A routine moment at home turned into a jolt for one resident in Arguineguín on Gran Canaria when she came face-to-face with a huge spider at eye level in the doorway, as shared to the r/spiders subreddit.

What happened?

In the post, the Reddit user said the spider "scared the s*** out of me when I closed my door."

That's understandable when you look at the sheer size of the insect. Rather than squashing it, the original poster grabbed a plant spray bottle filled with water and ushered it back outside. Then they turned to Reddit for some help on some pressing questions.

"I'm quite interested in finding out what the exact type is and if it's dangerous," they shared.

As usual, Redditors delivered with ID and some context.

"Cerbalus verneaui," a user quickly responded, attaching a Wikipedia entry on the spider.

That would place it in the huntsman spider family. Fortunately, as anti-pest company Flick writes, spiders in the huntsman family aren't considered major dangers to humans. They'd rather flee than attack, and their venom isn't thought to be dangerous, the company wrote.

"I've never seen such colourful & 'thick' Huntsman where I used to live, so wasn't convinced this was in fact a huntsman," the OP wrote in response to the identification. "Looks like this species only lives in the Canary Islands apparently."

If true, that only adds to the rarity of the find. A commenter in Arizona had high praise for the huntsman spiders that reside near them, saying they saved them hundreds annually in exterminator costs — huntsman spiders feed on insects and other invertebrates such as moths and cockroaches.

Why does it matter?

Encounters like this also show how humans and wildlife increasingly share the same spaces.

In this case, the open doorway likely helped create that overlap. Human activity can make such meetings more common. Homes are built into natural habitats, outdoor lights attract insects, and those insects attract spiders looking for food.

Many spiders help control household pests by feeding on insects, as the aforementioned Reddit poster said.

What can I do?

If you find a spider in your home, the safest first step is usually to stay calm and avoid touching it with your bare hands. If it can be moved safely, a cup-and-card method or gentle coaxing, like the OP did with the spray bottle, can help guide it back outdoors.

If you regularly leave doors open for pets, it may help to check frames, corners, and nearby walls before shutting them. Installing screens, sealing gaps, and reducing bright lights near entryways can also make a home less inviting to bugs and the spiders that follow them.

Online communities can sometimes help with identification, but local pest professionals, wildlife groups, or regional experts are a better bet if there is concern that a species may be medically significant.

If you are ever bitten or experience swelling, severe pain, or an allergic reaction, seek medical advice rather than relying on internet guesses.

"It's very beautiful, but it should go be beautiful outside my house," the OP concluded.

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