I mite be moving austrailia but im petrified of spiders is it really that bad?

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aviatenavigatecommunicate

If you want the honest truth, I'll give it to you.

I live in Sydney, and the Sydney Funnel Web spider is famous for being the most excruciatingly deadly spider in the world. In my 21 years of life, living in Sydney, I have NEVER seen a Sydney Funnel Web spider in the wild. The only time I have ever seen them is in the spider exhibit at the zoo.

Having said that, I have seen a fair share of other spiders. Huntsmen spiders are probably the scariest spiders of all because they are so huge and hairy and greyish brown. But the blessing is that they are not deadly and all you need to do is whack them with a shoe or a rolled up newspaper and they're gone for good.

They're also not the sort of spiders that run around on the floor. They generally sit motionless on a wall in a very conspicuous place with their legs spread out, scaring the **** out of you because of their size, but also making them easy to see and therefore, easy to kill. We have had them in the house but it's not a regular occurrence. Only once or twice a year do I ever have to kill a huntsman spider in the house.

You will probably see many more daddy-long-legs spiders around, particularly if the house is dusty or old, but the beauty about them is that, firstly, they are not poisonous, and secondly, they are usually dead by the time you see them anyway. Daddy-long-legs spiders are the ones that have a body the size of a small fly, with needle thread-thin legs that extend an inch or two from their body. They're so harmless and pathetic that you could kill them with your thumb.

The redback spider (similar to the American black widow) is easily recognised because it has a vibrant red stripe down is black body. Only ever seen two in my entire life, and simply stepped on them with my shoe. They are quite poisonous, but usually not deadly.

So, my point is that really, you have very little to worry about. England's cold weather and warm beer is far scarier than our spiders.

Finally, if you happen to be bitten by a spider, which is unlikely, but if you are, Australia has the highest quality antivenom in the world. In fact, in living memory, I don't think anyone has died from a spider bite in Australia.

Just enjoy our beautiful country.

C.C

It is said that no matter where you are in Australia, you are no more than 6 feet from a spider. We have some of the most venomous spiders in the world. Its a wonder we are not all laying on a slab in the morgue. Well it would seem that way, but spiders don't go out of their way to bite humans. It's only when you accidentally have an encounter with a spider, that you even remember they are there. In day to day activities, the chance of being bitten is very remote. It would pay to be alert when poking around piles of tin or wood, and don't lift logs in the bush. Unless you need to do these things in your day to day life, I would say your pretty safe. Spiders are around us all the time. Mostly they are inconspicuous things in the corner. They don't run around attacking people. They eat flies and mosquitoes which we also have plenty of here. Even here in Queensland where we have the really big scary hairy ones, we just do not see them often. They are there, but they keep to them selves. If we get to see one we usually jump 6 feet, laugh about being goosed by a spider and chase it outside with a broom. There is so many good things to see and to do in Australia that a few spiders should be the last thing on your mind. Relax and have a good time and if you do, by chance get to see some of our unique wild life, have a look, leave it alone and go on with your day. I understand phobias and how crippling they can be. I really feel for you. But just remember that they are not out to get you.

Pig hunter

Why don't you just carry personal insect repellant with you untill you feel more comfortable?

Ben P

I am an Aussie living in the UK at the moment (surrey to be precise) and I recently took my wife for a holiday to Australia (she'd never been before) and her fear was the same as yours. I've been called at work before because she has arrived home before me and refuses to be in the house if a spider is in there with her. Sound familiar?? She nearly didn't go to Australia because of the stories she'd heard.

We travelled for 5 weeks around Oz and saw 1 spider the entire time we were there. My wife was incredibly impressed and now wants to move there.

Peter K

Used to get alot of spiders in my house but lately can't think of seeing one for over a year, maybe longer.

One thing hate about them is they will all of a sudden apear in the middle of a large white wall and scare the crap out of me.

Sweet_P

No, sweetheart. Don't believe everything you see on TV! :) I am Australian and I haven't seen a spider in, oh, I don't know maybe 6 months?

Future Eagles Mummy!!

OK, yes we do have more than our fair share of spiders - but they will leave you alone if you leave them alone. If you are sitting on the grass somewhere they won't jump up and bite you. Mostly they just hang around in their webs waiting for bugs to fly in so they can catch them.

And you will be having so much fun living over here that you won't even think about spiders after a while! There is so much hype on tv about "Australia's dangerous animals", if it was really that bad, none would live here!! Enjoy Australia try to forget about spiders.

Mel

Mate, there aren't as many spiders as you're making out. Plus they don't bite you, most of them cant. There are some dangerous ones but avoid the bush and country and you'll be fine. In cities most of them keep to themselves, you might see then in the corner of your ceiling and in the garden but they are harmless.

If you see one just kill it, I know lots of people are all 'don't kill the spider' but if you're terrified that's what you do.

Elliot

I've never been bitten by a spider (that I'm aware of), and since antivenoms were developed there's no real chance of being killed by one. That said, there are a few precautions you should take. Most of the nastier spiders (including whitetails, wolf spiders and funnel-webs) are most active at night, so if you're going outside in the evening it's always a good idea to wear shoes. Depending where they've been, you might want to check those shoes before you put them on, too. Also be careful when moving things around in a shed or disturbing logs. In Summer spiders are often looking for somewhere out of the sun, which unfortunately includes houses. I live in Adelaide and I normally get at least a few whitetails inside around this time of the year. Mostly they just run around on the walls, or sit on the bathroom ceiling. Occasionally people get bitten by whitetails because they pick one up, not realising that it's a spider. So watch out for that one. Also in an effort to cool off, funnel-webs sometimes get into swimming pools. Keep in mind that they can remain alive in a swimming pool for several days.
Most of the spiders you'll see will be harmless. Huntsman spiders, for example, can be unnerving due to their size, but they won't bother you if you don't bother them and their venom isn't dangerous to humans at all.

Queen of HB

I lived on the Sunshine coast for 4 years and I had many run in's with really icky big spiders. Once I came home to my apartment and there was a tarantula the size of a small dinner plate on the wall. If you live in an area that is somewhat rural you will see them alot. If you live in the city not so much. Just do what I did, make sure to peel back you sheets at night and check that your not getting into bed with anyone ha ha!!

Elizabeth

Thousands of Aussies are arachnophibics too and they all live here quite happily. I'm sure you won't have any major problems.

Maybe you should stop watching Discovery, those wildlife shows can really do your head in.

Good luck. I hope you enjoy the move here.

Mrs M

Spiders will not jump up and bite you for no reason. The majority of spiders seen in the suburbs are harmless. If you leave them alone, they will leave you alone.

Yes there are spiders around houses and the odd one does wander in but again they will be a harmless huntsman or daddy long legs. Nothing to worry about.

There are way too many positives in moving to Australia that will outweigh the possibility of coming across a couple of spiders.

Maybe you should learn to control your fear. Spiders are more scared of you than you are of them.

Cameron in OZ

surely you are joking, there are lots of spiders here but you hardly ever see them. If you leave them alone they will leave you alone.

Be more concerned about keeping out of the sun cos it gets really hot here and the sun will burn you very quickly. Which is why so many Australians have skin cancer and many die from it. Come to Australia and enjoy a great, relaxed lifestyle unlike Europe, US etc.

Grrr...

yeeh heaps are super venomous
like what..the daddy long legs
they are EVERYWHERE
but...guess what..haha...they can't peirce your skin.
to thick so he can do jack ****.
we get heaps of garden spiders but we live more in the country and they're cute and hardly do anything.
Mostly if you see a white tail or a redback grab a peice of paper and a cup and chuck it out side.
Personally i think spiders are wonderfully, the annoying bugs here are stupid buzzing flies Grr...
and spiders eat them.
You'll be alright i've been born here and raised, never been bitten or i might of and not noticed but your not gunna die.
i mean like all us aussies are still breathing so deal with it, its worth it live here, i love my country.

ABCDiamond Britzinoz.com

I was even scared of the UK spiders, but what surprised me the most was that I now see fewer spiders than I did in the UK !

Yes, Australia does have them, but the media, TV etc, does make it all sound worse than it is.

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