A giant spider that can run half a metre per second is invading homes across Britain.
The total leg span of this arachnid is on average up to 7.5 cm, which is about the size of a kiwi, but it can also grow up to 10 cm – the diameter of a grapefruit.
According to Wildlife Trusts, the giant house spider, the larger cousin of the common house spider, is one of the fastest invertebrates on the planet and can run at up to half a metre per second. This means that if the spiders were human-sized, they could travel at around 225 km/h.
They are among the largest spiders found in Central and Northern Europe.
Giant spiders are being spotted in houses across the UK
Getty
Brits recognise the creepy crawly by its dark brown/black colour and dark-haired body. In addition to its lightning-fast speed, it produces characteristic leaf-like webs.
They usually like to seek out dark corners of houses, especially in early autumn.
According to experts, giant house spiders become particularly active after the summer months, as the males then come out in search of a mating partner.
As part of the spider’s natural life cycle, males stay with their chosen females for several weeks and mate several times until they eventually die and become food for the females.
Giant house spiders have grown larger this year after a warm, wet summer
Getty
A Wildlife Trust spokesman said: “More people see spiders in their homes at this time of year for one simple reason: they are out and about looking for a mate.
“Male spiders are particularly active in early autumn, as they cover much larger areas in search of a female than usual.
He added: “We have spiders in our houses all year round, so it’s not necessarily that there are more spiders, it’s just that they’re more visible.
“Most of them are house spiders, the ones you see walking across your bedroom floor at night.
“They have long, lanky legs, with males tending to be smaller than females, and have what are called pedipalps on the front of their bodies, which they use for mating.
“We know that the sight of these eight-legged creatures terrifies many people, but they are an essential part of our ecosystem.
“They are fantastic predators and keep a range of other creatures under control, which actually helps improve biodiversity.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
According to The Wildlife Trusts, giant house spiders can go for months without food or water, so there is no point in trapping them under glass.
Male spiders can live for one to two years under the right circumstances, but females can live for several years.
No part of the UK is exempt from the range of the eight-legged species, but the ultra-fast species is most likely to be found in the south-east, East Anglia and the Midlands.
Female giant house spiders mate with giant males … and then eat them
Getty
The Wildlife Trust has explained why spider numbers are increasing in the UK.
A spokesman added: “Indoors, it is mainly house spiders looking for love.
‘You might get a fright if you suddenly see house spiders running across your carpet out of the corner of your eye, but like most of our spiders in the UK, they are basically harmless.
“They may seem like the arachnid equivalent of Usain Bolt, but they can’t keep it up for long – they need to take regular breathers.
“And once they are old enough to hunt a female, they don’t have much time left in the world.
“It is also the season for big spiders outside the house – be it in the garden or in the wider landscape.
“Among the most conspicuous species are the orb-web spiders – the garden cross spider in the garden, the walnut orb-web spiders on fences and walls and the four-spot orb-web spiders in grassland.”
Many Britons have taken to social media to express their fears that house spiders in the UK are getting larger, and there is evidence that the average size of spiders has increased, particularly in large cities.
When spiders feed well during the summer months—especially warm, humid summers like this one when their prey has access to plenty of nutrients—they have a better chance of reaching a much larger size.
Another study in Australia found that the ovaries of female orb-web spiders living in cities were larger than those of their rural counterparts.
Because they have larger ovaries, they can also lay larger eggs. And experts believe that higher temperatures due to stored heat in concrete areas can accelerate the spiders’ growth.
In August and September, giant spiders invade British homes in large numbers
Getty
According to Wildlife Trusts, paranoia about spiders stems from “fear of being bitten.”
A spokesman added: “Fear of spiders often stems from concern about being bitten and is fuelled by urban legends and exaggerated headlines.”
“In fact, very few spiders in the UK are even capable of biting a human, and an even smaller number do so rarely.
“So the next time you see a spider hiding in the corner of your room, wave at it and say, ‘Keep going!'”
