CSNbbs

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,245...60,00.html

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.

wish I wouldn't have looked.........

Looks like I'm never making plans to visit Australia!

A bird in hand is worth two insects in the bush.

great, i'm going to have nightmares tonight now. why did I open a thread about spiders when I'm horribly afraid of spiders.

SHhhhhhhhhhhhhhit no way will I ever walk under a tree and not think of this image. I have no problem stepping on a spider but you would need a bat to kill that nasty looking bitter. Can you imagine sitting on your couch and that thing creap up beside your head, or chasing you across the yard?