A colossal spider rescue has sent shockwaves across the internet. No matter the state of the world, few Americans are keen on relocating to Australia—the land where nightmares come to life, especially when it comes to spiders the size of small dogs. Once again, this continent of unexpected horrors has made headlines with a viral tale of a truly massive arachnid.
Get ready to assume the fetal position, folks. And perhaps refill that Xanax prescription.
The Rescue of Charlotte
About a year ago, a rescue organization named Barnyard Betty’s, located in Queensland’s Brisbane Valley, saved a ridiculously oversized spider from someone eager to squash it (as if that’s a surprise). After being rescued, this eight-legged creature found a new home among other rehabilitated animals on the farm. Recently, a photo of this enormous spider resurfaced and went viral, dragging the world back into a state of collective panic. Her name? Charlotte, the Huntsman spider.
Is “Huntsman” just Australian slang for “no thanks”? Because, seriously, what is happening here?
Charlotte’s Nature
Your first instinct might be to scream “NOPE!” or ask, “Why does a spider need to be this huge?” The answers remain elusive, but Barnyard Betty’s tries to paint Charlotte in a more favorable light: “She’s a beautiful, calm spider, not aggressive at all, just wanting to eat bugs and live in peace. She didn’t deserve to be killed!”
While they portray her as harmless, let’s not forget the viral video from last month showing a Huntsman spider dragging a dead mouse. A spider carrying a whole mouse? How does that scream “harmless” to anyone?
Understanding Huntsman Spiders
After some research following that disturbing clip, we discovered that these eight-legged creatures actively hunt their meals and can dart around at the speed of a yard per second. That’s way too fast for comfort! They can also grow to the size of a dinner plate, and Charlotte seems to be on the larger end of the scale, likely even twice the size of the average five-inch Huntsman.
Yikes!
In defense of Charlotte’s rescue, we did learn that Huntsman spiders primarily feast on bugs and only drag dead mice for fun. So while her appearance may haunt our dreams, at least she won’t be ending our lives in our sleep—though she might decide to crawl across our faces while we’re unaware, hunting her next meal.
Coexisting with Charlotte
Alright, I’m slowly putting down the blow torch. Maybe we can coexist? As Barnyard Betty’s puts it, “All creatures great and small are welcome here at Barnyard Betty’s Rescue, a safe haven no matter how you look!” So as long as Charlotte stays on the farm (and out of the rest of the world), we can tolerate her existence. But let’s keep the gasoline and matches handy—just in case.
Conclusion
In summary, the internet is currently buzzing over a giant Huntsman spider named Charlotte, who found refuge at Barnyard Betty’s Rescue in Australia. While her imposing size might invoke fear, the rescue organization assures us that she’s harmless and just wants to live peacefully. So, if you ever find yourself in Australia, maybe keep your distance from the spiders, but know that some of them do have a loving home.