Camper makes nightmarish discovery after feeling movement in sleeping bag

05 November 2023 , 10:16

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Camper makes nightmarish discovery after feeling movement in sleeping bag

Footage from a camping trip has emerged that may well put more squeamish types off exploring the great outdoors for life, which sees one alarmed backpacker getting the fright of their lives. Tired from a day of outdoor pursuits, the exhausted backpacker was hoping to hop into their sleeping bag and rest their weary head.

Just as they were drifting off, however, they were "jolted awake" by the creepy sensation of something crawling all over them, and quickly flicked on their torch to investigate. The nightmarish sight that greeted them likely made any prospect of a good night's sleep pretty much impossible.

They awoke suddenly after feeling an unexpected movement (Facebook/Lake Clark National Park & Preserve)

They were met with an eerie sight when they flicked on their torch (Facebook/Lake Clark National Park & Preserve)

To their great astonishment, the camper, who had been exploring Alaska's breathtaking Lake Clark National Park, saw that "hundreds of daddy longlegs [had] engulfed the tent". In eerie nighttime footage shared by the official Facebook page for Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, enormous clusters of daddy longlegs could be seen clinging to the canvas of the tent, sending a shudder down the spine of many followers.

One person commented: "And this is why I don't ever want to sleep in a tent". Another quivered: "Please be on the outside, please be on the outside, please be on the outside!!!!" In a follow-up post, the Facebook page administrators gave a little explanation as to why there were so many of the leggy crane flies in the same post, and it likely won't bring nervous campers much comfort.

Clusters of daddy long legs had 'engulfed the tent' (Facebook/Lake Clark National Park & Preserve)

Remarking that "nature keeps us curious", they explained: "Groups of daddy longlegs sometimes form thick clusters called aggregations. This behaviour 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 behaviour 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."

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Halloween may be over, but it appears Mother Nature very much intends to keep us on our toes all year long when it comes to things that go bump in the night.

Julia Banim