Horrifying photo shows a huge mother spider carrying its babies on her back

A ‘hideously fascinating’ photo of a wolf spider carrying a huge cluster of babies on her back has left social media users horrified and amazed.

A bushwalker from Victoria, Australia snapped the ‘creepy’ image while hiking and uploaded it to Facebook.

While some found the shot of the mother, which was about the size of a 50-cent coin, ‘most impressive’ others said it made their skin crawl.

After mating female wolf spiders seek out isolation in a covered spot where they can lay up to 100 eggs.

Unlike many other arachnids, wolf spiders are doting mothers and very protective of their eggs.

Once her babies are born they cling to their mother’s back and can stay there for over two weeks until they have fully developed.

They even ride on mum’s back while she goes out hunting for insects.

‘So as creepy as they are you have to admire them because it’s the ultimate act as a mother to give your life for your children,’ one commenter wrote.

‘Next time you see a shell of one of these spiders you’ll know there’s about 100 more hanging around.’

After mating, female wolf spiders seek out isolation in a covered spot where they can lay up to 100 eggs. Pictured: wolf spider

Others on social media joked that the wolf spider should win ‘mum of the year’.

‘Where’s the daddy? Leave her to raise 567 babies all by herself! She needs a bottle of wine and a cupboard to hide in. Maybe a lovely red?’ One person said.

‘Think of the childcare bills!’ Another wrote.

But some thought the image was repulsive and ‘nightmare material’.

‘Yuck,’ one person wrote.

Another said: ‘That is disgusting and beautiful all at once!’

Once a wolf spider’s babies are born they cling to their mother’s back and can stay there for over two weeks until they have fully developed. Pictured: wolf spider