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Giant spiders the size of rats making a comeback in UK (www.independent.co.uk)

submitted 2 months ago by GreyShuck@feddit.uk to c/nature@feddit.uk

11 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The UK’s largest breed of spiders, which can grow to the size of rats and hunts fish, are making a comeback in Britain.

From near-extinction in 2010 - when only a handful remained as their wetland homes were destroyed by humans - the number of fen raft spiders are now steadily increasing thanks to recent conservation efforts.

The spiders are set to have their best year on record at nature reserves ran by RSBP.

top 11 comments

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[–] werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 19 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Great???? Anyone?? This is good right?

[–] DoctorButts@kbin.melroy.org 14 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Spider meat burritos are about to get even more affordable in the UK, seriously I can't wait

[–] werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago

....3 more spideritos please! And a side of legs! Fried!

[–] skeletorfw@lemmy.world 11 points 2 months ago

This is good, I promise! Unless you're an arachnophobe who made their home literally in a fen I guess...

[–] tobogganablaze@lemmus.org 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I didn't know UK rats were this tiny.

[–] cows_are_underrated@feddit.org 17 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Jokes on you

Actually the headline of ops article is an exaggeration. The spider only grow upt to 8cm.

[–] tobogganablaze@lemmus.org 8 points 2 months ago

Oh I'm well aware. News article about spiders usually get the size wrong. And most other things.

[–] harrys_balzac@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 2 months ago (3 children)

The article is very poorly written. Saying they can grow to the size of a mans hand? Good thing that all men have the same size hands.

[–] tobogganablaze@lemmus.org 11 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

It's also not the "The UK’s largest breed of spiders". If they are going by legspan (which they have to do to get anywhere near hand size) then Tegenaria parietina has it easily beaten.

[–] cows_are_underrated@feddit.org 7 points 2 months ago

Their webs grow up to 25cm in diameter, but they themselves are much smaller(up to 8cm)

[–] SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 2 months ago

Plus the article is referring to total leg span as its size, where many people are thinking of the size of the spider's body. They're not very big, nowhere near the size of most tarantulas. They're so small and light they can literally walk on water.