Giant Water-Walking Spiders Are Surging in Numbers Across the UK

It’s becoming a far too normal occurrence these days: larger versions of something terrifying growing in numbers. The latest is the fen raft spider—one of the largest arachnids in Britain—also known as the great raft spider.

In 2010, fen raft spiders were on the cusp of extinction. Now, thanks in part to the conservation efforts of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSBP), a record number of up to 3,750 female fen raft spiders are surfacing in marsh ditches across 12 different sites in Norfolk and Suffolk Broads in the United Kingdom, according to The Independent.

So, what exactly are these rare spiders, and should we be worried? Yes, yes we should. They can grow to the size of a human hand and produce a web that measures 25 centimeters or nearly 10 inches. Admittedly, they pose no significant threat to humans, with a bite that would leave a mark sort of like a beesting—and they’re quite shy, so they’re more likely to run away, anyway. Still freaky, though!

Rather than human flesh, these creepy crawlies feast on aquatic life, including fish. Incredibly, fen raft spiders can traverse the water’s surface. At this point, all they’re missing is the ability to jump.

Your horror aside, the RSBP is very excited in its efforts to repopulate this species. Tim Strudwick, who is the RSPB Mid Yare nature reserves site manager, pointed out to The Daily Mail that they are “proud” of the role they have played in this reemergence, noting that their “important role” is to help maintain “rich aquatic diversity found in the grazing ditches.” 

All of this comes on the heels of another discovery off the coast of San Diego. That was where the ‘Doomsday Fish’ was spotted. In other words, humans aren’t safe anywhere.