In search of nightmare fuel? Behold: a video of a tiny spider living inside a man’s ear canal.
The spider was found holed up near the man’s eardrum by Zhang Pan, a doctor at the Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University in China, reports the New York Post. The itching sensation caused by its web-spinning efforts prompted its unidentified host to seek medical help.
Videos by VICE
Pan captured the spider on film using an endoscope, according to Live Science. An initial attempt to remove it with pincers failed because the spider was too quick to grasp. But the squatter abandoned its hideout once Pan flushed the ear canal with a saline liquid. Its dramatic escape from the flood was also captured on video and fortunately, no damage was done to the man’s ear.
Ears may seem like an unlikely housing choice for spiders, but arachnids and insects crawl into them on rare occasions. As warm and protected spaces, ears can be attractive to insects—and even geckos in some cases.
A few years ago, a woman in India sought treatment for a headache, which was caused by a large spider in her ear cavity.
So, if one video of a spider in an ear wasn’t enough for you today, here’s one from the Indian woman’s case, for the road. Enjoy.