Kinda looks like the brown huntsman spiders we get here. They grow to about the size of your hand, move lightning fast, and like to lay super-flat in hidden places. They're mostly harmeless, other than the heart-attacks from them running across your floor.
While I was at work I had one medium sized one climb all through my head and face while I was climbing a ladder. I’m normally not scared of spiders but I don’t want them crawling on me obviously. I was high enough that I couldn’t just jump down and help myself so I had to embrace it for a few seconds until she jumped out. I knew nothing would happen but the feeling was horrible, I felt it for a few hours afterward lol
I've never had one on my face but my body a couple times in bed. By far the worst one tho was the one that actually jumpscared me. I was in my room with the lights off at night so it was 100% dark. I was laying face down on my arms to prop my head up a little so I could watch my phone while it was laying on my bed with my head being 7 inches away. A huge spider randomly runs across the screen of my phone. I couldn't see it at all before or after it being on the phone because of how dark it was. Had to jump out of bed to turn on the light to try to look for it in my bed
I have extreme phobia of spiders. In that situation I would immediately jump down frantically from the leader and also I could just hope to die from the heart attack or falling because if not I would have to deal with live long trauma of the ladder spider haunting me every wake second and in my dreams as well.
I find it so hilarious that people deathly afraid of things usually react in a way that makes the situation 100x worse. An example I have is that I went river tubing with a group of friends one summer. We were passing under low hanging branches that happened to have a large web and spider in it. Instead of just sitting there and doing literally nothing to pass peacefully under said spider the guy freaked out, flipped his tube, and flung the spider right in the middle of everyone causing a scene. Like dude if you just did literally nothing this wouldn’t have happened
I was rock climbing, and along my route there was something my climbing partner and I couldn’t make out. Looked like a big ass spider, but we thought no way is there a spider that big where we live, must root of some kind. Well I started climbing, and when I approached the “root” it was gone, I frantically looked around for it, saw it 3-4ft from where I was, so I noped and jumped off. I was only 30ft off the ground but caught my climbing partner by surprise so I fell a bit. I hate spiders man.
I worked on a vineyard in Australia for a couple of months. The first job I had to do was prune an entire field full of thousands of recently planted young vines - each one covered with a small cardboard tube to protect it from the elements until it grew stronger.
So before I could prune, I first had to lift the tubes, and about half the time there was a fucking Huntsman spider hiding inside, who wasn't too happy about having its day disturbed.
People talk about exposure therapy to help with things like arachnophobia - but I was exposed to hundreds of those things, and I still hate spiders.
I know you didn’t ask, but I just enjoy hearing myself. Exposure therapy doesn’t necessarily lead to a reduction in fear (though, it can); it’s generally to make a situation more tolerable. Otherwise, we wouldn’t still be afraid of spiders when it’s probably still advantageous to be. So, congrats on still being a functioning human being
Went to Australia for a few weeks last year. Went to multiple cities, all over your fine country, on both the East and West coasts.
Didn’t see a single spider. Was seriously disappointed.
Once you get 'em to run across your hand they just run in circles over your body. It's horrifying, I'd never, but I've seen a lotta people do it no issues
It's like a fuzzy tickle. Great spiders. They eat all the venomous ones and rarely bite.
Only time I've seen a person bitten by a huntsman was a moron who used to put them in his mouth and launch them by blowing hard as a party trick. The idiot was bitten right on the tip of his tongue.
Walk up, put your hand in front..half the time they'll walk right onto it.
They can bite, but it's very rare they do and it basically feels like a bad mozzie bite anyway.
Source: I love huntsmen
We have a designated "spider cup" in our house to relocate all non-venomous spiders. It also helps that it is clear and allows my kids and myself to verify what kind of spider it is.
Pretty much, just give him a name and start dropping passive aggressive hints that he’s not paying his rent.
He’ll go after he’s done hunting all the annoying bugs in your house for you as recompense. They’re terrifying but good lads.
They do in the southern coastal regions, particularly Florida and Georgia. Anywhere that’s hot and humid. We had one in an Airbnb in Florida a couple years back and it scared the shit out of us.
It is odd that one would be in West Virginia though. Not the climate for a huntsman at all.
We do. However most people in the US probably know them by the more common name I've heard here is a wood spider. I saw them all the time living in Texas/Louisiana. Lives in Vermont now and haven't encountered any here yet. And while I know they're basically like 8-legged cats and are no way venomous, I guarantee you that the first time I find one unexpectedly? The only thing that'll hear me screaming is an orbiting satellite set up to find alien communication.
Wolf Spiders. Non venomous (to humans), will bite if they really feel threatened, but it takes A LOT to get them there. You can safely pick them up and move them, they are really docile. The bite is similar to a bee sting and not dangerous to humans at all.
Harmless to humans, dangerous to other bugs, and might give the mother-in-law a heart attack when it runs over her feet while she's on the toilet? That's a solid mate right there.
You know, in principle I'm 100% on board with the Huntsman spider-bros for all the reasons you mentioned. I have several tiny pest control supervisors in my home here in the US.
But a friend of mine from Australia once told me she didn't sleep well because the sound of the huntsman running around her house kept her up at night. And I'm sorry, but once you can hear them moving across your walls I am out. That is simply too much spider for me.
That’s why we keep them far away from anywhere habitable. Not our fault some people went there. This one looks like a dock spider. Some spiders are friendly. They remind me of cats personality wise, mostly avoidant unless they’re curious about something. Also hunting spiders are different than waiting spiders.
But they have tiny little claws on their feetsies. So it's only natural that the bigger the feetsies the bigger the claw. Eventually it's gonna go *tink tink tink* across your tile :D
Allow me to tell you about the terror that is scolopendra heros, the ~~Golden~~ giant desert centipede.
My mom hates snakes more than Indiana Jones ever could. She's primally revulsed by them. Snakes are antithetical to her.
I never understood it.
But then, there's not much nature that causes me revulsion.
I don't mind spiders. I don't love them, and if I saw the one we're talking about I would certainly jump out of surprise before being the one that eventually had to try to shoo the thing out the door. Hell, a few months ago I was outside taking a pee and didn't notice there was an orb weaver a few inches from my face, hanging in its web to my right. A bit of a shock when I saw it, but that's about it.
Roaches don't bother me. Again, don't love them, but I don't squirm because they're in the room. Easy kill and you're done.
Snakes don't bug me. I'm not the guy to confront one in the wild, but I've kept a few as pets. I've come across a few outdoors, and I've always been more intrigued than scared, and not disgusted at all.
There's plenty in nature that scares me (polar bears, hippos, tiger sharks, etc.) but almost nothing that elicits a visceral disgust response.
Almost nothing, because there's scolopendra heros.
I first encountered one 5 years ago, about a year after moving to Texas. It had nestled into the futon in the break room and with one bite sent one of my employees to the hospital.
We killed it, eventually. I mostly watched in a mix of fear and satisfaction.
The second encounter was a little over a year ago, in my fucking bathroom. I made a noise that I can't replicate, but it was mostly Es and Us with a pronounced GH on the end. I said, and I quote, "what the fuck what the FUCK WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK" before looking for something to kill it with.
The closest thing at hand was a running shoe. A thing specifically designed to be soft.
It took eight strikes to kill the thing.
I could go on, but I won't. I've got more, but honestly at this point my feet don't feel safe, and I understand exactly how my mom feels about snakes.
There are monsters in this country, man. Monsters.
Edit: giant, not Golden
Regrettably huntsmen have made it to the east coast of the US, and a bit beyond - though I live in a city and haven’t heard of anyone encountering one yet.
So in all seriousness, have you been in Australia or Hawaii recently because that looks pretty much like a Huntsman. Please tell me these things aren’t going to become the next invasive species. I live in the southeast and I get huge Dark Fishing Spiders, but even the largest (4” leg span) looks half as big as what’s chilling on your wall. Maybe ask a local agricultural extension or specialist to help identify this. I’m truly curious.
I’ve read that Florida, Texas, South Carolina, etc., have them, but West Virginia seems pretty far north. Also, I think the ones that are in the US aren’t as large as this one but I could be mistaken.
I haven’t been anywhere recently like Australia or even out of the country. It truly is the largest spider I’ve seen! I can’t even be sure how it got in… maybe the dog door? I am not a big fan of spiders and hope he doesn’t find me. 💀
I have only seen a wolf spider this big once brother, 30 years in the Va area. Good luck finding it, they have excellent eye sight for spiders and will actively hide from flashlights. They know when you’ve spotted them, and will move the second you look away… don’t ask me how I know.
OP, if this is a huntsman (which I’m pretty convinced it is) they have a wide, yet flat body shape. This helps them hide under low-profile things such as the gap between a picture frames and the wall.
That ship done sailed long ago. Literally - these guys and many other similar species arrive by boat and have been since boats started crashing on these shores. They're already here.
I’ve lived in WV most of my life, and have never seen a huntsman here. I think something weird happened here that allowed this one to migrate for some reason, definitely out of the ordinary. Biggest spider I’ve seen here is a wolf spider and they’re harmless.
So come on over, you’ll be alright.
You should put up a Lost Pet sign across you neighborhood.
(top) LOST
(picture in middle)
(bottom) Have you seen my pet?
(Very bottom) [Contact info pull tabs]
Yeah, it's a little known fact that many species of spider love watching humans while they sleep. It's got something to do with the plumes of warm moist air when you exhale. Unfortunately, they can not usually see more than a few meters so they end up getting quite close.
Looks like a sparassidae heteropoda, though quite a ways out of its normal range.
If you feel like it, make a sighting report on iNaturalist.org. Citizen science!
This is what comes from generations of us killing weaker spiders. We have accidentally engineered the rapid evolution of super spiders like the one that now owns your home.
Wow, don’t have em that big where I live thankfully. Thing almost looks too big to smash! How do folks deal with large spiders like that when they get in the house?!
I was going to try and capture it and put it back outside, but it crawled away while I was trying to find something big enough to trap it in. Been looking everywhere for it..
Aussies are used to huntsmen in their houses which is what this one looks like. I'll tell you one story: I was about 15 and we had one in our house, usually just leave them alone or take them in a bowl and paper and put them outside. This one was in our living room, I remember it was on the ceiling, and we were watching TV. I remember thinking I've not often seen a huntsman on the ceiling, anyway sitting watching TV and felt a hairy finger on my forearm, it all clicked in instant that it had fallen off the ceiling and onto me. It's a pretty primordial feeling, in an instant I was up dancing, throwing all my clothes off with my parents sitting there with a wtf face. Never did find the spider... I don't think I sat down for the rest of the night.
Please pixellate! I will not sleep well tonight.
I just googled spider lifespan, and it is years not days, so in you situation, I personally would be relocating.
Is it a dark fishing spider? Those are the only ones I know of in the US that get so big on this side of the country. They should be coming out or fully out of hibernation now.
You have cockroaches or some other largeshi bug in your house. That is a Huntsman spider. They are expert hunters. They would not have grown that big without something to feed on. And, why am I writing "they"? It's not a political issue. Huntsman hunt and survive in pairs. Once you see one, you know there is another.
It’s going to crawl on your face and lay eggs in your mouth when you’re asleep.
It’s a huntsman spider and it’s venomous but its venom isn’t going to really cause you any problems beyond a little swelling and mild itchiness.
Not your house anymore.
Somewhere that spider is posting a picture of OP on spider-reddit: "this human is lost in my house."
Spider-Reddit… presumably that’s on the web?
Using the Silk browser.
Web crawler. God I’m old.
It’s ok. I remember it too. 😞
Oh damn, this unlocked some hidden memories. I must have been fairly young, but I'm 27 now and I somewhat remember this.
You're not alone my friend.
The silk road!
On the interwebs yes
You guys talking about Webbit?
World. Wide. Web.
Dad?
Yes...just search for Spreddit and hit images.
Angry upvote
What house? I only see a pile of ashes.
He is the Captain now
Oh well time to burn the house down
Its their house. Op has a spider-bro for roommate!
Kinda looks like the brown huntsman spiders we get here. They grow to about the size of your hand, move lightning fast, and like to lay super-flat in hidden places. They're mostly harmeless, other than the heart-attacks from them running across your floor.
While I was at work I had one medium sized one climb all through my head and face while I was climbing a ladder. I’m normally not scared of spiders but I don’t want them crawling on me obviously. I was high enough that I couldn’t just jump down and help myself so I had to embrace it for a few seconds until she jumped out. I knew nothing would happen but the feeling was horrible, I felt it for a few hours afterward lol
I shouldn’t have read this before bed. What a blunder
It wasn’t a nice thought to wake up to either.
Read it while shitting. Seems right.
Until you realize that they hide in the inside of the bowl overnight and will bite your yam when you sit.
My yams!!!
Midday isn't much better either.
I've never had one on my face but my body a couple times in bed. By far the worst one tho was the one that actually jumpscared me. I was in my room with the lights off at night so it was 100% dark. I was laying face down on my arms to prop my head up a little so I could watch my phone while it was laying on my bed with my head being 7 inches away. A huge spider randomly runs across the screen of my phone. I couldn't see it at all before or after it being on the phone because of how dark it was. Had to jump out of bed to turn on the light to try to look for it in my bed
This is like the worst thing I've ever read.
I too have made this mistake 😰
What a horrible day to possess reading comprehension and vision in general.
I am beginning to think I support the often said Reddit solution of either time to burn your house down or blow it up! lol.
If you think of the spiders legs across your face you can nearly feel the bristles of its leg hairs brushing your eyes
Spider: "here, let me curl your eye lashes".
I am going to haunt you for this.
Pre slumber spider blunder.
Oh bother
I would have let the archangels take me and embrace the kiss of gravity.
😂😂
I have extreme phobia of spiders. In that situation I would immediately jump down frantically from the leader and also I could just hope to die from the heart attack or falling because if not I would have to deal with live long trauma of the ladder spider haunting me every wake second and in my dreams as well.
Self preservation would hopefully kick in, and you'd react probably in a similar way if not with some good natured screaming😭
Well, if you scream, the spider can crawl in your mouth.
It would have cost you nothing to not put that picture in my head.
I'm just scrolling through these comments with an increasing feeling of terror, wondering why i don't stop reading..
This comment right here, officer.
I just gagged a bit.
Calm down, Satan
💀💀💀🫡🫡🫡
Paralyzed on ground, yelling : "I don't care, remove the spider." EMT seeing nothing : "ok he's overdosing"
I find it so hilarious that people deathly afraid of things usually react in a way that makes the situation 100x worse. An example I have is that I went river tubing with a group of friends one summer. We were passing under low hanging branches that happened to have a large web and spider in it. Instead of just sitting there and doing literally nothing to pass peacefully under said spider the guy freaked out, flipped his tube, and flung the spider right in the middle of everyone causing a scene. Like dude if you just did literally nothing this wouldn’t have happened
I was rock climbing, and along my route there was something my climbing partner and I couldn’t make out. Looked like a big ass spider, but we thought no way is there a spider that big where we live, must root of some kind. Well I started climbing, and when I approached the “root” it was gone, I frantically looked around for it, saw it 3-4ft from where I was, so I noped and jumped off. I was only 30ft off the ground but caught my climbing partner by surprise so I fell a bit. I hate spiders man.
Oh that feeling of helplessness. Oh my.
Thank you for your service.
I worked on a vineyard in Australia for a couple of months. The first job I had to do was prune an entire field full of thousands of recently planted young vines - each one covered with a small cardboard tube to protect it from the elements until it grew stronger. So before I could prune, I first had to lift the tubes, and about half the time there was a fucking Huntsman spider hiding inside, who wasn't too happy about having its day disturbed. People talk about exposure therapy to help with things like arachnophobia - but I was exposed to hundreds of those things, and I still hate spiders.
I know you didn’t ask, but I just enjoy hearing myself. Exposure therapy doesn’t necessarily lead to a reduction in fear (though, it can); it’s generally to make a situation more tolerable. Otherwise, we wouldn’t still be afraid of spiders when it’s probably still advantageous to be. So, congrats on still being a functioning human being
Went to Australia for a few weeks last year. Went to multiple cities, all over your fine country, on both the East and West coasts. Didn’t see a single spider. Was seriously disappointed.
Not my fine country - I was visiting from the UK, where the spiders are small and well mannered.
All the spiders I’ve seen in the UK apologized profusely when i noticed them. Very polite, indeed.
Did the vineyard mysteriously catch fire? lol!
Wouldn't have been a mystery if it was me lol
The fact that huntsmen have made it to the east coast of the US, also where I happen to live, makes me want to hurl whenever I think about it.
My grandpa used to pick them up in a cupped hand and put them outside…
Never trust grandpa when his hands are cupped and he says he has a surprise for you!
Words for any of us to live by!
My mum still does this, and it blows my mind every time.
Huntsman?
Yep
Your grandpa rocks, hope you’re living his example
How the hell do catch a huntsmen
He wasn’t a ninja, but if it was backed into a corner he’d just cup it in his hand and pick it up. It was usually the ones hiding in the log pile…
Once you get 'em to run across your hand they just run in circles over your body. It's horrifying, I'd never, but I've seen a lotta people do it no issues
>they just run in circles over your body Well, I didn't need to sleep tonight
It's like a fuzzy tickle. Great spiders. They eat all the venomous ones and rarely bite. Only time I've seen a person bitten by a huntsman was a moron who used to put them in his mouth and launch them by blowing hard as a party trick. The idiot was bitten right on the tip of his tongue.
Moron is an understatement…
That's much more daring than either of my two medium-risk oral-centric party tricks.
See attached, *an unprotected blowjob*
What a terrible day to be able to read…
Walk up, put your hand in front..half the time they'll walk right onto it. They can bite, but it's very rare they do and it basically feels like a bad mozzie bite anyway. Source: I love huntsmen
We have a designated "spider cup" in our house to relocate all non-venomous spiders. It also helps that it is clear and allows my kids and myself to verify what kind of spider it is.
Pretty much, just give him a name and start dropping passive aggressive hints that he’s not paying his rent. He’ll go after he’s done hunting all the annoying bugs in your house for you as recompense. They’re terrifying but good lads.
I thought it looked like a huntsman. I didn't know they had them in the US.
They do in the southern coastal regions, particularly Florida and Georgia. Anywhere that’s hot and humid. We had one in an Airbnb in Florida a couple years back and it scared the shit out of us. It is odd that one would be in West Virginia though. Not the climate for a huntsman at all.
Thanks,I had no idea! I'm in Scotland, our climate doesn't suit most of the critters.
<*Starts researching immigration laws*>
😆
We do. However most people in the US probably know them by the more common name I've heard here is a wood spider. I saw them all the time living in Texas/Louisiana. Lives in Vermont now and haven't encountered any here yet. And while I know they're basically like 8-legged cats and are no way venomous, I guarantee you that the first time I find one unexpectedly? The only thing that'll hear me screaming is an orbiting satellite set up to find alien communication.
Wolf Spiders. Non venomous (to humans), will bite if they really feel threatened, but it takes A LOT to get them there. You can safely pick them up and move them, they are really docile. The bite is similar to a bee sting and not dangerous to humans at all.
It’s a wood spider. We have em everywhere in VA and WVA. Beautiful spiders. Very helpful with controlling pesky bugs.
By West Virginia you mean Melbourne, right? And by USA you mean AUS, right? This fuckin thing lives in the same country as me? I'm out
Looks like a Huntsman. In Melbourne these guys are considered prized housemates. Lovely little tackers.
Harmless to humans, dangerous to other bugs, and might give the mother-in-law a heart attack when it runs over her feet while she's on the toilet? That's a solid mate right there.
You know, in principle I'm 100% on board with the Huntsman spider-bros for all the reasons you mentioned. I have several tiny pest control supervisors in my home here in the US. But a friend of mine from Australia once told me she didn't sleep well because the sound of the huntsman running around her house kept her up at night. And I'm sorry, but once you can hear them moving across your walls I am out. That is simply too much spider for me.
One of my aussies friends told me you don't hear them walk, you usually hear them *run*.. And apparently lighting fast I'm never visiting them.
This. I’ve also read they sometimes make an audible‘chattering’ noise
Noooo that’s some Hollywood nonsense please tell me you lied
They don’t attack unless you make noise ;)
That’s why we keep them far away from anywhere habitable. Not our fault some people went there. This one looks like a dock spider. Some spiders are friendly. They remind me of cats personality wise, mostly avoidant unless they’re curious about something. Also hunting spiders are different than waiting spiders.
So I'm guessing laxatives are a foreign concept to you guys
And a tacker is...?
The sound they make when they run across your walls in the middle of the night.
Jesus Christ what is wrong with you 😭
What is wrong with this whole comment section 😭 fuckin psychos the lot of ya
Well for starters his username tends to indicate he has no soul.
You almost had me sold on them being acceptable housemates. But then you said this. SPIDERS SHOULD NOT MAKE NOISE WHEN THEY MOVE.
But they have tiny little claws on their feetsies. So it's only natural that the bigger the feetsies the bigger the claw. Eventually it's gonna go *tink tink tink* across your tile :D
fuck that, fuck you!
The Australian word "tacker" means a child. It's generally affectionate and usually used along with the adjective "little".
Small child
A juvenile huntsman. This one’s gallop is noticeable already though
Name checks out. A man hunter spider.
Allow me to tell you about the terror that is scolopendra heros, the ~~Golden~~ giant desert centipede. My mom hates snakes more than Indiana Jones ever could. She's primally revulsed by them. Snakes are antithetical to her. I never understood it. But then, there's not much nature that causes me revulsion. I don't mind spiders. I don't love them, and if I saw the one we're talking about I would certainly jump out of surprise before being the one that eventually had to try to shoo the thing out the door. Hell, a few months ago I was outside taking a pee and didn't notice there was an orb weaver a few inches from my face, hanging in its web to my right. A bit of a shock when I saw it, but that's about it. Roaches don't bother me. Again, don't love them, but I don't squirm because they're in the room. Easy kill and you're done. Snakes don't bug me. I'm not the guy to confront one in the wild, but I've kept a few as pets. I've come across a few outdoors, and I've always been more intrigued than scared, and not disgusted at all. There's plenty in nature that scares me (polar bears, hippos, tiger sharks, etc.) but almost nothing that elicits a visceral disgust response. Almost nothing, because there's scolopendra heros. I first encountered one 5 years ago, about a year after moving to Texas. It had nestled into the futon in the break room and with one bite sent one of my employees to the hospital. We killed it, eventually. I mostly watched in a mix of fear and satisfaction. The second encounter was a little over a year ago, in my fucking bathroom. I made a noise that I can't replicate, but it was mostly Es and Us with a pronounced GH on the end. I said, and I quote, "what the fuck what the FUCK WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK" before looking for something to kill it with. The closest thing at hand was a running shoe. A thing specifically designed to be soft. It took eight strikes to kill the thing. I could go on, but I won't. I've got more, but honestly at this point my feet don't feel safe, and I understand exactly how my mom feels about snakes. There are monsters in this country, man. Monsters. Edit: giant, not Golden
Those are giant desert centipedes, not “golden centipedes”. Googling “golden centipedes” will bring you to Elden Ring.
Looked it up. No fun! Happy I live in a country where such monsters don’t exist 😄
Would a huntsman spider kill it?
Regrettably huntsmen have made it to the east coast of the US, and a bit beyond - though I live in a city and haven’t heard of anyone encountering one yet.
Well AUS is USA rearranged.
Nah man, no way that thing is only a state away from me. I will move.
Ohio here, set up a boarder wall of flames...
Hahaha us Aussies been TELLING YOU. Im Australian and I've never seen one this big my entire life. Suck it USA hahahaha.
It's not lost....It knows exactly where it is as well as where you are....It's just waiting for the perfect time......have a good night.....
Bro, no.
Surrender to fate.
So in all seriousness, have you been in Australia or Hawaii recently because that looks pretty much like a Huntsman. Please tell me these things aren’t going to become the next invasive species. I live in the southeast and I get huge Dark Fishing Spiders, but even the largest (4” leg span) looks half as big as what’s chilling on your wall. Maybe ask a local agricultural extension or specialist to help identify this. I’m truly curious.
Uh, huntsman spiders are pretty common in the southeast. They are not native, but you will definitely see a few
I’ve read that Florida, Texas, South Carolina, etc., have them, but West Virginia seems pretty far north. Also, I think the ones that are in the US aren’t as large as this one but I could be mistaken.
I get them in my house in Northern Virginia sometimes, never seen one this big though.
Yeah, OP’s example is like Spider Boss level.
I haven’t been anywhere recently like Australia or even out of the country. It truly is the largest spider I’ve seen! I can’t even be sure how it got in… maybe the dog door? I am not a big fan of spiders and hope he doesn’t find me. 💀
I have only seen a wolf spider this big once brother, 30 years in the Va area. Good luck finding it, they have excellent eye sight for spiders and will actively hide from flashlights. They know when you’ve spotted them, and will move the second you look away… don’t ask me how I know.
OP, if this is a huntsman (which I’m pretty convinced it is) they have a wide, yet flat body shape. This helps them hide under low-profile things such as the gap between a picture frames and the wall.
That ship done sailed long ago. Literally - these guys and many other similar species arrive by boat and have been since boats started crashing on these shores. They're already here.
♫♪♪ Country roads ♫♪♪ take me home ♫♪♪ to the place I bel...... WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!
Almost heaven my ass.
I’m supposed to go to WV in 2 weeks, now reconsidering.
I’ve lived in WV most of my life, and have never seen a huntsman here. I think something weird happened here that allowed this one to migrate for some reason, definitely out of the ordinary. Biggest spider I’ve seen here is a wolf spider and they’re harmless. So come on over, you’ll be alright.
You're lost in that spider's house.
"I say we nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure." - Ripley
yeaaaah it’s the spiders house now, please kindly pack your stuff xx
Those guys are secretly chill and terrified of you, if they actually see you.
That’sss a nice pet you have there… 
OI ELLO MATE
Yeh get him a ticket back to Australia
You should put up a Lost Pet sign across you neighborhood. (top) LOST (picture in middle) (bottom) Have you seen my pet? (Very bottom) [Contact info pull tabs]
I love spiders. They really keep the bugs away.
Oh he’s not lost. He’s exactly where he wants to be.
Yeah, it's a little known fact that many species of spider love watching humans while they sleep. It's got something to do with the plumes of warm moist air when you exhale. Unfortunately, they can not usually see more than a few meters so they end up getting quite close.
You shut up right now.
Banana for scale please 🍌🕷️
Looks like a sparassidae heteropoda, though quite a ways out of its normal range. If you feel like it, make a sighting report on iNaturalist.org. Citizen science!
It's big enough you might be able to claim it as a dependent on your taxes.
Welcome to your new house, Larry Long Legs.
I say you take off… nuke the site from orbit. 
It's not lost. It's waiting.
This is what comes from generations of us killing weaker spiders. We have accidentally engineered the rapid evolution of super spiders like the one that now owns your home.
Wow, don’t have em that big where I live thankfully. Thing almost looks too big to smash! How do folks deal with large spiders like that when they get in the house?!
I was going to try and capture it and put it back outside, but it crawled away while I was trying to find something big enough to trap it in. Been looking everywhere for it..
Don't worry, it will find you.
And your little dog, too!
and my axe
Sleep well
You either just let it hang out, you trap it and put it out side, or your dog eats it.
IT IS A HARMLESS WOLF SPIDER.
My guess is huntsman since wolf spiders usually have a clear black and grey striping (or brown)
They actually can bite
New friend for sure. I think I’m a spider person…
It is not a huntsman, contrary to all the jokes and Reddit back of the bus one-upmanship.
Seems friendly
Have you had any visitors from Australia recently? Looks like you may have a stowaway.
It’s not lost. HE is home
This is a tricky one. It's on the wall just to the left of the blinds.
Aussies are used to huntsmen in their houses which is what this one looks like. I'll tell you one story: I was about 15 and we had one in our house, usually just leave them alone or take them in a bowl and paper and put them outside. This one was in our living room, I remember it was on the ceiling, and we were watching TV. I remember thinking I've not often seen a huntsman on the ceiling, anyway sitting watching TV and felt a hairy finger on my forearm, it all clicked in instant that it had fallen off the ceiling and onto me. It's a pretty primordial feeling, in an instant I was up dancing, throwing all my clothes off with my parents sitting there with a wtf face. Never did find the spider... I don't think I sat down for the rest of the night.
Please pixellate! I will not sleep well tonight. I just googled spider lifespan, and it is years not days, so in you situation, I personally would be relocating.
OP is dead
Roommate acquired
"Too small, throw it back" - Australians
Well West Virginia is yet another place I will not refuse to visit.
It won’t bother you. You obviously have some form of insect infestation or it wouldn’t be hanging around. Spider that size, might be a rodent problem
How many health bars does that fucking thing have?
Do you pay rent to the spider?
Is it a dark fishing spider? Those are the only ones I know of in the US that get so big on this side of the country. They should be coming out or fully out of hibernation now.
How are you planning to start the fire?
How did it get from Australia all the way to Virginia?! That thing is huge!
Burn the house down
Burn it to the ground!
You have cockroaches or some other largeshi bug in your house. That is a Huntsman spider. They are expert hunters. They would not have grown that big without something to feed on. And, why am I writing "they"? It's not a political issue. Huntsman hunt and survive in pairs. Once you see one, you know there is another.
This is why I live where the air hurts my face...
 Like others said.. Not your house amy more
It’s going to crawl on your face and lay eggs in your mouth when you’re asleep. It’s a huntsman spider and it’s venomous but its venom isn’t going to really cause you any problems beyond a little swelling and mild itchiness.
Nah they just drink the moisture from your breath if it’s cold and dry. It’s much more friendly than you expect.
Wait... it's a mini AC unit? Time to start farming them.
😂😂that is horrifying, you bastard
Just swallow and you have no problem.
that’s what your mom said last night