Well, Australia, is the “land of Nope” where everything is for you, or if not, you’ll probably wish you were dead.
However, some Australians are of a different opinion.
In a post on the Australian Spider Identification Facebook page, Australian Jake Gray introduced the “big girl”
who lives with him in his house year-round. He wrote that he “watched it grow” into the huge hunting spider it is now.
In this situation, most of us would probably think it’s time to go (or burn down the house), but Aussies are a little different, as evidenced by the fact that Jake just looked up and said to himself, “Roommate material.” In a Facebook post, he expressed his desire to see it “grow a little more” in the future.
Because of their habit of eating cockroaches and the fact that we don’t use poisonous chemicals that kill all bugs, we’ve always tolerated spider hunting in our house, Jake told IFLScience.
“Just aim and hit the sprays.
That being said, not every member of his family was pleased with the spider’s presence in the house.
Jake and his wife named the spider Charlotte and made it their official pet in an attempt to reassure their children.
The highlight of the year, according to the author, was seeing Charlotte swallow an Asian house gecko. “We first saw Charlotte 12 months ago and she was bigger than usual,” the author continued.
Although comments about the scary appearance of the spider said things like “bruh, that’s a spider house now”, this particular species is not as dangerous as it seems. It does not, as the name suggests, hunt men.
Although they produce venom, Holconia immanis, often known as the Banded Huntsman or Sydney Huntsman, is unlikely to use it on humans. They would rather run than bite, and even if they did, the consequences would be minimal.
The only real harm they can do to you is to scare you into doing something stupid like freaking out and crashing your car into a lake, as one man did in 2016 when one of the specimens touched his elbow.
Spiders are not dangerous at all and even serve as a pest deterrent when they get rid of intruders, most of which are smaller than this unfortunate opossum.
The best practice when dealing with spiders is to try to remain calm as they can reach up to 15 cm (six inches) in length.
Jake Gray’s unique bond with Charlotte, the spider hunter, underscores an unconventional view of life with wildlife. While many might recoil in horror at the thought of sharing their home with such a creature, Jake accepts it as part of his household. His approach underscores the wider Australian ethos, which often favors coexistence with nature, especially when it can provide benefits such as pest control.
Charlotte’s presence not only captivated Jake but also served to educate others about the reality of spider hunting. Despite their intimidating appearance, these spiders are not particularly dangerous to humans. Instead, they display more harmless behavior, preferring flight to confrontation.
By sharing his experiences, Jake challenges common misconceptions and promotes a more nuanced understanding of these creatures.
In the end, Jake and Charlotte’s story reminds us that fear of the unknown can often be unfounded. By appreciating nature and its inhabitants, we can learn to live peacefully even with things that scare us at first. At a time when many are trying to eradicate pests, Jake’s story is a testament to the benefits of tolerance and the value of seeing beyond fear to discover the wonders of nature that can enrich our lives.