iStockphoto
Huntsman spider over flames
The phrase “Kill it with fire” is frequently deployed by people online who stumble upon unnerving content. Pictures and videos of spiders are a common trigger, but one man ended up regretting his decision to attempt to go that route in real life after encountering one in a villa in Bali that ended up engulfed in flames.
Arachnophobia is frequently cited as one of the most common fears on the planet. A study that was published in 2022 suggests between 2.1% and 6.7% of people harbor what is clinically classified as an irrational fear of spiders, although there’s evidence that suggests 75% of people possess a “mild-to-moderate” dislike.
Research that’s attempted to get to the root of that particular phobia has asserted that a fear of spiders is an evolutionary trait due to the danger venomous species can pose, although there’s no real consensus concerning the reason it’s so widespread.
The unexpected presence of a spider can frequently trigger fight-or-flight mode among people who do not enjoy being in their presence, and one man’s decision to opt for the former while vacationing in Indonesia ended up being a regrettable one.
A tourist from Nepal lit his villa in Bali on fire while trying to get rid of a spider
The Indonesian island of Bali is a popular tropical destination that welcomes nearly seven million international tourists each year, and most of them are drawn there by the natural beauty it’s known for.
However, its flora is also home to some fauna that some visitors would prefer to avoid, including dozens of different species of spiders. The most common ones don’t pose any threat to humans, although many people are understandably unsettled by the massive webs of orbweavers and the size of the pantropical huntsman.
It’s unclear what type of spider a tourist from Nepal named Gaorap Rana encountered in the bathroom of the villa he was renting in the district of North Kuta on Monday, October 5, but according to The Bali Times, he attempted to scare it away by lighting a piece of paper on fire to use as an elementary weapon.
The 45-year-old reportedly left the piece of paper on the ground before heading into another room, but that ended up backfiring after a gust of wind carried it to the roof, which was constructed with thatched cogon grass that promptly ignited.
Rana was able to evacuate the building, but the villa and everything inside it was destroyed in a fire that officials say caused around $112,000 worth of damage.
This isn’t the first time this type of scheme has had some disastrous results, as a man in Utah sparked a wildfire that spread 60 acres after trying to burn a spider with a lighter in 2022.