Last thing we need…
If you’re at all terrified of creatures of the arachnid variety, keep reading (or maybe don’t) as your worst fears are about to be realised. It’s been reported that the huntsman spider population is absolutely exploding across Australia, with the end of summer signifying a significant increase in the emergence of the creepy crawleys.
The spiders, which tend to be a bit more on the hairy side (get some hedge clippers damn), tend to hang out in bathrooms, bedrooms and pretty much most areas in a person’s living arrangements. But don’t worry, as we apparently don’t have to be afraid of them (easier said than done though).
Speaking on the increase in the spiders, Macquarie University arachnologist Dr Lizzy Lowe has assured us to chill TF out, stating that “Huntsmen don’t have very good eyesight. They see light and dark and movement and that’s about all. They will never intentionally run towards you because they’re small and not highly venomous. They can bite you, but they won’t do any harm.
Gaaaahhhhhhhh, a friend of mine in Sydney just walked into her daughter's room and found this: pic.twitter.com/3UKMEHtGHt
— 💧 Petie R 🇦🇺🌟🦄🌱🌈🌏 (@PrinPeta) January 27, 2021
You might be wondering how their numbers have increased so rapidly. Well, Dr Robert Raven from the Queensland Museum has his money on the recently fucked weather, stating that the enormous heatwaves followed by rain is a main prompt for the hatching of spider eggs.
“Low pressure is one of the triggers for emergence from the egg sac. Low pressure is, of course, associated with high humidity. And that makes a very buffered environment for the young ones,” Spiders go looking for milder environments in terms of heat and humidity. So inside a house it’s usually good. There’s usually some water around and they’ll gravitate to that.
“We generate these wonderful situations which emulate what they find in the bush – hanging paintings on walls, absolutely fantastic. Great, narrow spaces for them. What we call houses, they call caves.”
