Spiders
January 19th 2008 06:16
Spiders. Love them or hate them, they’re everywhere.
As most Australians, and many non Australians, are aware, this country is home to some of the most venomous creatures in the world. So do you know what to do if you, or someone close to you, is bitten by a spider? Could you identify it? Do you know which ones are potentially life threatening and which are harmless?
A recent experience with spiders in our home has made me particularly aware of what uninvited guests are sharing our living space. And with three young children, one of which is a baby and in the high risk category for being adversely affected by the toxins in spider bites, I thought it was about time this naturalised Australian became a little more educated about our eight legged friends.
And lucky you … I’ve decided to share.
The first spider we found in our home that definitely had to disappear was a Red-Back which is considered deadly and dangerous. In fact, in the short time we’ve been up here in South East Queensland, we’ve already had to dispose of two Red-Back Spiders.
Red-Back Spiders are highly venomous and are responsible for at least 13 (recorded) fatalities in Australia. More than 250 people receive the anti-venom every year after being bitten. Red-Backs inflict a bite which can easily go unnoticed due to the tiny size if its fangs but the pain can quickly become excruciating and only a tiny amount of the venom is necessary to cause serious illness. The toxin affects the nervous system causing headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, pyrexia, hypertension (high blood pressure) and even paralysis. Swelling and sweating at the site of the bite can also occur.
Red-Backs tend to be easily recognisable, as shown in the picture they often have a distinctive red spot on their abdomen, however not all Red-Backs have the red marking and although the female can grow quite large with an abdomen the size of a pea, the male can be tiny and difficult to spot. They prefer dry environments and quite like living in letter boxes.
About a week ago we had another arachnid visitor and it was this unwanted guest in my children’s playroom that forced this research into spiders. It was big, it was evil and it was really p***ed off, especially when we tried to squash it with the end of the broom handle. In fact it stuck its fangs into the wooden handle, hanging grimly on till death finally came thanks to a well-aimed spray from a can of surface spray.
We eventually identified the intruder as the ground dwelling, venomous Wolf Spider and I am very pleased that my children were not the ones who came face to face with this non aggressive but potentially dangerous house guest.
Wolf Spiders may be non aggressive but, like most animals, will bite freely if provoked and the bite can be very painful as well as being venomous. Symptoms are similar to those suffered by victims of a Red-Back bite however generally not as severe. As is always the case, the most at risk people are the very young and very old.
Both Wolf spiders and Red-Backs are found Australia-wide.
Wolf Spiders are another species that are fairly easy to identify due to the distinctive Union Jack pattern on their back. They grow to around 30mm in body length and can be dark grey to brown in colour. The female carries its young on its back. They are ground-dwelling with a burrow retreat, commonly found in the garden, and can run pretty quickly when they choose to and like to hunt at night
So, that’s my experience with spiders. Thankfully ‘all’s well that ends well’ in that no-one was bitten by either spider but I know we are going to get many more visitations as time goes on. So what other spiders are worth watching out for? Well the most obvious is the Sydney Funnel-Web, one of the most venomous spiders in the world due to their venom being laced with atraxotoxin, one of the world’s deadliest toxins.
Sydney Funnel-Web Spiders can be found along the east coast of New South Wales and Victoria, however Queenslanders and those in northern NSW should watch out for the Northern Tree Funnel-Web and even the Blue Mountains can’t escape with their own version of this deadly spider, the Blue Mountains Funnel-Web, which can be found as far west as Bathurst and Orange.
The danger time for encountering a Funnel-Web is during the hot, humid nights of summer when mature males are hunting for mates. They can invade homes, clothes, shoes, in fact anything that is left hanging around by unsuspecting humans. They can even wander into swimming pools where they can survive underwater for a number of days. Beware of these spiders if you have construction work going on nearby as they often venture into houses looking for a new home when their old home is disturbed or destroyed.
Funnel-Webs are exceptionally aggressive and are known to inflict multiple bites with large, hard fangs. An effective anti-venom is available at all hospitals within the danger areas of the country.
Adult Funnel-Web Spiders grow to around 25mm (male) or 30mm (female) in body length, are shiny black in colour with unusually long spinnerets (the two spiky bits sticking out at the back of the spider). The male also has spurs on two of his legs.
Symptoms of Funnel-Web bites include pain at the site of the bite, nausea, abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, muscle weakness, heavy bodily secretions and sweating, excessive saliva production and heavy coughing.
What should you do if bitten by a Red-Back or other spider? Get medical attention as soon as possible, preferably by calling an ambulance rather than driving to hospital. The venom moves through the body very slowly so all unnecessary movement should be avoided as moving around will actually speed up the movement of the toxins through the body. This is the case with most spider bites.
Spider bites (with the exception of the Funnel Web Spider) should be left uncovered, however an ice pack can be used to help reduce swelling. Stay calm.
Funnel-Web bites should be treated differently by applying a pressure bandage firmly around the whole affected limb. This acts to compress the tissues and hinder the flow of venom through the limb. The person should be kept as still as possible.
Okay, well I could be here all day talking about everyone’s favourite eight legged beasties, and there are many other spiders in Australia, and around the world, that should be treated with caution, such as the white-tail spider, mouse spider and black house spider, but that’s where I’ll leave it for now. Hope this has been useful.
As most Australians, and many non Australians, are aware, this country is home to some of the most venomous creatures in the world. So do you know what to do if you, or someone close to you, is bitten by a spider? Could you identify it? Do you know which ones are potentially life threatening and which are harmless?
A recent experience with spiders in our home has made me particularly aware of what uninvited guests are sharing our living space. And with three young children, one of which is a baby and in the high risk category for being adversely affected by the toxins in spider bites, I thought it was about time this naturalised Australian became a little more educated about our eight legged friends.
And lucky you … I’ve decided to share.
Red-Back Spider
Red-Back Spiders are highly venomous and are responsible for at least 13 (recorded) fatalities in Australia. More than 250 people receive the anti-venom every year after being bitten. Red-Backs inflict a bite which can easily go unnoticed due to the tiny size if its fangs but the pain can quickly become excruciating and only a tiny amount of the venom is necessary to cause serious illness. The toxin affects the nervous system causing headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, pyrexia, hypertension (high blood pressure) and even paralysis. Swelling and sweating at the site of the bite can also occur.
Red-Backs tend to be easily recognisable, as shown in the picture they often have a distinctive red spot on their abdomen, however not all Red-Backs have the red marking and although the female can grow quite large with an abdomen the size of a pea, the male can be tiny and difficult to spot. They prefer dry environments and quite like living in letter boxes.
About a week ago we had another arachnid visitor and it was this unwanted guest in my children’s playroom that forced this research into spiders. It was big, it was evil and it was really p***ed off, especially when we tried to squash it with the end of the broom handle. In fact it stuck its fangs into the wooden handle, hanging grimly on till death finally came thanks to a well-aimed spray from a can of surface spray.
Wolf spider
Wolf Spiders may be non aggressive but, like most animals, will bite freely if provoked and the bite can be very painful as well as being venomous. Symptoms are similar to those suffered by victims of a Red-Back bite however generally not as severe. As is always the case, the most at risk people are the very young and very old.
Both Wolf spiders and Red-Backs are found Australia-wide.
Wolf Spiders are another species that are fairly easy to identify due to the distinctive Union Jack pattern on their back. They grow to around 30mm in body length and can be dark grey to brown in colour. The female carries its young on its back. They are ground-dwelling with a burrow retreat, commonly found in the garden, and can run pretty quickly when they choose to and like to hunt at night
So, that’s my experience with spiders. Thankfully ‘all’s well that ends well’ in that no-one was bitten by either spider but I know we are going to get many more visitations as time goes on. So what other spiders are worth watching out for? Well the most obvious is the Sydney Funnel-Web, one of the most venomous spiders in the world due to their venom being laced with atraxotoxin, one of the world’s deadliest toxins.
Sydney Funnel-Web Spiders can be found along the east coast of New South Wales and Victoria, however Queenslanders and those in northern NSW should watch out for the Northern Tree Funnel-Web and even the Blue Mountains can’t escape with their own version of this deadly spider, the Blue Mountains Funnel-Web, which can be found as far west as Bathurst and Orange.
Sydney Funnel-Web spider
The danger time for encountering a Funnel-Web is during the hot, humid nights of summer when mature males are hunting for mates. They can invade homes, clothes, shoes, in fact anything that is left hanging around by unsuspecting humans. They can even wander into swimming pools where they can survive underwater for a number of days. Beware of these spiders if you have construction work going on nearby as they often venture into houses looking for a new home when their old home is disturbed or destroyed.
Funnel-Webs are exceptionally aggressive and are known to inflict multiple bites with large, hard fangs. An effective anti-venom is available at all hospitals within the danger areas of the country.
Adult Funnel-Web Spiders grow to around 25mm (male) or 30mm (female) in body length, are shiny black in colour with unusually long spinnerets (the two spiky bits sticking out at the back of the spider). The male also has spurs on two of his legs.
Symptoms of Funnel-Web bites include pain at the site of the bite, nausea, abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, muscle weakness, heavy bodily secretions and sweating, excessive saliva production and heavy coughing.
What should you do if bitten by a Red-Back or other spider? Get medical attention as soon as possible, preferably by calling an ambulance rather than driving to hospital. The venom moves through the body very slowly so all unnecessary movement should be avoided as moving around will actually speed up the movement of the toxins through the body. This is the case with most spider bites.
Spider bites (with the exception of the Funnel Web Spider) should be left uncovered, however an ice pack can be used to help reduce swelling. Stay calm.
Funnel-Web bites should be treated differently by applying a pressure bandage firmly around the whole affected limb. This acts to compress the tissues and hinder the flow of venom through the limb. The person should be kept as still as possible.
Okay, well I could be here all day talking about everyone’s favourite eight legged beasties, and there are many other spiders in Australia, and around the world, that should be treated with caution, such as the white-tail spider, mouse spider and black house spider, but that’s where I’ll leave it for now. Hope this has been useful.
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