Lord Pom Percy

The real reason the OZ government wants Poms to immigrate to OZ is'nt the skills labour shortage but to replace the hundreds of thousands of Aussies killed by venomous spiders each year to maintain OZ's population level.

chloe

Hi, one suggestion on the fear of spiders:

There's a book called Castle Roogna by Piers Anthony. It's somewhat silly, but also engaging and amusing sci-fantasy book. And... one of the heros is a spider.

I read it as a teenager. For what it's worth, it changed how I looked at spiders. Just thought I'd mention that since, for the severe spider-phobic, it might be worth a shot. Worked for me.

S.

Crazy Diamond

I too have a serious spider phobia, many people ask me how I will manage and I honestly don't know!

The scariest part for me is the amount of people that have been maimed by spider bites - not killed! I've seen so many pictures and read so many reports of people who have been bitten and it has taken months or years to heal or have had to have skin grafts.

Its easy to say not many people die from spider bites but I'd love to know the actual figure that get spider bite damage. Its obviously more relevant.

Its the same with shark bites. People only quote the number of fatal attacks rather than just attacks.

Is this deliberate to try to make us feel safer?

chloe

With shark attacks, it's because the vast majority are minor - people literally walk away from them. The shark bites a person, realizes it's much larger than it thought (having mistaken a flopping hand or foot for a fish) and quickly releases.

Well, that's what we hope for, anyway.

S.

Brian Clough down under

We've been here for 15 months now, and I've seen 1 huntsman inside the spare bedroom, one redback on the balcony, and one wolf spider inside my car on the front windscreen. None of them survived!

The huntsman was a bit of a shock though, cos it was as big as my hand.

You are probably in more danger from the dodgy local drivers (if Sydney is anything to go by).

christinabell

In the last 200 years in Australia there have been a total of 600 reported shark attacks with 198 of these attacks resulting in a fatality.

During the period 1968-91, in NSW alone, 121 rock fishermen were swept off the rocks and drowned and 37 surfboard riders drowned. In that same period 32 shark encounters were recorded with only 1 fatality reported. So as you can see, there were more fatalities from drowning than a shark attack.

On average there are 2-3 deaths per year from Bee stings in Australia , whereas, on average there is less than one person per year killed by shark attack in Australia over the last 200 years.

Hope this puts ur mind at rest

lizajeanoz

I've lived here for 5 years, in Sydney, Brisbane, and the Noosa, Queensland. I, too, am not keen on spiders (but it's snakes that terrify me -- but more on that later!), My experience in Sydney is that you get lots of what they call "Daddy Long Legs" in the house. I ignore these -- they are harmless and kills lots of other bugs - so I'm told. I've had a few Huntsman spiders in my home in Sydney -- 1-2 a year. I give them their distance and escort them out with my broom. They aren't poisonous, but do give a bite, and are aggressive - meaning they come at you -- if disturbed. In the garden, there are plenty of spiders
lots of amazing, beautiful ones -- most harmless -- I garden quite a bit - wear clothes and shoes, and use lots of common sense when picking things up. There are funnel webs - which are very nasty, in Sydney (and around other areas)-- I've had friends that have seen them up in the North shore area -- mostly they are in their swimming pool. I guess they make some kind of a bubble and sink down, so you need to check your pools, if you have one. I've never seen one. Up in Queensland, I have seen redbacks, in dark corners, garages, etc., but I've only seen a couple. If you leave your shoes outside at night, just check them before putting your feet in them -- this is a popular way to get a bite -- and they are poisonous. We have our home in Queensland sprayed once a year, and that really helps keep the population way down. If anyone couldn't tolerate living here with all the creepy crawlys, it's me, and it has not been at all as bad as I thought. It's sensationalized like a lot of things. But snakes, that's a different worry, altogether!! :scared: And don't get me going about the cane toads!!!

annqldau

The redbacks we spray till dead and the huntsman we put outside if we can catch them but they run that fast and bounce that high it's hard work.

sel

I had my first proper spider encounter the other night :scared:

It was a HUGE, hairy, grey with black band markings on legs hunstman spider whose eyes and fangs glinted, believe me, when it is a couple of inches from your face you see alot of detail !!! I swear that the thing hisssssssed at me !!! I thought at first I had brushed against something when I heard the noise but that is what made me look over my shoulder ... and when I did well... it was a moment of frozen horror when I saw what spanned across the door surround ... then I ran for my life

egghead4

bounce, what the bloody hell do you mean bounce!
do you mean on the end of your toe?
or do you mean they are acrobatic?

my god I didn't think they would be that fast and sneaky!!! :scared:

bec and egg

lizajeanoz

Not that we're trying to scare anyone (!), but these guys are jumpers. That's why, if you're like me and you can't stand squashing something that's so "chunky", when you're sweeping them outside -- you have to be prepared for the "jump" at you :scared: I've come across several of these, and never been bit, but have been jumped at with loud screams to follow!! The first time I saw one I thought, "you've got to be s----

Robbo2

Ann, that's not good! I might re consider my move north of the city!
No, seriously, in 9 months I've seen 3 redbacks (my house was housing a family of them in the shower the day I moved in!!) and one rather large huntsman. I am very warey of spiders, but I haven't seen as many as I thought I would, no more than in the UK. You have to get things into perspective, they aren't nice, but the weather and quality of life makes up for it!!

Babycatcher

OH MY GOD!!!.... :scared: :scared: :scared:
Think I better pack a whole load of Tenas!

Lord Pom Percy

l think more people are killed by venomous snake, spider bites and sharks in the USA each year then OZ and people are also killed by grizzly bears over there, but for some reason people seem to carry on more about the dangerous creatures in OZ.

annqldau

We saw more at D'Bay than here and Paul and Joanne were always showing us the Redbacks at Redlands bay house they had to have theirs sprayed.

We haven't had many strangely now we are in the trees but think we have more geckos to eat them.

As for bouncing spiders just warning the newcomers so that they realise it won't be a straight forward catch like UK and you won't want to squash Oz ones with toilet paper. Best method till you get the hang of it is the hoover method.