ENORMOUS spider snapped eating bird in backyard near Cairns

[rmune0750]

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.

All I have to say is...

[firehop]

holy momma!!!!!!

[munding]

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

[CeraDigital]

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

[pythontricker]

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

[rmune0750]

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

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

[Earl]

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





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

[filly77]

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

[_Venom_]

I hate arachnophobes.

[casperca]

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

Curious indeed....