Still suffering from shock after yesterday’s “*very* large spider in the lounge” incident, I discover Landcare Research’s Bug identification web site.

As far as I can tell it wasn’t an Avondale Spider (famous for starring in Arachnophobia). Chances are the beast in question was a Vagrant Spider – though I’m not ruling out some mutant spawn of a radiation leak.

Honestly, I’ve never been the same around spiders since I read "Web" (John Wyndham) and "Spiderworld: The Magician" (Colin Wilson) as an impressionable youth.

Related links: Fear of Snakes, Spiders Rooted in Evolution, Study Finds and HITLab Projects : VR Therapy for Spider Phobia