ENORMOUS spider snapped eating bird in backyard near Cairns

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THIS amazing image of a mammoth spider devouring a bird was taken in the backyard of a property near Cairns.

The image, which is being cirulated via email worldwide, is real, according to wildlife experts, The Cairns Post reported.

The photo, believed to have been taken earlier this week, shows the spider clenching its legs around a lifeless bird trapped in a web at a property near Atherton, west of Cairns.

Joel Shakespeare, the head spider keeper at NSW's Australian Reptile Park, has told ninemsn the spider was a golden orb weaver.

"Normally they prey on large insects, it's unusual to see one eating a bird," he said.

Mr Shakepeare said he had seen Golden Orb Weaver spiders as big as a human hand but the northern species in tropical areas were known to grow larger.

Mr Shakespeare told ninemsn the bird, a chestnut-breasted mannikin which appears frozen in an angel-like pose in the pictures, is likely to have flown into the web and got caught.

"It wouldn't eat the whole bird," he said.

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All I have to say is...:O:O:O

holy momma!!!!!!
:O:O:O:O:O:O

daamn!!! thats a big-ass spider!!!:O

Now that is amazing to see a Golden Argiope eating a bird :D

omg i would trip balls if i saw that holy ****

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Originally Posted by pythontricker

omg i would trip balls if i saw that holy ****

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id be running the other way lol not a fan of spiders and thats like something out of a horror movie

Yeah Australia definitely has a few mutants crawling around. Take this fellow for example...


http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/a...khgfjgfhjk.jpg


That just might qualify as one of life's little moments.

i'd poop a golden smurf if i was even in the same room as one of them!

I hate arachnophobes.

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Originally Posted by CeraDigital

Now that is amazing to see a Golden Argiope eating a bird :D

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Curious indeed.... :P

The spider probably got tired of eating bugs.........

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Originally Posted by Earl

Yeah Australia definitely has a few mutants crawling around. Take this fellow for example...


http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/a...khgfjgfhjk.jpg


That just might qualify as one of life's little moments.

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i cant even tell you how loud i would scream if i saw that on my roll of toilet paper

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Originally Posted by TooManyToys

The spider probably got tired of eating bugs.........

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lol at first when i looked at your post i actually thought there was a little bug crawling around on my screen...then i realized its just your sig :rofl:

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Originally Posted by _Venom_

I hate arachnophobes.

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Some people have phobias, it's not necessarily their fault. That's a bit judgmental.

Awesome spiders!
I know of the bird eating spiders, but I didn't know they had things like that there!

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Originally Posted by _Venom_

I hate arachnophobes.

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gee thanks lol

I'm kidding.
Just think of it how you feel when someone says snakes sucks and blah blah.

Wow I thought I had spider problems.

We have lots of black widows and other spiders due to the large amount of escapee crickets we provide.

Not gonna complain much now, LOL

I don't mind spiders but I'd freak out if I saw that first pic and that 2nd pic would scare the poo out of me.

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

Awesome spiders!
I know of the bird eating spiders, but I didn't know they had things like that there!

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Actually, We have those here too. They're one of the most common garden spiders, that you see feeding on mantids, butterfly's, etc. They're harmless to humans, but are fairly defensive. Poke at them and they'll poke back :P Most of the time you can see them in fields around patches of sun, by tree's and such. They're one of the most gorgeous spiders we have!!! :D Here's a link...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_garden_spider

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Originally Posted by West Coast Jungle

Wow I thought I had spider problems.

We have lots of black widows and other spiders due to the large amount of escapee crickets we provide.

Not gonna complain much now, LOL

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Haha you have these at your place too, Raul :P

That thing is ugly and of nightmares. This coming from a guy who used to own a Chilean Rose Haired Tarantula.

that is too awersome .. I know that in south america there are Turantulas that get as big as dinner plates and they are awnry enough to hunt birds and rats... so this is another interesting work of art from the master creator GOD himself.. how awesome is he!!

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Originally Posted by SamuraiZr0

that is too awersome .. I know that in south america there are Turantulas that get as big as dinner plates and they are awnry enough to hunt birds and rats... so this is another interesting work of art from the master creator GOD himself.. how awesome is he!!

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Please calm down.

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Originally Posted by Earl

Please calm down.

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:rofl:

The one on the toilet paper roll looks like a huntsman.... They are super fast, run up, across the walls with great speed. In my parents house in south east Queensland I still remember having them on my walls, floor and bed at night, (Sometimes you'd see 2 or 3) Turning off the light was something you did after scanning the room for them. I still remember the feel of one running up your back. Then swiping your hand at it, you could hear it land on the bed after they'd jump. It's not a comfortable experience, but you get used to it!

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Originally Posted by Sputnik

The one on the toilet paper roll looks like a huntsman.... They are super fast, run up, across the walls with great speed. In my parents house in south east Queensland I still remember having them on my walls, floor and bed at night, (Sometimes you'd see 2 or 3) Turning off the light was something you did after scanning the room for them. I still remember the feel of one running up your back. Then swiping your hand at it, you could hear it land on the bed after they'd jump. It's not a comfortable experience, but you get used to it!

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omg that was the most unsettling thing ive ever read lol

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Originally Posted by Sputnik

The one on the toilet paper roll looks like a huntsman.... They are super fast, run up, across the walls with great speed. In my parents house in south east Queensland I still remember having them on my walls, floor and bed at night, (Sometimes you'd see 2 or 3) Turning off the light was something you did after scanning the room for them. I still remember the feel of one running up your back. Then swiping your hand at it, you could hear it land on the bed after they'd jump. It's not a comfortable experience, but you get used to it!

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Are they bad biters?

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

Are they bad biters?

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People who have been bitten describe it as very painful... but that was someone trying to catch and release with bare hands. They'd rather run the other way then get into a scrap with you.... the Huntsman spiders that is. :)

Oh my. After seeing that spider on the TP roll, I guess I'm gonna have to turn on the light when I get up in the middle of the night to pee. :weirdface

ACK! That is scary!!! Spiders are creepy.

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Originally Posted by RoyalGuardian

ACK! That is scary!!! Spiders are creepy.

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No their not! Spiders just tend to think we are so cool, that's why they sneak into our homes, so they can hang out with us.

My friend has one of those tarantulas and he put it on the coffee table last time I was over. The little fellow crawled around for a moment then looked right at me and just sat there as I talked to it. It never moved. I'm smooth like that ya know.

They love us humans. :)

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Originally Posted by RoyalGuardian

ACK! That is scary!!! Spiders are creepy.

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That's what the general public thinks of snakes....