Look out for some of these dangerous species of spiders…
There are almost 70,000 types of spider species worldwide, of which 2,000 are found in Australia. Amongst these numerous spider species in Australia, the Funnel-web and the Red-back spider are most dangerous. Spider bites can have a variety of symptoms that include rapid pulse and swelling. However, the majority of spiders can be a nuisance simply because they build unwanted webs in our houses.
According to Wikipedia,
The Red-back spider (Latrodectus hasselti) is a potentially dangerous spider native to Australia. It resembles a Black widow spider. It is a member of the genus Latrodectus or the widow family of spiders, which are found throughout the world.
The Red-back spider is commonly found in Sydney you can easily find them in heavily populated areas. They mostly live in warm areas like storage yards, industrial sites and inside of houses. They also hide in wood logs and junk piles. The female Red-back has 1 cm long body while males are smaller in size. Their webs are very unique because they are messy and always seem to have eggs in them. The Red-back spider loves to hide in protected holes and cracks and they eat small insects in bulk every day. They have also been known to kill and eat lizards.
The second most dangerous species of spiders is the Funnel-web spider. They are most commonly found in Sydney as well. Funnel-webs prefer to live in cool and moist areas. These spiders are large in size and a typical Funnel-web has a body length of 4.5 cm. This species is black in colour and is marked by its aggressive traits. Normally Funnel-webs have powerful teeth, used to stun their victims.
In summer and autumn, the males often wander into houses in search of females. The males, being the wanderers of this species are more dangerous than the females. Even though, most Australian spiders bite without injecting venom, the Funnel-web spider injects its venom into its victim every time.
If you are bitten by Funnel-web then you may experience a number of symptoms, including:
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Profuse sweating
Although nobody has died from the bite of Funnel-web spider since the anti venom was introduced in 1980, I’m sure you’ll agree that’s it’s worth avoiding.
Treatment for bites depends upon the type of spider
General spider bites
Most spider bites are harmless and will require no first aid. If a person is bitten by spider then the patient should be kept calm and restricted from unnecessary movement. Keep in mind that the patient can be cured, as anti-venom is available at most hospitals. As a precaution, a pressure bandage should be applied on the infected area. This will compress the tissues while reducing the flow of venom. A second bandage can be applied to stop the affected limb from swelling by using a support. This will also restrict the movement of muscle to reduce the blood flow so that the venom does not reach the vital organs of the body.
Red-back spider bites
As the venom of the Red-back spider diffuses very slowly in blood any attempt to immediately halt its movement would only increase the pain. Do not bandage, but proceed to a hospital to receive anti-venom. Avoid any unnecessary movement.
Funnel-web spider bites
Bandage as recommended for General Spider Bites above. Also, using an icepack on the infected area will reduce the swelling of the patient.
However, it is suggested that you stay away from places where spiders prefer to live. You should try to seal all cracked surfaces and protected holes inside your house, to prevent any spiders from living there. This can be an effective way of avoiding spider bites.
If you’re concerned about spiders and need some help exterminating them, you can contact Pink Pest Services for assistance with professional pest control in Sydney.
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