Arachnophobes, look away now!
Tarni Roebuck, 27, from Mackay, Queensland, Australia, has an unusual way to de-stress – by videoing spiders crawling on her face.
She first became interested in the invertebrates around four years ago and now has an Instagram account dedicated to her love for the creepy crawlies.
While it may seem daunting to most, Tarni said she finds letting the creatures crawl over her face almost therapeutic.
She said: “I feel relaxed and often excited, especially if I am handling one of my favourite species or a particularly large spider.
“Spending time with spiders is something I absolutely love, and it also helps me de-stress and remember to enjoy my surroundings.
“I love them because they are just so fascinating. I mean who wouldn’t want to have eight legs and an endless supply of butt rope?”
Most of the videos are filmed at her home or in her garden, but she’s always armed with her phone and on the lookout for spiders in case the opportunity for a new video arises.
While it may seem dangerous, and all the spiders she handles are poisonous, none of them carry any venom which can cause serious medical problems for humans.
She also believes that the best way to overcome a phobia of spiders is to get close to them, saying: “If you want to overcome a fear of spiders my advice is to start by observing them.
However, before taking that plunge, she also recommends to be safe and learning which spiders are in your area and how to identify any which are potentially dangerous.
Tarni said: “I have never been bitten by a spider.
“My aim is to promote the appreciation of spiders and encourage people to seek to understand them rather than fearing them.
“Many spiders are killed unnecessarily, and I am urging people to catch and release them outside rather than killing them.”
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