Lucky for me, this particular museum isn't in the states, but in Finland. Good for me, but not so good for folks and tourist visiting the museum there. Still, I'm pretty sure I don't want to go to a place that has 4 inch spiders roaming the halls!
The Finnish Museum Infested With Gigantic Spiders
Photo credit: Skorpion87/Wikimedia
A grand old building in the heart of Helsinki, Finland’s Natural History Museum is one of the capital’s premier tourist attractions. It’s also a place where no arachnophobe should ever set foot. The building is home to a gigantic colony of extremely venomous, near-immortal super-spiders.
Known as the Chilean recluse spider, the creatures are normally only found in South America. Unfortunately for Finland, some eggs made their way into a shipment of wood chips the museum ordered in the 1960s. They hatched, and the spiders escaped into the museum. By 1970, the place was overrun with them. In 2016, they’re not only still there—there are more of them than ever.
The trouble is that the Chilean recluse spider is almost indestructible. Females have been known to survive without food or water for 755 days. They can deal with extreme temperature changes and can lay up to 2,250 eggs in a lifetime. As an added bit of freaky detail, they can grow to up to 10 centimeters (4 in), and their bite will leave you howling in agony (if it doesn’t kill you outright).
On the plus side, the recluse spider gets its name by hiding away from humans. In the 50-plus years the museum has been infested, only one bite has ever been recorded. This is extremely good news, as the museum is built above a series of tunnels linking many buildings in Helsinki. The BBC has speculated that it’s only a matter of time before the colony expands outward into other parts of the city center . . . if it hasn’t done so already.
Ya know...this sounds like something right out of a bad horror story. After all, few things are more creepy to me than spiders, especially when they are about 4 inches long!
Coffee inside this morning. The rain is coming back to finish the flooding job it started yesterday. Had about 7 inches in some places.
9 comments:
I. will. NEVER. go. there!
I sure hope you are staying high and dry. I've been hearing about all the flooding in your area and feel very bad for all the people that are affected. That museum is one place I don't think I will be visiting soon as my hubby has a fear of spiders. I don't fear spiders but something that big would probably scare me as well. Coffee inside sounds fine with me. I'll bring some Kringle to go with our coffee.
I bet that if they have a night watchman there, that he would never ever fall asleep on the job. You know, he may wake up covered with huge spiders.
Lets go Jim! You know I'm just kidding, I have been bitten by some nasty stuff in my time,none of it any fun.
terrible flooding around TX. To think just a couple years ago there was the awful drought. Mother Nature sure know how to dish out the crazy.
Hey Phyllis...
I can't say as I blame you one bit!
Thanks for stopping by today!
Hey Linda...
I can't say that I fear them, but I don't want to be around any that big, ya know?
Thanks for coming by today!
Hey Dizzy...
Staying awake on the job is probably fairly high on the watchman's list. I don't reckon that napping would be comfortable.
Thanks for the visit, my friend!
Hey Jo...
As much as I'd like a trip with you, this one I'd have to pass on. I'd rather go to England and see the ghost!
Thanks for dropping by today, sweetie!
Bubba -
Back on the job today - couldn't get through the water to get here yesterday. Sure hope I can get home again after the rain starts anew. Snakes and fire ants and other nasties floating in the flood waters, but I have not heard of any spiders the size of yours!
Hope you stayed high and dry. We're good ~
Big hugs ...
Hey Sis...
I was wondering how ya'll were doing. Sorry you had to miss work (??) but unless you could swim...
Anyway, I'm glad you are safe and sound. Don't take any chances with the high water, but you already know that! Been through enough high water in the hurricanes and tropical storms.
Thanks for the visit this morning!
I hope there was no flood at your house. The news is so full of all the flood water pictures and damage and stranded vehicles. Be safe, you hear?
Hey Dizzy...
I actually stayed fairly dry around my house, but the drainage ditch behind me wanted to come out of it's banks. All went well though.
I appreciate the concern and the visit today!
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