This soft brown large friendly spider came in with the kanuka logs for the fire. Luckily it made itself know to us before it got biffed in the flames.

It is a Vagrant Spider Uliodon spp. This spider has a 5 centimetre leg span and it has large fangs and can bite.

It lives in the forest and hunts for invertebrates. It’s a night hunter and moves very fast but can suddenly freeze. 

Our one wasn’t in a hurry to run away and stayed around to have its photo taken. It was then deposited out in the bush, unaware of how lucky it was to escaped the flames or squashing as we are a spider-friendly household.