grrrr. I should not have to argue about this

[Sapphire Silk]

Bites of most large spiders will cause infection which can get serious, but their venom is usually not dangerous to humans.

The exceptions being black widows and brown recluses.

[blas]

Where is this clown school I can go to and get this license to tell people that they've been bitten by insects that don't even exist in this state? I could totally use the extra money.

Between that doc, my coworker's doc, and the MRI doc in another thread....I am losing faith in people whose job is to help us.

[Seshat]

Bites of most large spiders will cause infection which can get serious, but their venom is usually not dangerous to humans.

The exceptions being black widows and brown recluses.

... and a few Australian spiders. (Funnelweb spider, Wolf spider, White-tail spider. Redback, if you can call that 'large', and the hybrid redback with the same shape but without the red colouration.)

[Scorpodael]

... and a few Australian spiders. (Funnelweb spider, Wolf spider, White-tail spider. Redback, if you can call that 'large', and the hybrid redback with the same shape but without the red colouration.)

If I recall correctly, the only non-lethal things living in Australia consists of "Some of the sheep."

[Zaiida]

... and a few Australian spiders. (Funnelweb spider, Wolf spider, White-tail spider. Redback, if you can call that 'large', and the hybrid redback with the same shape but without the red colouration.)

Ah yes the fanged veranda brigade. Turn the outside light on and they scatter, it's like a scene from arachnophobia with legs and eyes everywhere. It's not a pleasant event when a huntsman decides to skydive onto your head when you go outside for a smoke. Apparently I squeak like a dog toy when I'm scared

Scariest spiders ever are the trapdoor spiders. Damn they are fast little critters.

Glad your arm is getting better BlaqueKatt.

[Seshat]

I've learned to recognise huntsmen, orb weavers, St Andrews Cross....

It's when a spider I recognise as dangerous, or a spider I don't recognise, tries to take a shower with me that I panic.

Fortunately, A loves bugs and can easily recognise almost any Australian bug. Including our spiders. If it's not dangerous, she'll catch it and try to invite it outside. But she's death on two legs to wolf spiders! (Fearless, that woman.)

[Solumina]

Strange, the wolf spiders around here are pretty harmless, I guess the ones in Australia are a bit different.

[Seshat]

Their venom itself is harmless, but for whatever reason, wolf spider bites here sometimes become necrotic. Whether the spider is carrying the bacterium or it's an opportunistic infection is not yet known: but A doesn't want to risk any of us!

[LadyAndreca]

Brown recluses lived in my high school dorms. They especially loved to sit in the bathrooms and freak us out in the middle of the night. But only one kid ever got bit in the four years I was there. One took a chomp on his forehead when he was sleeping and it got necrotic. Poor guy got a good deal of teasing because he had to wear a gauze bandage on his forehead for over a week.

[Eisa]

If I recall correctly, the only non-lethal things living in Australia consists of "Some of the sheep."

I'm pretty sure even the sheep in Australia are lethal.

Just listen to this! [potentially terrifying images]

[ArcticChicken]

Amusingly people would panic when they came to visit, and would see one run across the floor, though only after I let them know what it was.

I'd panic before you let me know what it was, I HATE spiders. And anything with too many legs, really.

The irritating thing is that if there is anyone else home, I am incapable of dealing with bugs (we get silverfish *shudder*), but if I'm the only one there I can get the vacuum cleaner and get rid of the bastards.

[Geek King]

Their venom itself is harmless, but for whatever reason, wolf spider bites here sometimes become necrotic. Whether the spider is carrying the bacterium or it's an opportunistic infection is not yet known: but A doesn't want to risk any of us!

Wierdness. Wolf Spiders get pretty big in my area--especially those out in the wild with good hunting and warm areas during winter--but I've never heard of them biting anything human size. Maybe if someone grabbed one by accident, or something. The ones I've seen either lumbered off, or did the cockroach, "I'm not moving so you can't see me! Can't see me!"

[Seshat]

Australian spiders, snakes, and other such critters are much the same: for the most, they ignore or avoid humans. We're not prey, we're not predators, and they're not domesticated.

But some people DO go sticking their hands into dark places without looking first. And they're the ones who are most likely to get bitten.

(Intelligent workmen - plumbers etc - whose job involves sticking their hands in dark places wear thick gloves.)

[Sapphire Silk]

... and a few Australian spiders. (Funnelweb spider, Wolf spider, White-tail spider. Redback, if you can call that 'large', and the hybrid redback with the same shape but without the red colouration.)

I should have mentioned I was talking about North America.

I know nothing about the critters of the rest of the world.

[Zaiida]

Wolf spiders around here grow to bigger than my hand. I have seen the rare one the size of a dinner plate. The next biggest are the orb weavers then the huntsmans. Huntsmans are the most prolific here but the biggest scaredy cats and will run (scuttle really) away and they are great for keeping bugs down in the house. Just don't repeatedly poke the wolf spiders they will chase you and they run really fast on four legs. Great fun to watch, not fun if you are the one being chased (I confess I was a wee bit pissed at the time). Funnelwebs are the most territoral and will attack extremely fast so stay away from their, err, web holes. I find bull ants to be the most problematic pest when you get them. Give me spiders over bull ants any day.

Word of caution: Never ever ever ever try to pet a kangaroo or a koala in the wild. Don't ever get near them especially during mating season - Says she who was chased by a really pissed of male koala as a kid because I stumbled on his territory. They make the most awful grunting tearing nightmarish vocalisations when pissed off and are capable of causing some serious injury. Cuddly creatures my ass.

Australian spiders, snakes, and other such critters are much the same: for the most, they ignore or avoid humans. We're not prey, we're not predators, and they're not domesticated.

But some people DO go sticking their hands into dark places without looking first. And they're the ones who are most likely to get bitten.

(Intelligent workmen - plumbers etc - whose job involves sticking their hands in dark places wear thick gloves.)

Workmen like that around here look like mummies they have to cover up so much before getting under houses, the critters here have a bit plaguey these past few years.