The idea that Aussies come face-to-face daily with a plethora of fearsome creatures is a common myth believed by foreigners, but for one Queensland resident it may be difficult to dispute.
As a homeowner in the small coastal town of Yeppoon, Jessika’s property has been visited by an oddly large number of huge spiders in recent months.
“The other night I heard my daughter scream at the top of her lungs. I ran downstairs and she said she saw a spider go under her bed,” Jessika told Yahoo News Australia. “It has definitely freaked me out finding the tarantulas… I have found two of them in the last week! And the first one was huge.”
From the whistling tarantula, which can grow up to 22 centimetres in length, to the fang-bear wishbone spider, they all appear to have taken a liking to her family home, especially her daughter’s bedroom, much to Jessika’s dismay.
“We do live out of town on a few acres and have always come across creepy crawly’s but this last week has made me jumpy,” she said.
“For the first time I’m questioning the house we’re living in… been here for years and have considered moving,” she joked.
Thanks to her apparent stellar hospitality, Jessika has discovered six spiders in her home in the last six months, forcing her to turn to social media in a bid to identify them and whether they are dangerous.
10,000 spider species in Australia
Despite up to 15 per cent of the population suffering from arachnophobia, spiders are one of nature’s great evolutionary success stories, with over 10,000 species across the country possessing an expansive range of skills.
From their ability to swim and jump, to their remarkable camouflage skills and potent venom, spiders have inspired awe and fear in Aussies for a long time.
Thankfully the two identified spiders that Jessika found in her home are not believed to be of threat to human life, and despite being effective insect repellents, the resident sensibly choose to remove them from her home.
“My daughter has now officially moved upstairs,” she said.
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