Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/tent-covered-in-spider-lake-clark/

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in southwest Alaska is a hikers dream with beautiful landscape in every direction and maintained trails. However, at night it can be a nightmare for those who suffer from arachnophobia.

The park posted a frightening video of what one hiker encountered one evening while camping in the vast wilderness. “In the remote depths of Lake Clark’s vast, wild landscape, a weary backpacker settles in for a night at camp after a long day of exploring. Little do they know, creatures of the night lurk in the woods, waiting for the opportune moment to strike fear,” started the post that was conveniently shared on Halloween.

It went on to say, “Snuggled into their warm sleeping bag, the tired explorer nods off to dreamland…suddenly they are jolted awake with the sense of being covered by creepy crawly creatures of the forest, only to discover their nightmare has become a reality.”

One spider will send many people running, but what would you do if you were surrounded by them?!

There is no sound in the video except the rustling of the sleeping bag. The hiker turns on their flashlight and reveals hundreds of daddy longlegs crawling on the screen of the tent. It looks like the spiders are contained to the outside, but after a brief scan around the tent the video ends.

Check out the video below, if you dare…

The video has been viewed over 3 million times by people who cannot believe their eyes. Many viewers left comments like “new camping fear” and “this is why I don’t camp”. For a few it brought back memories of when they went camping and encountered spiders or other animals.

The park didn’t want to deter people from visiting, so the following day they made a follow up post explaining why this might happen.

“Groups of daddy longlegs sometimes form thick clusters called aggregations. This behavior is common among these leggy creatures, but there’s no straightforward explanation for why they do it. Researchers speculate that aggregations form for mating, humidity control, or to deter predators. One thing scientists do know is that this behavior occurs more often in autumn when the weather is dry and days get short. Daddy longlegs are prone to drying out, so clustering together allows them to create an environment to maintain body humidity. Reveling in the unexpected is what nature is all about.”

Learn more about the park and the animals that call it home here.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog