Re: Spiders and Flies

Reasons for not visiting Australia :

1. Spiders as big as your hand

Re: Spiders and Flies

And in the house, but harmless to humans as most of ours are.

Re: Spiders and Flies

Presenting the Sydney Funnel Web...



Quite interesting.

Re: Spiders and Flies

Well I know you have big spiders in Australia but if I met either of those I would be on the next plane home..as for letting a spider like that sleep in the crook of your neck.....words fail me its the stuff of nightmares.

Re: Spiders and Flies

I like the look of that Huntsman, Bruce, he/she looks furry and rather sweet.

Re: Spiders and Flies

This should be right up your street, Tabby. It's a Tiger spider.

Re: Spiders and Flies

Thank you, Harbal, I have seen one of those in a Zoo Terrarium many years ago. They are rather beautiful and not at all dangerous to humans.

Re: Spiders and Flies

Yes, I am fond of them.

All spiders are venomous it is just that only a few have fangs that can penetrate human skin. I have heard of people getting a painful bite (definitely not fatal) from a Huntsman but generally it is considered that their fangs can't penetrate a human so that is very rare. I have handled them without being bitten.

My garden has a fair number of Redbacks and I certainly never handle them, though I don't kill them.

Many years ago one of my dogs died after being rushed to the vet who reckoned it was a spider bite - whether that was from a Redback or a Funnel Web I don't know.

Re: Spiders and Flies

I wonder if Huntsmen would ever survive over here?

Re: Spiders and Flies

I bet they could if they frequent houses like our House spiders do. Some of those get big as well.