JenJen

What Spiders I will need to be wary of in Melbourne and if poss provide a pic or link ???

I'm petrified of all spiders but thought if I at least knew tehy weren't going to try and invenomate me maybe i could learn to live with them ????

I'm tryign to be brave.
If we could just start with Melbourne as thats where we'll be living.


Thanks muchly
Jenxx

Deer Hunter

There is no need to worry about spiders. It is unlikely you will ever see one unless you're turning up rocks in the bush. What you should be worrying about in Melbourne is the blowflies . Yum! Always nice to find those in your kitchen in summer.

JenJen

OOoh yum they're nice... but we have blue bottles or the similar getting into the kitchen now cause it's hot, dog seems to attract them as does the guinea pig in the utility room ? Nah they dont' bother me too much, can deal with that stuf better than spiders.

IF we are living on the West side of Melbourne (Altona/ Point Cook area) what spiders could we potentially come across? Someone told me that spiders found in Sydney aren't necessarily found in Melbourne? Is that cause they dont' fancy the walk ?

I also got told Huntsmen don't bite yet someone else told me they do ? So which is it? and are tehy venemous or not ????

Jenxx

storming

Goto Page 7 on here 104 Reply's to creepy crawly's and some photo's i found it very useful :scared: :scared:

Storming

KayC

They might bite if you sat on one or something - but they aren't venemous.

JenJen

In March we saw a Huntsman the size of a cd and i'm now gonna be checking where is sit when we get outthere to make sure I don't get given 2 holes extra

Jenxx

Teliko21

Whitetails are found in Melbourne, they like hiding in linen in cupboards or clothes on floor hence how I got bitten in bed!

I have seen the odd red back but mostly you just see house spiders. They aren't venemous but if they bite you they can give you headache/sickness for a while afterwards but not deadly.

JenJen

How big do the white tails get?????

Is it like the UK? As in spiders are about but generally you don't see them and even less likely to end up face to face with one????

I'll really have to try and keep on top of the washign and chase teh kids to stop em leaving stuff laying about everywhere then

Jenxx

Caroline G

White tails aren't very big, i.e. under 1cm, and they have a cigar shaped body with a little white line at the end of their abdomen. They usually wander about at night.

I did some washing up the other day and left it on the draining board went to pick a down turned mug up to make my morning cuppa and found a white tail in it. I shook it out onto the work surface and the thing must have been startled because I could see clear fluid on the top which must have come out of it. Think it was venom not wee

poppet

I found this some time ago as my OH hates spiders. I don't think its to scale (as it says at the top) but very informative. If you don't like pictures of spiders then best not to look!

I think in Melbourne you will probably not see many of these but someone who lives there can perhaps advise.

Hope this doesn't scare you off! You really don't see very many spiders - a few huntsmen is all we've seen in Sydney.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/attac...chmentid=26854

Izzy

I've only really seen 2 redbacks, both by our garage door, one baby huntsman - about 7cm diameter, and lots of Daddy long legs, which are different to UK ones. Big but too fragile to bite you and not scary !!

Scary thing about the huntsman. It appeared on the window at a barbie I was at and the homeowner trapped it and released it about 15 feet away over a neighbours fence ! 20 mins later it was back in exactly the same place !!!

One of the redbacks had managed to catch a big cricket in it's web.

JenJen

Errr aren't the red backs the potentially lethal ones???????????? :scared:

Does anyone live in Point cook area? Have you seen alot of redbacks ????

iPom

Yes but they don't leap at you and bite you or anything. You can quite happily squash them with a quick flip of your shoe. They're not aggressive, just make you really ill if you get bitten,... which you would seek medical attention for straight away. Spiders really keep themselves to themselves. You just learn to live with them. You rarely see them and when you do, it's more 'oooh look at that' and you show the kids and everyone and then you leave it alone.
Jen, there aren't spiders everywhere all the time. They're there but they do their own thing.
Many thousands more mosquitos to worry about imo.

Izzy

They are poisonous, but you've got to admit, they are easily spotted and easily killed with some mortein spray. I've seen 2, but many aussie friends have never seen one ! You can get your house sprayed, or spray it yourself and this keeps them out for months. You can also buy mortein bombs to set off in your house every few months. We haven't needed either and I am petrified of spiders. :scared:

Bix

Look out for these......

Shakmaty Prowler - Half black and half white. Lies still and quiet pondering it's next move. Strikes with efficiency and cunning.

Hevs Spinner - Look closely and you will see a rosy glow. Dances around in endless circles. Spins a coarse web which has been known to spark.

Fraser Feeler - A distinctive claret and blue colouration on it's back. Body resembles the shape of a hammer. You won't see this one much as it hides in the gloom. You will hear it's awry cry though as it enters it's house.