Perusing blogs about traveling to Australia, I came across this nice little tidbit:
It was a nice find, considering that when anybody tells me, "Congratulations about Australia!" it's always followed by ". . . but you realize there are gigantic spiders there, right?"
Because, I don't handle spiders well. When I was in the kitchen last week with my family, I saw a spider. So I shrieked. Don't get me wrong, I got a tissue and squished the sucker, but I jumped up and down while sputtering "ew ew ew ew ew" (essentially freaking out in the prissiest way possible) till that thing was safe in the trash can. My dad, having seen it and knowing perfectly well how small it was, asked with a wry smile "So, how big was that one?" When I reacted similarly the first time Matt witnessed an indoor spider encounter, he said "Wow. I think that's the girliest thing I've ever seen you do." Seriously, I am not a fan.
So I decided to research this further. Just what have I gotten myself into? Is there honestly a low risk of dying from a spider down in Oz? Because I know there are many spiders in Australia too big to squish with a tissue:
...Okay, so apparently that's a huntsman spider. They are huge, but pretty much harmless. Fine, but what about this crazy, bird eating spider picture I keep seeing?“Venomous spider bites no longer cause fatalities in Australia –
the last recorded death was in 1979."
the last recorded death was in 1979."
It was a nice find, considering that when anybody tells me, "Congratulations about Australia!" it's always followed by ". . . but you realize there are gigantic spiders there, right?"
Because, I don't handle spiders well. When I was in the kitchen last week with my family, I saw a spider. So I shrieked. Don't get me wrong, I got a tissue and squished the sucker, but I jumped up and down while sputtering "ew ew ew ew ew" (essentially freaking out in the prissiest way possible) till that thing was safe in the trash can. My dad, having seen it and knowing perfectly well how small it was, asked with a wry smile "So, how big was that one?" When I reacted similarly the first time Matt witnessed an indoor spider encounter, he said "Wow. I think that's the girliest thing I've ever seen you do." Seriously, I am not a fan.
So I decided to research this further. Just what have I gotten myself into? Is there honestly a low risk of dying from a spider down in Oz? Because I know there are many spiders in Australia too big to squish with a tissue:
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01080/earth-graphics-200_1080291a.jpg
...Well, it turns out the spider, a golden orb weaver, is poisonous but not lethal to humans.What about lethal spiders?
Further research turned up the Redback spider, and the Funnel-web spider typically cited as the most dangerous, lethal spiders.
Redback Spider: Looks
a lot like a black widow. Shy, and rarely leave their webs, but will bite if forced into contact. Up to 4 cm long (though males are smaller). Antivenom developed in the 1950's. Only females are poisonous. 250 anti-venom treatments administered per year. Found all over Australia, especially near human habitation. Learn more
I have to love B's (for Birgit) view point on this. She has a great blog on all things Australia: "A simple ice pack is the best first aid. In most cases it's all that's required as very few people actually develop these symptoms. Honest, if you go and see a doctor here and tell them a Redback bit you, they'll just tell you to go home and put ice on it."
She also advised that:"a pressure immobilisation bandage as used for snake bites or funnel-web spider bites is not recommended" while waiting for medical attention. I hadn't read this anywhere else but her blog, so I researched that more, and verified it here. Apparently it can just make the bite hurt more, and is unnecessary due to how slow acting the venom is. Not everybody develops harsh symptoms, and only then is anti-venom administered.
Funnel-web Spider: Black/brown, & glossy. Up to 5 cm long. Large fangs. Antivenom developed in 1980's. 6 anti-venom treatments administered per year (less than Redbacks most likely because both the spider and their webs are more easily seen). Will bite repeatedly. Only recorded deaths are from the male Sydney Funnel Back spider, but it is a misconception that these are the only potentially lethal types of Funnel-webs. Learn More
Supposedly, "The only Funnel-web spider found near Melbourne is the Victorian Funnel-web (Hadronyche modesta) It is not aggressive or dangerous, however you may get a headache and feel sick if bitten."
a lot like a black widow. Shy, and rarely leave their webs, but will bite if forced into contact. Up to 4 cm long (though males are smaller). Antivenom developed in the 1950's. Only females are poisonous. 250 anti-venom treatments administered per year. Found all over Australia, especially near human habitation. Learn more(Picture by Mike Gray © Australian Museum)
I have to love B's (for Birgit) view point on this. She has a great blog on all things Australia: "A simple ice pack is the best first aid. In most cases it's all that's required as very few people actually develop these symptoms. Honest, if you go and see a doctor here and tell them a Redback bit you, they'll just tell you to go home and put ice on it."
She also advised that:"a pressure immobilisation bandage as used for snake bites or funnel-web spider bites is not recommended" while waiting for medical attention. I hadn't read this anywhere else but her blog, so I researched that more, and verified it here. Apparently it can just make the bite hurt more, and is unnecessary due to how slow acting the venom is. Not everybody develops harsh symptoms, and only then is anti-venom administered.
Funnel-web Spider: Black/brown, & glossy. Up to 5 cm long. Large fangs. Antivenom developed in 1980's. 6 anti-venom treatments administered per year (less than Redbacks most likely because both the spider and their webs are more easily seen). Will bite repeatedly. Only recorded deaths are from the male Sydney Funnel Back spider, but it is a misconception that these are the only potentially lethal types of Funnel-webs. Learn More (Picture by Mike Gray © Australian Museum)
If you get bit by these, that blog writer, B, that I mentioned before tends to take it more seriously. She advises heading to a doctor whether or not you think venom was injected or have symptoms. Still she stressed that historical fatalities usually took a day or more after the bite to occur. Generally the best advice while you are waiting for medical attention is pressure (bandage), and immobilisation (splint, minimal movement).
Conclusion
So, as long as I take precautions, it sounds like it would be extraordinarily rare for me to actually DIE of a spider bite.Still...I wonder what non lethal, lasting, gross symptoms there are from bites....
So is your fav album (oops) David Bowie's "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" or Alice Cooper's "Along Came A Spider"... or perhaps you favor the band from Japan- Dead Eyed Spider.
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