It was every arachnophobe’s worst nightmare when one Aussie couple encountered a large huntsman spider devouring a possum in their Tasmanian holiday accommodation.
Tasmanian Justin Latton posted these gross and disturbing images of the familiar house spider chowing down on a pygmy possum in their lodgings at Mount Field National Park.
Posting to the Tasmanian Insects and Spiders Facebook group Justine wrote, ‘Possum-eating spider! Taken by my husband at a Mt Field lodge.’
The tiny possum species – much smaller than the ring tail and brush tail varirties familiar to city dwellers, grow to just 5-6.5cm and typically weight seven grams, according to the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service.
The pics have elicited some strong responses, with some claiming they’re set up – sorry, but they aren’t – and other expressing sympathy for the ill-fated marsupial.
‘Awww. Everyone’s gotta eat, but man!’, wrote one Facebook user, while another enthused, ‘OMG what a once in a life time photo opportunity’.
It’s not the first time that Australian spiders with oversized appetites have disgusted and incensed the world.
Various pictures gave emerged of spiders eating baby snakes trapped in their webs, and shocking photos show a Queensland orb spider devouring a finch caught in its web on the Atherton Tablelands.
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