An Insect with Eight Skins

Sometimes it takes me a while to form a good sentence in Spanish or remember a word. When under pressure, I usually choke. 

I was going to bed the other night and noticed a large spider on the wall. Already under my mosquito net, I contemplated ignoring the guy. However, I quickly imagined it crawling under my net in the middle of the night while I slept and changed my mind. I had just gone to bed and my family was in the next room. I grabbed my shoe and posed to strike with force and not display my fear to my family. Of course, I hit the wall, the spider got away and scurried out of my room. My family wanted to know what was going on. I rushed out of my room and pointed at the flood, struggling for the word for "spider". It's getting away, Erica, describe it. "Un insecto con ocho piels..." They looked at me like I was crazy. I made a scurrying motion with my fingers. Nothing. Finally my host mom saw the spider craw into her room and quickly ended its unfortunate life. Then, they all laughed hysterically because, of course, "Un insecto con ocho piels" translates to, "An insect with eight skins". Araña is spider, and I will not forget it. At least they think I'm funny. What's worst, when they told me that was actually a small spider... Yikes!