Camper snuggles into sleeping bag however feels one thing shifting earlier than horror discovery

A camper had just snuggled into their warm sleeping bag when they were jolted awake after feeling something crawling on them… they were soon met with a horrifying sight when they turned the torch on.

Alaska’s secluded Lake Clark National Park – where salmon frolic, volcanoes simmer and rugged mountains emerge at sunrise – really is a dream destination for any adventurer. However, one nature enthusiast’s tranquil trip was disrupted by a nauseating revelation when they were tucked up in their tent.

Hundreds of harvestmen, more commonly known as daddy longlegs, were filmed scuttling over every inch of the exterior of the backpacker’s tent, directly above the occupant’s head. “Snuggled into their warm sleeping bag, the weary traveller drifts off to dreamland…,” read the eerie Facebook post from Lake Clark National Park.

“Suddenly they are jerked awake by the sensation of being smothered by the forest’s creepy crawly creatures, only to realise their nightmare has become reality.”

Initially, it seems there are just a few bugs taking advantage of the warm, dry area. But as the camera sweeps around and a light is cast, the true terror of the situation is revealed as the harvestmen engulf the tent.

The park stated at the time that scientists are uncertain why this phenomenon happens, but there are some theories about their peculiar behaviour. The park posted on Facebook a year ago: “Researchers speculate that aggregations form for mating, humidity control, or to deter predators,” Meanwhile, the creepy find has left even the most eager backpackers with a shiver down their spine, with people still commenting on the post weeks after it was posted.

One joked: “They can have the tent, I’ll just sleep outside,” and another chimed in with “my nightmare”. Chipping in with equal parts humour and horror, someone else commented: “I would run faster than Forest Gump and leave everything behind like ‘hey you can keep the tent and everything inside… my treat’.”

“Well, you live in that tent now,” added a fourth netizen, suggesting the camper could never leave the tent again. “If I see this scene, I will s**t my pants,” said a fifth horrified commentator.

Despite their unsettling appearance, it turns out daddy longlegs aren’t actually spiders as they lack silk and venom glands, and are not known to bite humans. In fact, these gangly creatures are more akin to scorpions. The critters are most likely to be seen in autumn or spring, which is why this backpacker was met with hoards of them in October. However, there was really no need to be worried because they don’t bite humans and only feed on small insects, mites, spiders, snails and vegetable matter.

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