Hitchhiker?

[katysam]

When I went out in the car last night I discovered Harry Huntsman had come along for a ride. (If you're at all squeamish about spiders don't click the link!) He may not have had a leg span of 300mm (11.8") across but he was big enough at about 100mm (4")! 

I first noticed him illuminated on the dashboard by the headlights of an oncoming car. Eecck! I pulled over in a side street and grabbed the closest thing - a Melway (street directory) - and tried to hit him. Probably not the best plan of attack against one shifty spider. He escaped being squashed and scampered across the dashboard into the area where the speedo is, behind the steering wheel. I reached into the backseat and grabbed the next closest thing - a Queensland State of Origin jacket (Sorry Maroons!) - and proceeded to try to squash/suffocate/piss off Harry Huntsman. I removed the jacket and guess what? Harry 'Houdini' Huntsman had cheated death once again. In what I can only guess was a last ditch attempt to save his life he jumped off the dashboard and onto my leg (eeeewwww!) before falling off and disappearing from view. 

Up to this point I'd been calmly sitting in the car, in the driver's seat, whilst 'Houdini' was skittering about in front of me. Spiders don't freak me out a great deal and I don't generally kill them, preferring instead to 'catch' them and take them outside. But even so I didn't really like the idea of sharing a ride with one  - in my little car. It sounded way too cosy. 

I got out of the car so I could take a better look around and managed to spot 'Houdini' limping (can spiders even limp?) across the floor mat. I flicked 'Houdini' out the car and I'm sorry to say that the roadway was literally the 'end of the road' for that eight legged freak. 

I may have lived to tell the tale but unfortunately Harry 'Houdini' Huntsman did not. Maybe I should keep a glass and a piece of cardboard in the car in case I get any more free loading spiders...

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Don't you just love it when they run across the dashboard and or windscreen just after you've started driving? You did well. I quite like the huntsman as they've been known to eat some of the nastier house spiders.

[katysam.livejournal.com]

I knew there was a reason I didn't kill them.

If he'd been on the move when I noticed him I can't say for sure that I would have reacted so calmly. LOL. As it was he was just sitting there, in the middle of the dash, staring at me. I swear he was giving me the evil eye - or eight of them since that's how many Huntsman's apparently have. One for each leg, maybe?

[(Anonymous)]

Must be the week for huntsman spiders... I was waiting for a pizza last night, and whilst having a smoke, noticed a lady in the car parked next to where I was standing going nuts, as a huntsman had just walked up the inside of her windscreen.

Did the manly thing, and removed it for her. This one wasn't so lucky... He ended up squished...