Full list of areas fish-eating spiders as big as a human hand are lurking in UK

The large fish-eating species of spider is making a huge comeback in the UK after being reintroduced into the wild and have enjoyed their 'best mating season ever' - here's where you can find them

Britain is seeing a surge in the population of a spider species that can grow to the size of a human hand.

Despite once being classed as endangered, the Fen Raft spider has seen a dramatic resurgence in recent years after successful conservation efforts - and have now enjoyed their "biggest mating season on record", say experts. An estimated 10,000 females are now living in the UK just over a decade after staff at Chester Zoo reintroduced them into the wild, a record number for the species.

Though they usually hunt across water surfaces in search of insects, tadpoles, and small fish like stickleback, some Fen Raft spiders have also been seen venturing into homes. Below we explain where you are most likely to spot them:

Where are Fen Raft spiders found in Britain?

There are currently seven locations in the UK with confirmed Fen Raft spider populations. The four places where the spiders were reintroduced are:

• Castle Marshes nature reserve, Suffolk
• Carlton Marshes, Norfolk-Suffolk border
• Mid-Yare Marshes, Norfolk
• Ludham Marshes, Norfolk Broads

There are also existing populations in:

• South Wales
• East Sussex
• East Anglia

What do they look like?

They're harmless to humans - but may give arachnophobes quite a fright on first sight as they can grow "the size of your hand", according to wildlife charities. You can spot them by their brown or dark cigar-shaped bodies, which are adorned with a white, cream, or yellow stripe on each side.

How come they've made a comeback?

Detailing the spider's success in the British countryside, Chester Zoo said: "Ten years ago we helped release thousands of giant spiders back into the UK! The Fen Raft spiders were bred right here at the zoo, and we're super happy to report there are now more than 10,000 breeding females and they've just had the biggest mating season on record!

"Our team delicately hand fed tiny flies to each of the hundreds of spiderlings using tweezers, day in, day out, for weeks on end in our bio-secure breeding facility. Eventually, the young spiders grew strong enough to be returned to their natural habitat, which our partners worked to restore, and we released them in their hundreds!" The zoo also reassured the public that despite their fearsome size, Fen Raft spiders pose no threat to humans and form an integral part of aquatic ecosystems.