The horrifying moment baby spiders swarm to eat their mother will make you scream

For most people, just the thought of a cluster of spiders crawling on top of each other within a large, entangling web is enough to send a shiver down your spine.

But for David Attenborough and his latest series Parenthood, which explores the trials and tribulations of parenting within the animal kingdom, clearly, that’s not enough.

The 99-year-old natural historian seems to be intent on showcasing one of the most nightmarish sequences possible as a 1,000-strong pack of young African social spiders can be seen eating their mothers.

Captured by TV cameras in a never-before-seen moment, the spiders prey in a game of ‘grandmother’s footsteps’ where they freeze in unison like musical statues before eating their elderly relatives.

Attenborough can be heard saying that the ‘demands of parenthood are finally taking their toll’ on the mothers who offer their body as a ‘gift’ to their offspring before they depart.

The atmospheric music, toe-curling sound effects and Attenborough’s iconic voice combine to create the painstaking moment.

Series producer and director Jeff Wilson described it as ‘probably one of the best’ sequences he had worked on in 30 years of film-making.

‘[I’ve] never heard Sir David deliver a sequence as good as that… it sort of brings a lump to your throat… he’s the master at delivery,’ he told the Guardian.

‘It makes one feel quite sort of chilled to the bone that you know that your own young could do that. It’s an extraordinary behaviour [but] when you step away from it and from the horror of it, it sort of makes sense.’

He added that Attenborough was both ‘delighted and horrified’ by the groundbreaking footage.

Joking, he also said that ‘there will not be a parent of the land who won’t turn up to school pickup without snacks ever again’.

This comes after a spectacularly tender moment on Parenthood between a baby gorilla and its mother brought a tear to viewer’s eyes earlier this week.

In an exclusive clip, Metro showed a female western lowland gorilla and her newborn baby.

Just moments old, the baby sleeps on his mother’s chest surrounded by plants and trees in the jungle.

Narrating, Sir David explains that the mother is a female western lowland gorilla, who’s resting on the forest floor as her baby snoozes on her stomach in a scene that would melt even the coldest of hearts.

The five-part series promises to  show viewers never-before-seen animal behaviours while delivering a ‘universal message about preserving the natural world.’

Speaking to The Mirror, BBC head of specialist factual commissioning, Jack Bootle, described Parenthood as ‘wonderful, warm, engaging, and surprising’.

He said that it is ‘made by some of the very best wildlife filmmakers in the world,’ adding: ‘I’m thrilled Sir David is joining us again to narrate it.’

Parenthood will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, beginning on August 3 at 7.20pm.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.