FOR some, the thought of walking through an enclosure filled with spiders is their idea of a nightmare, but these are the views that London Zoo are hoping to change with their new, immersive exhibit. 

This May, the zoo is unveiling a new walk-through experience, where visitors can get up close and personal with a whole host of eight-legged creatures. 

In with the Spiders will be the first exhibit of its kind in Europe, where people can explore a forest habitat where golden orb spiders bask in their metre-wide webs and communal spiders socialise. People can even pose for a 'Spider Selfie' for a souvenir. 

It all takes place within the Zoo's B.U.G.S exhibit, which features everything from household spiders that are native to the UK, to black widows, hunstman and giant bird-eating spiders. Visitors can also a take a peek into the spider nursery where breeding takes place and spiderlings spend their early days. 

One of the UK's most endangered species, the fen raft spider will also live at the new exhibit, which opens on May 23, as zookeepers rear its spiderlings with the goal of reintroducing them into the wild. It is one of the biggest spiders in Britain, which has the ability to walk on water. 

Zookeepers hope the exhibit will change people's opinions about arachnoids with the help of the “talking tarantula” which will help to dispel spider myths. The zoo has already spent many years curing arachnophobiacs with their Friendly Spider Programme, which uses a combination of cognitive behavioural therapy and hypnotherapy to get those who dare not approach a spider to either catch one under a glass and take it outside, or even meet a red-kneed spider. 

During the May half term, visitors can dress up as a 'Spider Superhero', listen to daily spider talks and become acquainted with the black widow and its cousin the false widow.