Poisonous Spiders Spreading in the UK

[corydoras]

I have a cousin who lives in Perth, WA. She sees a lot of huntsman spiders. Whilst they are venomous (but not deadly) they ar reluctant to bite. The huntsman has a tendency to hide on top of the sun visor in cars. It surly freaks you out when you flip down your sun visor and get a 17cm spider scuttling about on your lap

 

I know, she looks freaky, but she is harmless.

[Scotty T]

I have a cousin who lives in Perth, WA. She sees a lot of huntsman spiders. Whilst they are venomous (but not deadly) they ar reluctant to bite. The huntsman has a tendency to hide on top of the sun visor in cars. It surly freaks you out when you flip down your sun visor and get a 17cm spider scuttling about on your lap

 

I know, she looks freaky, but she is harmless.

 

Im pretty sure I'd scream like a small girl if one of those landed in my lap, spiders..........

 

Scott

[MJB]

I know, she looks freaky, but she is harmless.

 

That's no way to talk about your cousin!

[corydoras]

Im pretty sure I'd scream like a small girl if one of those landed in my lap, spiders..........

 

Scott

My cousin just flips down both sun visors now before she gets into the ute! Don't tell me your another big woosie thats scared of creepy crawlies?

[Vagabond]

it's only a matter of time before we start getting some real nasties - Jack-Jumper ants from Tasmainia

 

My brother-in-law lives in Tas and has a colony of Jack-Jumpers in his paddock. These ants forage far and wide individually rather than swarm, so at least you only get one or two at a time up yer trouser leg!

 

Really friendly little fellers - they jump up and bite, hang on with their mandibles, then curve their abdomen up to sting with. Not many critturs both bite and sting.

 

We came across a good few sorts of ant in the Amazon Basin. Two sorts of army ant, leafcutter ants, and a species of warrior ant about 1" long known as "twenty-four hour" ants - that's how long the pain from the bite will keep you awake.