A giant huntsman spider surprised a pilot and his passengers after it dropped from the ceiling just as the single-propeller plane was about to land in Australia.

The spider, which was estimated to be around 6 inches in diameter, had been spotted inside the small plane a week earlier, but workers thought it had escaped.

Instead, it could be seen in the video hiding behind a visor and then dropping somewhere in the cabin, after it had bounced off the frightened pilot's lap.

One of the passengers just happened to be recording the plane's descent just as the spider appeared:

Huntsman spiders are also known as Giant Crab Spiders because their legs have twisted joints, allowing their legs to extend like crabs. Some have had a leg span as big as nearly 12-inches --- which makes these spiders the largest by diameter. They are venomous and can bite humans. The effects vary, but side effects could include swelling and pain, nausea, headache, vomiting, irregular pulse rate, and heart palpitations.

The life span of most Huntsman species is about 2 years or more.

Venomous spiders are rare in Iowa. The brown recluse spider’s range goes as far north as southern Iowa, but they are rarely seen and are not aggressive. Even the black widow – also rare in Iowa – will only bite in self-defense.

Wolf spiders and fishing spiders are the largest and among the most common of the spiders found in Iowa. Both are outdoor species that do not usually live indoors.

Fishing spiders are typically found in moist areas, especially along the edges of streams and lakes. Wolf spiders are usually found near shrubs or tall grass where they can find plenty of insects. Neither of these spiders uses webs to trap their food.

Here's a video of a Huntsman spider carrying a dead mouse on a wall. Fun!

 

LOOK: Stunning animal photos from around the world

From grazing Tibetan antelope to migrating monarch butterflies, these 50 photos of wildlife around the world capture the staggering grace of the animal kingdom. The forthcoming gallery runs sequentially from air to land to water, and focuses on birds, land mammals, aquatic life, and insects as they work in pairs or groups, or sometimes all on their own.

 

Iowa’s Top 10 Most Common Snakes

 

More From 97.7 KCRR