Yikes! Giant NH Spider Is Really Nothing to Fear

It's always scary when you see one of these 'monsters' out in the wild. Usually these encounters happen when you're only wearing a swimsuit, so the feeling of vulnerability only increases.

But there's nothing to fear.

Dark Fishing Spider

That sounds so much cooler than 'Dolomedes Tenebrosus' which is their Latin name.

It's a shame that they look like such a hideous Halloween decoration because they're really amazing and, in the words of Rubeus Hagrid, 'vastly misunderstood creatures'.

Despite their appearance, they do not transform themselves into blood thirsty clowns and attack unwitting children in the streets of Derry, Maine.

This one was on a rock, minding it's own business, in New Durham, NH.

But they are very fast and ingenious fresh water hunters that can pounce on insects by running on top of water using surface tension.

They can also hunt underwater by grabbing on to rocks, trees or man made structures and remain submerged for a long time due to their expansive lungs.

They do use venom filled fangs to kill their prey, BUT, they're very timid and are more afraid of humans than we are afraid of them (which is really saying something).