Although it’s getting to winter and pests generally go into hibernation this doesn’t mean that they’re gone. We still need to be wary of any sign of a pest problem and still remain cautious about our living especially when Australian spiders are the hot topic.  Although it’s unlikely to be a spider infestation in your family home sometimes these nasty arachnids can hide in the building foundations.  Like most international folks like to remind us, we have some poisonous very eight legged friends, but more often then not it’s just usually the daddy-long-leg spider we see. We all know how little threat these spiders are to us humans, so perhaps we should look at those that may cause a bit more of a stir and maybe call in the experts.

The Redback Spider:

Most people know the redback spider both visually and by name. A lot of people hear about the nasty redback but never really have contact with one, those that have remember.  Mature female redbacks are jet black, with a big red stripe on their fat backs.  Although not encountered a whole lot, these spiders can cause you a bit a pain if they bite you.   Redbacks usually cause you to have a red rash which spreads through the area in which you have been bitten and can cause headaches, nausea, sweating or possibly fever.  As you can see by the symptoms it can be hard to diagnose on your own, to be safe it’s best to seek a GP. However some people are happy to apply ice packs and wait it out, which in a lot of cases is fine.  If a child is bitten go straight to hospital.

If you are bitten you can do some simple things to improve the chances of a quicker recovery.

-You can place an icepack on the wound

-Lay down and do not move around

-Call a hospital or doctor, as anti venom’s are carried at almost all hospitals and this is the safest option

Notorious Redback

The Funnel-Web Spider:

Before people start to panic about the funnel-web spider, this scary looking creature will no typically lurk inside your house, it rather enjoys the outdoors in burrows. However they do  inhabit many states and cities of Australia, so if you do come across one, be very careful. Female funnel-web spiders stay in their burrow, only leaving to quickly snatch up some tucker passing by, so it’s unlikely you’ll meet the female. Males are the ones that will move about outside, and on rare occasions find their way into your home. Unlike the Red-Back spider our friend here has a bite that is extremely dangerous and the spider is quite aggressive.

If you are bitten you must apply a bandage around the wound firmly to reduce the poison spreading. If possible take the specimen to the hospital (dead or alive), along with yourself of course. Also use a splint to reduce movement of the limb which has been bitten. If left untreated this bite will be fatal. Do not try and manage the bite yourself, you absolutely need anti venom.  It’s a good idea when moving into a new property is to have a building inspection especially in Sydney where funnel-webs are notorious.

In the  event that you think you may have any sort of spider problem within your house it is a very good idea to call in a pest control professional, if you’re living in South Sydney you can try South Sydney Pest Control.