Archive for the ‘Australian Spiders’ Category


Posted on December 26, 2010 - by

Spider Reproduction

This entry is part 1 of 6 in the series Australian Spiders

Male spiders spend their whole life preparing for the time they will mate. All of their energies, movements, feedings, molting, and even the ultimate sacrifice of their own lives are designed to aid the continuation of their species.

When males are sexually mature, they transform a hunger for food into one of procreation. Before seeking a partner, the male needs to prepare for courtship by pumping his palps full of sperm. A male does not have a penis. He deposits sperm from beneath his body onto a specially constructed silken mat and from there siphons it into his palps. He is now ready for mating. (more…)


Posted on December 25, 2010 - by

Common House Spiders

This entry is part 2 of 6 in the series Australian Spiders

RED-BACK
(Latrodectus hasselti)

spiders The abdomen of the female Red-back is round and large with characteristic orange to red markings on the middle of her back. Mature females are larger and darker than males. In fact, males are often mistaken as baby spiders. The Red-back is often found in dry-sheltered sites in the corners of sheds, under tables, around pot plants and in outdoor toilets. Although the female may lay up to 300 eggs, as with many other spiders, the young are cannibalistic and only a few reach maturity.

No specific first aid is prescribed, as the venom of this spider moves very slowly. The use of restrictive bandages will only increase pain. Seek medical advice immediately, taking the spider along for positive identification. Iced water in a bag may be applied to the bite to reduce pain. (more…)


Posted on December 24, 2010 - by

GARDEN SPIDERS

This entry is part 3 of 6 in the series Australian Spiders

GOLDEN ORB
(Nephillia)

spiders Golden Orb spiders build huge golden silky wheel webs that are remarkably strong and often strung between small trees in woodlands and gardens. The female spiders are large and can often span the width of an adult’s hand.
Female Golden Orb spiders are characterized by the yellow bands that run around the joints of their black legs. Their slender body is a yellow-brown to silver-grey color. These spiders eat insects – even cicadas.

Bites from these spiders can be quite painful, and usually only occur if harshly provoked. (more…)


Posted on December 23, 2010 - by

FUNNEL-WEBS, TRAPDOORS, ETC.

This entry is part 4 of 6 in the series Australian Spiders

MYGALOMORPHS

The family Mygalomorphs includes some of the largest, most ancient and most dangerous spiders in the world. In Australia we have 10 families of Mygalomorphs. Included within are the Funnel-web, Mouse and Trapdoor Spiders. (more…)


Posted on December 22, 2010 - by

TREATING SPIDER BITE

This entry is part 5 of 6 in the series Australian Spiders

Bite Prevention

SPIDER BITE Spiders do not set out to harm people. A common sense approach will reduce the chances of your being bitten by a spider, and in most cases, prevent it from happening. Wearing suitable footwear and gloves while gardening and exercising caution when moving things around your shed or garden are examples of simple precautions that should be taken.

SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE IF BITTEN BY A SPIDER OF ANY TYPE

First Aid

The vast majority of spiders are harmless to humans. A bite from most spiders will heal quickly, producing very few side effects. Even the more dangerous spiders in Australia rarely produce effective envenomations. (People react differently. The type of reaction depends upon a number of factors that range from the size of the spider, to the size of the person.)SPIDER BITESPIDER BITE (more…)


Posted on December 21, 2010 - by

AUSTRALIAN SPIDERS

This entry is part 6 of 6 in the series Australian Spiders

Spiders have a body consisting of two parts, the abdomen and the prosoma. They have four pairs of legs and six to eight ‘simple’ eyes. They do not have any antennae, wings or true jaws. They are found in every habitat of Australia, from the harsh deserts of our arid interior to the slopes and rocky outcrops of our snow capped mountains. (more…)