From WWII soldiers in New Guinea to pygmy tribes in the Congo, eyewitnesses across multiple continents have reported encountering spiders with bodies the size of puppies and dinner plates—yet science insists such creatures cannot exist.
IN THIS EPISODE: Something came out of the river near New Richmond, Ohio – those who saw it said it was a kind of alien lifeform, and utterly indescribable. What was the strange creature that has come to be known as Octoman? (The Ohio Octoman) *** Drivers were convinced they'd spotted the infamous Blue Bell Hill ghost on the A229 in February 2019. That was the last time the ghost was spotted – and some believe it wasn’t really the ghost at all, but something else. (The Ghost of Blue Bell Hill) *** There are plenty of ghost stories in the Lake Placid area, but probably the most unique and mysterious is the story of the Lady in the Lake. So mysterious is this ghost that it has inspired many authors and filmmakers – but the true story is more creepy than any ghost story. (The Lady In Lake Placid) *** In the early days of those reaching the New World, superstitions and unusual beliefs about others, even your own neighbors, were commonplace. Most anyone could be accused of being a witch. And I do mean anyone. Be thankful you weren’t one of the first settlers to live in America. (American Witches) *** Gigantic spiders are reported worldwide, yet we have yet to actually capture one to prove their existence or study them to see how they grow so large. Is it possible the giant spiders don’t exist – or could it be a different creature we have yet to identify? (The Actuality of Enormous Arthropods)
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Lead-In
00:02:33.184 = Show Open
00:04:50.539 = The Actuality of Enormous Arthropods
00:22:16.449 = ***The Ghost of Blue Bell Hill
00:28:05.894 = The Ohio Octoman
00:42:19.972 = ***American Witches
01:02:17.734 = ***The Lady In Lake Placid
01:07:27.405 = Show Close
*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break
SOURCES and RESOURCES:
“The Ohio Octoman” from It’s Something Wiki (Itsmth): https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4x2ua8c
***BOOK: “Bigfoot: Tales of Unexplained Creatures, UFO and Psychic Connections”: https://amzn.to/3scEJ85
***BOOK: “The Bigfoot Case Book” by Janet Bord, Colin Bord, Loren Coleman: https://amzn.to/3ccYVkY
***BOOK: “Sasquatch: The Apes Among Us” by John Green: https://amzn.to/3d08z9w
“Mammoth Spiders” heard at the beginning of the episode is from UnexplainedMonsters.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5pfd8
“The Actuality of Enormous Arthropods” by Karl Shuker from the book, “Mirabalis – A Carnival of Cryptozoology and Unnatural History”: https://amzn.to/3d1p8Sm, https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3dxsemrm
“The Ghost of Blue Bell Hill” by Victoria Chessum and Ben Ashton for Kent Live: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2cyteuy8
***PHOTO of Ghost of Blue Bell: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/47pm6yzd
“The Lady In Lake Placid” by Jess Collier for LakePlacid.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2mjnvdjs
***BOOK: “A Lady in the Lake” by George Christian Ortloff: https://amzn.to/3lI30Ap
***BOOK: “Dancehall” by Bernard F. Conners: https://amzn.to/392XRhm
“American Witches” by Charles Skinner, gathered and edited by Kathy Weiser for Legends of America:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/y4cyjxnh=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: March 2021
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/GiantSpiders
ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.
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