 5 pet tarantulas. I've attached a picture of my eldest; I think she's absolutely beautiful (I have 3 of this breed, plus 2 others who are just as lovely).

The goliath birdeater spider from South America it is the largest spider in the world by mass and body length (up to 13 cm), but it is second to the giant huntsman spider by leg span. It's not particularly attractive to look at though. Arboreal (tree dwelling) spiders are more aggressive than their ground-dwelling cousins.

Did you know that tarantulas have one of the largest differences in life span between males and females? Male tarantulas usually die between 7-9 years old, whereas a female can live until her 30's.

Another fact - spiders grow by shedding their outer skin (which is really an exoskeleton) in one piece. A spider on its back with its legs in the air is more likely to be moulting than dead. Fully grown tarantulas shed their skin at least once a year. If they were to lose a leg or two, it would grow back.

As I said, they are absolutely fascinating creatures!

Learning about spider species and what danger they actually pose should be part of the primary school curriculum! People don't have these fears about all snails, caterpillars, fish, or frogs - some of which are very deadly. Can you imagine - "there's a frog in my house" - "burn the house down!"

I love spiders. That one wouldn't bother me in the slightest.

I read in a book (The Secret History of the World by Jonathan Black, well worth a read if you want to look at things in a different way) how creatures were created at different times under the influence of different constellations, planets and moons. Spiders were created under the the malignant influence of the dark side of the moon, hence their revolting and evil nature.

I have lived half my life in Australia and the other half in England - and I have never seen as many spiders in my life as I have in England - they all come inside to escape the cold. Its unbelievable!

Oh yes I hadn’t actually thought about that!

I do find it odd that so many people have such a fear of spiders - which are mostly harmless and can easily be squished but are fine around a cat or dog that can be squished and can bite or scratch you.
It’s got to be something built in us like being afraid of heights but I can’t think why we’d have a built in fear of spiders.

Spiders are far more frightened of you than you are of them. I lived on a pacific island for a while and could cope fine with spiders but we used to get snakes in the house a fair bit which I didn't like

I read in a book (The Secret History of the World by Jonathan Black, well worth a read if you want to look at things in a different way) how creatures were created at different times under the influence of different constellations, planets and moons. Spiders were created under the the malignant influence of the dark side of the moon, hence their revolting and evil nature.

Well I'm guessing Jonathan was also under the influence of something when he wrote that.

What a beauty!

Spiders are beautiful creatures. Their webs never cease to amaze me. It always makes me sad when people kill them just for existing.

Bloody hell I can normally deal with spiders quite happily with my spider catcher grabber trap thing and put them outside but that thing looks like it would wrestle it from me and hit me hard over the head with it.

Oh gosh, the one on the toilet surely isn't real???

I lived in New Zealand for many years, and saw one the size of a dinner plate. I was so scared, I couldn't scream, I froze on the spot!! There were a couple in my house as well, my Mum found one on the wall when she came back from work. She went to pick it up, as she thought it was me playing a joke!! There was another one in the kitchen the next morning, and all hell broke loose. My Dad picked him/her up, and the Spiders legs were dangling off his hand. He stroked the spider gently, and found a new home for him. It's a type of huntsman that came over on logs from Australia. They stay very close to where they are born. Not many left now, as people keep killing them. They are very gentle, and won't hurt you, but they do look pretty fearsome!! Their name is delena cancerides.