Bella Donna

What experiences do people here have with whitetails? Anyone an *expert*?

To date, our most notable spider experience has been with a visiting redback on our patio - not a problem. He was *out there*, not *in here*. This morning I went to start the dishes and there, beside my rubber gloves, was a rather large whitetail - about 20mm long in body. Not doing anything - just sitting there. Dh despatched him to the garden in the dustpan and that was that. Dd has recently found another, smaller specimen, about 12mm, sitting on the edge of the bath. That one has met its maker, I'm afraid.

Is there a *season* for whitetails? I know back in the UK, many spiders seemed to come inside when there was rain around. Do whitetails do something similar? These are the first we've seen - and I'd mind them a lot less if they stayed outside. I'm concerned for our dd - at 8 she's not always on the ball and might not notice them, and I'm convinced they'll make a home in her rather muddly bedroom ( ). I'm also concerned about our pets - our one cat in particular loves pulling the legs off spiders.... :scared:

It doesn't help that I've spoken to two people this week who have been scarred for life - literally - from whitetail bites...

What can anyone tell me about these unwelcome visitors?

Sue

wmoore

We had one in a bit back but he was only little. I put him out in the garden, though I was told you should kill ALL critters that wander into your house.

cranni

Kill them, they do give a nasty bite, a friend of ours has a horrible scar on her leg, that was a whitetail. give the house a good spray, round windows doors everywhere.

possoms

Heres some info on them Sue, they like cool areas so may wander inside the house more in summer :

http://www.termite.com/spiders/White-Tail-Spider.shtml

for all other spider info click here:

http://www.termite.com.au/spider-ide...n-control.html

nightnurse2

It is said they like cool places but we have had them in our loft space! Our electrician went up there a few weeks ago and said we had loads of whitetails and red backs We stuck up a few bombs and they have all gone now (or so he says, I ain't going to check!) Havn't seen any in the house though, thank god!

Tracey

mr mover

In my many years of moving people, i have noticed White tip[tail]spiders like to nest[live] under Sofa beds [day-nite lounge] the mechanism seems to offer a safe haven,when not used a lot.
We pulled the cushions off a sofa once and found a nest of them ,hundreds of tiny spiders, what made it worse was the kids had been sitting on it for most of the morning......................... mm

Nice Guy

Hmmmmmmmm………..yes Whitetails an unwanted Oz export into NZ, can give a nasty nip which is more dirty than toxic. Apparently said arachnids like to prey on other spiders, they literally just wait for a passing spider and then pounce and munch it. Consequently one can tell when there are Whitetails in the house as there is a decease or absence of other spiders and spider webs.

They look slightly ugly, I’ve seen several in our house, we have a catch and release program with a cull of any insect only if necessary, although I must admit the fly spray has been working overtime this summer.

<")))><

When we arrived in Sydney, we found a house that had been empty for around 6 months. We moved in and loved it.....but so had several other guests.

In the first week, we found 20 (yes two zero) redbacks (in the shed, between the bricks round the pool, in potted plants), 2 whitetails in the airing cupboard, a nest of bulldog ants near the pool and countless cockies. With 2 inquistive kids, this was asking for trouble. We treated the entire back yard and pool area with this stuff from the local Woolies: (you can get pro packs too)

http://www.mortein.com.au/product_spid.html

Fantastic stuff........we collected up all their little twitching carcasses and had a party.

Not seen anything since. Probably time to re-do it as it lasts about 3 months.

Gold Coaster

I don't want to worry anyone reading this but I have a friend back in England that e mailed me back in October last year. This lady is as trustworthy as anything and not one to make stories up, me neither!. She has a cousin in Perth and her husband died from a white tail spider bite.

This bloke was 32 years old and the couple went to bed at night, in the morning the wife woke up to find here husband choked on his own vomit.

After the ambulance came and all attempts to revive him failed it was noticed that he had the puncture wound of a white tail and the proof of the bite was the dead white tail in the bed.

The coroners report did place the cause of death to the spider bite and ascertained that he had a severe reaction to this bite.

When I was told this I was a bit sceptical as all my rellies here told me that white tail spiders were not deadly. But it is a fact that this guy died from this spider bite and who knows what reaction some peoples bodies have with certain bites.

Pretty grim if you ask me.

annqldau

Have seen very nasty bite recently that was supposed to be from white tail i'd avoid them at all costs.

As for red backs I kill them on site just in case they make some more... :scared: .

Roving Angle

I live on the North Island, NZ and I'm absolutlely bloody inundated with these things.

My wife's taken a bite on her foot, which caused some swelling (several days) and discolouration, but nothing too serious. This happened in bed, while we slept as they tend to go for linen in my experience. I can honestly say I've been killing them at a rate of two or three a week for a few months now, and these will be the tip of the iceberg as regards their numbers.

They don't like sunlight and will seek shade in houses or at the base of plants during bright days. There is hope though (!), they're not a "guaranteed bite". I've had a couple run over my hands and just jump off whilst gardening (got to admit, I did a bit of jumping too...).

What works for us is, little ones never pile their clothes on the floor even for a short time, care is taken when drawing curtains (that's a big one) and finally kill every type of spider you see, every time. We've had less since doing this and it makes sense, take their food away and they'll go somewhere else. Ethics? Bah, no chance, matey!

What do red-backs eat, out of interest?

cranni

What do red backs eat! CHILDREN

Roving Angle

Native children, or just us tasty Poms?

ozzieeagle

I'd say whitetails are the single biggest threat in Australia, very unpredictable in where you will find them, they seem to love bedding as well. Some people can be bitten by them with very little symptoms, right through to being killed. One side effect is necrotosing arachnadism, or "dying/rotting flesh". It's about the only critter here, that I am genuinely fearful of. Most people get bitten in their sleep by these things, re the bedding habitat. It's also the most likely spider bite that people will recieve.

I think ??? I've been bitten by one of these things 3 times in my time here in Aussie. With just localised sore irritation to show for it

One of my daughters teenage freinds got bitten in the mouth by one as she lay asleep here in our house, and had to go to hospital, because her throat swelled up.

BenandPam

We've had loads of whitetails in our place - luckily though they seem to love the (rarely used) front room and always appear to be wondering around on the ceiling. They all get killed or get taken to start a new life far far away.

We've only really got nasty after we founmd one climbing up the wall next to our 3 month old's cot - oh boy, that one met a nasty bitter end!!!!

I've had more of a fright from the 2 huntsmen I've seen whilst living in Melbourne - one of the buggers was hiding in our wheelie bin - and she was a BIG BIG girl!!!