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Pest controller shares freaky footage of hundreds of venomous spiders infesting his home

A pest controller has captured footage showing hundreds of venomous spiders that have infested his home.

Grant Wood first found the tube web spiders in the walls of his house a year ago, but since then the 100-strong infestation has quadrupled.

The 40-year-old filmed the freaky arachnids, which have ‘glowing green’ fangs, showing them lurking in burrows in the wall at his home in Bracknell, Northamptonshire, and darting out to bite a twig if he pokes them.

<em>Freaky footage – pest controller Grant filmed the tube web infestation at his home (Pictures: Mercury)</em>
Freaky footage – pest controller Grant filmed the tube web infestation at his home (Pictures: Mercury)

Dad-of-two Grant said it is rare to see this many of the species in one place and most people had been shocked by his footage of the beasts.

“A lot of people can’t believe they are actually a UK spider. They are like a mini tarantula,” he said. “The spiders aren’t aggressive but other people have definitely been scared.

“Tube webs like being outside and they don’t tend to move from where they are. It is quite a rarity to have this many. I was shocked when I saw them.

“When I first saw them, there was easily more than a hundred but they have quadrupled in numbers now.”

<em>Fearless – pest controller Grant isn’t scared of the tube web spiders, apart from when one jumped on his head </em>
Fearless – pest controller Grant isn’t scared of the tube web spiders, apart from when one jumped on his head

As a pest controller, Grant said he’s not frightened of the tube webs – apart from when one jumped on his head, saying he: “did a bit of a Kung Fu dance when it happened”.

The tube web, whose official name is Segestria florentina, is one of the largest spiders in Britain, with a body that can reach lengths of 2.2cm.

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The name tube web comes from the tubular web which the spiders spin into a crack or crevice. They have a black body and often have a green shine on their fangs.

Their bite has been described as feeling similar to a bee sting or injection, with pain that can last for several hours.

<em>Painful – if you were bitten by a tube web you’d “know about it”, says Grant</em>
Painful – if you were bitten by a tube web you’d “know about it”, says Grant

“They aren’t trying to hurt you but if you got bit by a tube web you would know about it,” Grant added. “It would probably be more painful than a wasp sting.

“They hide away so people don’t get to see them. Their fangs glow green. When you walk past them with a torch and it shines in their eyes it is like little bits of diamonds looking at you.”