According to spider enthusiast, Joseph Koh, branded as one of Singapore's foremost authorities on spiders, this hairy-legged spider belongs to the Barychelidae family, and is not rare, although it is rarely sighted here.

"Barychelidae is a family of Bushy-footed Trapdoor spiders — not tarantulas nor huntsman. It is native (to Singapore). It is rarely seen, but it does not mean that it is rare. Just elusive, they are not threatened so long as their habitat is not threatened.

All spiders are venomous, except spiders in the family Uloboridae. However, being venomous does not mean that they are harmful to humans. Most will not bite unless provoked. Even if they do, the bite may not penetrate our skin. Even if their fangs can penetrate our skin, most of us will not die or even get sick. I have been bitten many times. Still walking around in my old age (68)."

As their name suggests, these spiders weave trapdoors (using silk to glue debris together) and hide beneath the ground in burrows. Koh also told Mothership.sg that the presence of this spider is an indicator of well-preserved forests because this species cannot adapt to dry and exposed conditions or compact soil. If the forest is degraded, the spiders will become extinct.

The supposedly nocturnal spider was found on granite road in broad daylight, fully exposed to predators and vehicles too. The spider appears to be exhausted as you can tell from its hair — dishevelled and loose — which a healthy spider should not have, according to Koh.

Now, what could possibly drive it to risk its life do pull a stunt as abnormal and risky as a soldier taking a rifle and walking out of camp this?

Lonelinesss

Mature male spiders will go around in pursuit of females, which predominantly remain in the comfort of their burrows. In this case, speculates both Koh and O'Dempsey, this fellow must have been regrettably unsuccessful in snagging any girls.

Koh adds, jokingly:

"For a nocturnal spider to go out of its burrow in the safety of a deep forest and come out during broad daylight and in full view of potential predators (like humans) — he must be very horny or really desperate!"

Tuesday must have been his lucky day, though — O'Dempsey, with the help of an NParks officer, escorted the spider on a leaf to the forest across the road it was likely to cross, in the hopes of giving it a higher (and safer) chance of finding a mate.

Guess he was really putting himself out there in his quest for love.

Top photo courtesy of Tony O'Dempsey

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