Monster Spider!

We awoke to find this massive spider on the lounge wall this morning. It is clearly the biggest spider we have ever seen. We think it is the elusive Heteropoda aperirefollis; a single huge specimen was collected in April 1903 by biologist H.G Whells in 'northern Australia' - no other locality data available. The species has not been recorded since.

We also suspect that this big female arachnid is the reason for the disappearance of all the geckos in our house over the past week, and our neighbours’ kitten.

Unfortunately, just before midday today, the spider chewed its way through the plastic container and has disappeared. We are hoping it shows up again, but it may be another 12 months before we see another specimen like this one.

Deanna sizing up the spider before capturing it.

'We're gonna need a bigger boat'.