Spider night hunter description. Australia's most amazing spiders. Appearance description - general features

Spiders instill fear in people and can even provoke a persistent phobia of themselves. Many visitors to the shores of Australia are more than concerned about the venomous eight-legged friends of the Australians.

It's true - this country is home to some of the most poisonous spiders in the world. But the reputation of Australian spiders is exaggerated - the death in April 2016 was the first recorded death from a spider bite in the country since 1981.

Spiders are the most widely distributed venomous creatures in Australia, with an estimated 10,000 species living in a variety of ecosystems. Despite the fact that spiders live all around us, from the city center to the bushes in the desert, their bites are not frequent. In fact, spiders are less dangerous than snakes or sharks, or even bees, whose sting can cause severe allergies.

Antidotes for the venom of two of the country's most dangerous spiders, the funnel-web spider and the Australian widow spider, were developed in 1950 and 1981, respectively. It is used only when the poisoning is really severe, which is rare.

Spider venom contains a cocktail of chemical substances, some of which may indeed be harmful to humans - but, when you think about it, a person is not the intended victim, and such a small amount cannot harm us much. The venom of the spider is intended for small prey and is produced in minute quantities, which, although a lethal dose for tiny animals and insects, can be processed by a larger organism.

10 Common garden orb weaver spider, Eriophora sp

As the name suggests, garden orb weaving spiders are a typical species of Australia. Their bite has only a minor effect - a little pain at the site of the bite, but at the same time the spiders are quite aggressive: they are the most biting of the common species in the country.

Between 1.5 cm and 3 cm in size, these spiders live in all gardens and weave webs between trees and hedges where insects are most likely to fly over and get caught in sticky nets. Active at night, they hide during the day and rest hanging on a web under a leaf.

Small video:

9 Hunter spider (Huntsman spiders, Sparassidae family)

Hunter spiders are widespread in Australia. They are famous for the fact that these slightly (up to 15 cm in size) scary, hairy black spiders periodically unexpectedly jump out from behind the curtains. In fact, hunter spiders are reluctant to bite and often run away when approached, and their venom is not dangerous to humans.

Accidents pose a great danger when, in horror, drivers inadequately react to the appearance of a huge spider from behind the sun visor or from under the dashboard of a car in motion. Despite their intimidating appearance, hunter spiders can be helpful. They fight pests by consuming large numbers of harmful insects in homes.

Small video:

8 Recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa

The recluse spider has a potentially dangerous hemotoxic venom that poisons the blood and skin. There was even a mailing of letters about this spider, supposedly tissue necrosis develops from its bites and huge terrible wounds appear, but it was just a hoax to scare people.

In 20 years of research on these spiders in Australia, their range has not increased and not a single case of serious poisoning has been reported. Therefore, despite the myth, this spider can hardly be considered very dangerous in Australia, although bites are known with serious consequences in South America. In addition, the spider has tiny fangs and no tendency to bite.

Small video:

7 Australian tarantula (Australian tarantulas, Phlogius crassipes)

Australia has its own tarantulas. They are also called tarantulas, although this is rarely justified. These spiders primarily feed on insects, including other spiders, lizards, and frogs, and occasionally prey on nestling birds.

There are mainly four genera Selenocosmia, Selenotholus, Selenotypus and Phlog iellus, found throughout the country. Despite their frighteningly large size and hairy legs (6 cm body and 16 cm leg span), tarantulas are not very dangerous to humans. They have rather painful bites due to their large fangs (1 cm long), but severe consequences (nausea, vomiting, fever) are rare. However, occasionally they manage to kill the dog. Females live for about 12 years and males for about five years.

Small video:

6 White-tailed spiders, Lampona cylindrata and Lampona murina

Lampona cylindrata is found in wild and urban areas in southern Australia, from south Queensland to Tasmania, on the east and west coasts, and Lampona murina in eastern Australia. Unlike burrowing spiders, white-tailed spiders are nomadic hunters and roam at night, hunting other spiders.

White-tailed spiders are believed to carry a necrotic, flesh-destroying venom, although scientific evidence does not support this. Recent studies have shown that the venom does not pose a great danger to humans and is limited to moderate pain at the site of the bite.

Small video:

5 Mason spider (Trap door spiders, Idiopidae family)

The method of hunting these spiders is to mask the entrance to the hole in order to deceive and drag the victim passing by, in connection with which they were named. Measuring 1.5 to 3 cm long, and as is often the case, females are significantly larger than males, but males are more aggressive when threatened.

Found in the wild or urban environment of Australia, the bite of these spiders causes only minor symptoms in humans, usually causing only local pain, but sometimes nausea, lethargy and malaise.

Small video:

4 Mouse spider (Missulena)

There are eight species of mouse spiders found throughout Australia, they are commonly found in burrows, often near rivers and bodies of water, and can occasionally be found in suburban areas.

The venom of these spiders is similar to funnel-web spiders, although they are not credited with death; Only one case of severe poisoning has been reported. Studies have shown that funnel-web spider antidote is effective for funnel-web spiders as well. It is sometimes difficult to tell the two species apart, and it is highly recommended that you treat their bites with the same caution.

Mouse spiders are quite lethargic and rarely aggressive. The females usually stay in their burrow while the males wander in search of their other half. Unlike other spiders, they are often active in daytime, while other species from the same family prefer to be active at night to avoid heat and predators active during the day.

Small video:

3 Australian widow (Redback spider, Latrodectus hasselti)

The Australian widow is found throughout Australia, including cities. Spiders often hide in dry, sheltered areas such as garden sheds, mailboxes, and under toilet seats.

The exact number of spider bites is unknown, but about two thousand reports are received each year and about 250 people receive antivenom. There have been no deaths since the advent of the antidote in the 1950s.

The most severe bites are in females, which are about 1 cm long (larger than males) and are recognizable by the well-known red stripe on the back, from which it gets its name. They have a neurotoxic venom that is dangerous to humans, but their small fangs make many bites ineffective because the poison does not penetrate the body. The spread of the poison causes various negative effects, but the main symptom is severe and persistent pain - which can last from several hours to several days depending on the sensitivity to the poison, in addition - nausea, malaise and lethargy.

Small video:

2 Other funnel-webs (Other funnel-webs, Agelenidae)

There are about 40 funnel-web spider species in Australia, but only six of them cause severe envenoming, with victims usually from southern Queensland and northern New South Wales.

The most dangerous are the impressive northern arboreal funnel spider - Hadronyche formidabilis (length 4-5 cm) and the small southern Funnel spider - Hadronyche cerberea. Half of the bites of these species result in severe intoxication.

Every year, up to 30-40 people fall prey to these spiders, but there is an available and effective antidote. They feed mainly on everything from beetles to frogs, the period of greatest activity during the warmer months, from November to March.

1 Sydney Funnel Web Spider (Sydney funnel-web, Atrax robustus)

With a highly toxic venom produced in large quantities and large fangs, the Sydney Funnel Spider is without a doubt the deadliest spider in Australia and possibly the world.

Found in New South Wales, in forests, as well as in densely populated cities, they burrow in moist, hidden places. They can crawl in backyards and sometimes fall into pools. They are not common, but they can be very aggressive when threatened.

Measuring only 1.5 to 3.5 cm in size, the Sydney Funnel Spider has large fangs and they are so powerful that they can even pierce through toenails. Their venom contains the protein Delta atracotoxin, which acts directly on the human nervous system and can disrupt the functioning of organs, and the bite of a male can even kill. Every sixth bite causes a severe reaction, an antidote was found in 1981 and no deaths have been recorded since.

Small video:

The hunter spider belongs to the species Dolomedes fimbriatus L. Belongs to the family, lives in the water, near water bodies. Distributed throughout the world, most prominent representatives live in tropical countries. Large specimens are poisonous to humans, but do not pose a mortal threat.

Appearance description - general features

Hunter spiders live on almost all continents, differ in size, color, lifestyle, reproduction. The most famous 3 species are inhabitants of tropical countries.

Australian hunter spider (lat. Heteropoda)

Leg span is 30 cm, body length is 46 mm. Biggest . The color is varied. Brown, gray, green shades predominate. Females are always more than males by almost 2 times. The abdomen is convex, 4 pairs of powerful, long limbs are attached to the cephalothorax. There are 8 eyes on the head, 2 of them are main, the rest are auxiliary.

On a note!

Australian giant spider leads a nocturnal lifestyle, hunts from an ambush or pursues a victim. It does not weave trapping nets, but envelops the entrance to its own shelter. An adult lives up to 3 years.

Banded hunter spider

Representative of the Eurasian continent. The body size of the female is 2 cm, the male is 1.3 cm. The color is yellow-brown, black-brown. Bright yellow stripes on the sides. In young spiders, the body is uniformly colored yellow, there are no stripes or spots. Settles along the banks of reservoirs in moist soil. It does not form trapping nets. It hunts aquatic, land insects, fish, fry, frogs. Runs fast, dives.

On a note!

The life expectancy of sexually mature females is 1.5 years. Males die much earlier - almost immediately after fertilization, very often they are eaten by the female.

Dwells in European countries, meets . In total, about 1 thousand varieties are known. Differs in bright color, large size. The body length of females reaches 2 cm, excluding legs, males are half as much. The cephalothorax is brown, there are longitudinal yellow stripes on the abdomen. The limbs are 6 cm long and covered with hairs and spines. A photo of a hunter spider with a bright color is presented below. Hunting leads from an ambush, settles near water bodies. Runs fast, builds a raft of plants to move through the water. The female lives up to 2 years.

Interesting!

Because of their large size, bright colors, hunter spiders are often kept as a pet. In an artificial environment, they grow, mate, and reproduce.

Behavior, lifestyle

All hunters live near water bodies, they are often caught together with duckweed with a net, net. They live on water or in close proximity. Trapping nets for catching prey are not weaved, they hunt actively. Once on the water, they quickly form a raft from improvised materials - dry grass, leaves, bark. They entangle several parts with a cobweb, sit on a raft, calmly swim in a swamp, a deep puddle.

The basis of the diet are insects. As well as fry, crustaceans, snails, caterpillars. Large specimens prey on fish, frogs, newts, snakes, snakes. They attack from a hidden place. Inject poison, saliva. The first substance paralyzes the victim, the second - liquefies the insides to the state of broth. After a few minutes, the predator starts the meal.

Gathered in pairs only mating season. After fertilization, a hungry female can safely eat her "boyfriend". For laying eggs, it forms a cocoon of cobwebs. At one time, it fits from 500 to 1000 pieces. The female attaches them to plants near the reservoir or carries them on herself. Incubation period 3 weeks. Young spiders almost immediately start an independent life.

Human danger

Hunters are nocturnal, in search of food they can crawl into a person's house. They hide under furniture, in shoes, among clothes, cabinets with dishes.

On a note!

At the site there is swelling, swelling, redness. In people with weak immunity, allergic people, young children, there is often a deterioration in well-being - weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting. The condition returns to normal in a few days. To speed up the effect, antihistamines are taken. The hunter is not included.

Spiders are small predators, smart and cunning creatures of nature. Most of them are selfish, hunting only for themselves, but there is a group of spiders among them who hunt with the whole flock (social spiders). Spiders hunt in the most sophisticated ways: weave traps - nets of ingenious web designs, shoot with web bullets, sit in ambush, introduce the victim into a hypnotic state. A web hanging between bushes, tree branches is a simple trap - a net.

on this topic

The spider's web is a real miracle of nature. Inside the spider is a real weaving workshop, which is capable of producing threads of different thicknesses, a sticky substance for lubricating the web threads. The length of the web is equal to the length of the equator, although its mass does not exceed 400 grams. In terms of elasticity and strength, the spider's web is one of the most resistant materials that exist on Earth.

There are several types of hunter spiders.

read also

Spiders are web crawlers. To build its web, the spider uses dry and sticky cobweb threads. Its net is like a canopy stretched low above the ground. Sticky threads are stretched from it to the ground, running along the ground and touching them, insects stick to them. The famous spider karakurt also hunts in the same way. Ambush spiders don't weave webs. They live under stones or under the loose bark of a tree, and there they make a shelter from the cobwebs. Insects and even other spiders running past inevitably fall into the trap of an ambush spider. They wait for their prey, not going far from the shelter.

A curious spectacle is the wandering spiders. A jumping spider quickly and quite dexterously moves through leaves and flowers. It attacks flies and even butterflies that exceed its size. Spiders - wolves have a different way of hunting. They also don't build shelters. They move on the ground, where they find food for themselves. Many of them lead an active nocturnal lifestyle.

It is interesting to hunt a water spider. He builds several underwater bells. The underwater bell is its shelter, which consists of cobwebs and small air bubbles. Sitting in the bell, he waits for his prey (usually small arthropods), from time to time rising to the surface of the water to stock up on air.

In the tropics, round webs reach a diameter of about two meters. The tree spider stretches its web - a trap between the trees. Such a web can withstand the weight of even a small bird! But funnel spiders weave a web - a cone-shaped trap. The web resembles the shape of a funnel. Hence the name - funnel spider. They build their funnels in placers of stones, between logs, in the grass. Having built a web, the spider sits in an ambush at the bottom of the funnel. As soon as the insect approaches the web, the spider jumps out of the ambush. Pounces on the victim and drags her to him.

Spiders are obligate predators, they get food only in a predatory way. They feed on arthropods. Among spiders - obligate predators, only one group is known: Bagheera kiplingi - spiders - horses that feed exclusively on parts of a plant called acacia.

Australia is famous for being home to some of the deadliest creatures on the planet. The sea is full of man-eating sharks, on land there are many poisonous snakes and there is even a bird capable of killing a person, of course, it cannot fly, but you can guess who it is. However, Australia is famous for its diversity of our friends, the eight-legged spiders. If you are an arachnophobe, then Australia, with its 10,000 species of spiders, may create some discomfort for you.

In reality, not all poisonous spiders are able to bite a person and even cause at least some potential risk. In fact, statistically, Australian spiders are not that dangerous, the last recorded death from a spider bite occurred in 1981. Now compare the mortality from attacks, such as wombats!

Now, armed with facts, you understand that you should not be afraid of spiders at all. But, nevertheless, let us introduce you to the ten not so deadly spiders of Australia.

10 Common Orb Weaving Spiders

Photo. Orb weaving spider

The very name of the spider says quite a lot about this spider. It is very common in the gardens of Australia, where it weaves intricate webs, the word "orbweavers" suggests that these spiders weave their webs in a circle. They differ from other spiders in their bulky belly and meticulousness in weaving webs, there are about 100 varieties of them. Unlike the common cross, the overseas eriophora (Eriophora transmarina) is nocturnal, often making its nets near night lights that attract insects.

Orb weaving spiders are often referred to as garden spiders because they are the most common in the garden, spinning a new web every night, often where we can least expect. They will hunt until the morning, after which they rise and hide under the foliage or in other places that will provide them with a temporary shelter, like the eaves of your house. If you find their large and empty web during the day, then you can easily find the place where the spider is hiding, along the thread leading from the middle of the web to a secluded place.

These spiders are large, hairy, and harmless, although the bite can sometimes be painful. They are mostly gray or brown, but can also be orange, black and white, or white. Since they make a new web every night, you can get a good chance to watch them weave it.

Although it is nocturnal, it is one of the most commonly seen spiders in Australia. He is not aggressive at all and will retreat or play dead if he feels threatened. However, this large spider is able to attack and bite a person. In fact, Eriophora overseas has more spider bites than any other species. Fortunately, the bite is rather mild and as a result, local pain, numbness and swelling at the bite site may appear for a while.

9. Spider-hunter

Photo. hunter spider

A hunter spider is a typical large hairy fast moving spider (it can overcome 1 meter in a second), which can really scare arachnophobes. About 155 species of hunter spiders live in Australia. They can be up to 15 cm (6 inches) in diameter with legs and can usually be seen running up walls. As the name "hunter" suggests, they don't use tarantulas to ambush their prey, but use speed.

The spider usually lives under the lagging bark of trees, under rocks, in crevices, and under foliage. These spiders can be social animals, sometimes seen in dozens sitting next to each other on dead trees or stumps.

These spiders are active at night and are found all over Australia and generally don't bother anyone except people who are afraid of spiders! Although they may bite, they are not usually aggressive except when the female is guarding her eggs.

Video. Spider hunter running towards the camera

The bite is quite painful, but not dangerous. It may cause some systemic effects such as nausea, headache and palpitations, but obviously not tissue necrosis.

Perhaps the greatest danger posed by hunter spiders is their habit of climbing into cars. sudden appearance big spider behind the sun visor or a spider running across the dashboard has allegedly led to several car accidents.

Also, this spider distinguished itself by its incredibly huge size. The chilling image, which shows the largest hunter spider perched on a broomstick, was taken at an animal rescue farm in the Brisbane Valley in Queensland.

Photo. Huge hunter spider crawls on a broomstick in Queensland

Photo. Selfie with a large hunter spider in Australia

Rescuers have named this spider Charlotte, and for some people, it really can seem like a nightmare that they see in their dreams. Pictures of this spider were taken in October 2015, but only at the beginning of November 2016 surfaced in in social networks where they spread like wildfire.

Some commenters got scared by the size of this spider and left disturbing responses under the photos, here is one of them: “100% approve and respect what you are doing here, but please, for God's sake, keep this thing and all his family and friends, damn it away from me."

Others were surprised at the clumsy-looking arachnid, suggesting that it was rare for them to grow to such a large size: "Here he is huge, how did he become so ... in fact, it is not at all normal for hunter spiders to grow so big."

Photo. Man drowns car after hunter spider falls on his lap

These spiders are notorious for popping up from under the dashboard of a car at the wrong time, sometimes with disastrous results. Specifically, on November 1, 2016, a hunter spider fell into a driver's lap, causing the man to accidentally step on the gas with his foot and drive the car into Lake Katy in New South Wales.

These spiders never cease to amaze with their hunting abilities. In the summer of 2019, photos of a hunter spider that caught a possum appeared on the network.

South Tasmanian Justine Lutton shared photos taken by her husband in a Facebook group on June 14, 2019 Tasmanian Insects and Spiders. Lutton stated in a radio program Tasmania Talks that her husband took pictures of a cabin in Mount Field National Park in Tasmania during light renovation work.

Members of a Facebook group have identified the arachnid as a hunter spider (also known as a giant crab spider). In the photo, a hunter spider hangs upside down from a door hinge and holds its prey by the neck. A dead marsupial (possum) dangles listlessly in the mandibles of a hunting spider.

Photo. Spider hunter caught a possum

An animal commonly known as the possum in North America(in fact, the "possum" belongs to a different detachment), can grow to the size of a cat. But the small dwarf possum (lat. Cercartetus lepidus) is the world's smallest possum, measuring 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7 centimeters) in length and weighing about 0.2 ounces (7 grams), according to the Park Service and wildlife Tasmania.

Husband Justin was doing renovations when he spotted a spider lurking on a door just above his colleague's head. They caught the spider with an empty ice cream container and released the spider from the lodge, the spider skipped and left its possum behind, Lutton said.

8 Mygalomorph Spiders

Photo. Representative of migalomorphic spiders

These ambush spiders (often referred to as traps) from the Misgolas family have the ability to attack those who unwittingly disturb them. Although rather scary in appearance, this spider is often confused with the infamous and very dangerous Sydney leucoweb spider. Fortunately, mygalomorph spiders are not as venomous as the Sydney leucoweb spider. The bite is undoubtedly painful, but nothing will happen, the usual swelling and small systemic symptoms characteristic of spider bites will appear.

This is usually a shy spider, but sometimes, if someone wanders near his hole, he will stand up on his hind legs and show his fangs. They spend most of their time in their burrows. At night, they wait for their prey at the entrance to the burrow. Spiders dig holes, lining them with silk from the inside. Burrows can be up to 25 centimeters deep and about 2 centimeters wide.

These spiders feed on various pests and other arthropods. If someone runs near his burrow, he jumps on the prey, neutralizes it with a fast-acting poison and then pulls the prey into the burrow. They help control insect numbers and kill insects and other arthropods like beetles, cockroaches, crickets, wood lice, spiders and even butterflies that get too close to the burrow entrance.

In wet weather, adult males wander in search of a mate. Mating takes place in the female's burrow. Usually the male escapes the female in order not to be eaten; before death, the males may have time to mate with several females. The eggs are stored in the female's burrow in a cocoon. After hatching, the spiderlings remain in the hole for some time, after which they disperse.

7. Black house spider

Photo. Black house spider

The black house spider (lat. Badumna insignis), as its name suggests, often lives indoors. It is found throughout Australia and reaches maximum dimensions in 30 mm.

They build an intricate funnel-shaped web in which they spend most of their time waiting for their lunch. The female spider never leaves the web unless forced to do so. They are very territorial animals in location, they rarely change the position of their webs, due to which old webs can be quite dirty, often with small objects and dust stuck in them, and it is for this reason that they often come into contact with people, i. e. when you pass with a rag through dusty places. At night, the spider goes out to "repair" the web and often simply adds new strands on top of the old ones.

Black house spiders are not usually aggressive and will not bite unless they are annoyed. Although they are not considered dangerous spiders, the bite of a black house spider will appear as a groove. The bite itself is described as quite painful, followed by swelling at the site of the bite. Systemic symptoms may then follow, such as general nausea, sweating, vomiting, breathing problems, muscle pain, etc., but these symptoms are only temporary. In rare cases, mild necrosis causes damage to the skin, but this is only after a few bites.

6. White-tailed spider

Photo. white tail spider

The two most common white-tailed spiders in Australia are Lampona cylindrata and Lampona murina. The two species are not easily distinguished from each other without microscopic examination. They are slender, dark red spiders with a cigar-shaped body and darkish orange-brown legs. On the belly there are two faint white spots and a pronounced White spot at the very tip of the abdomen.

The similarity has led people to believe that there is only one species of white-tailed spider. It is possible that not all white-tailed species have been identified. The description, white-tailed, applies to various species of spiders that have a white mark on their abdomen, which is hallmark, other marks disappear with age, but the white-tail remains when the spiders become adults.

You know, the white-tailed spider can be very tough, even capable of preying on some of the spiders on this list. They do not weave webs but instead stalk their prey at night, their favorite at this favorite time of day is the black house spider.

White-tailed spiders are quite common and can be found almost everywhere in Australia. They have a habit of traveling and often hide in folds of clothing, towels and shoes. This inevitably increases the amount of human contact and explains why they are included in the spider bite statistics.

The bite itself is the subject of discussion. Previously, it was massively reported that the bite of these spiders causes necrosis, i.e. necrosis of surrounding tissues, leading to large open sores. But it is now reported that a white-tailed spider bite can lead to localized pain and swelling, possibly with some mild systemic effects, as reported in the latest case in which a man was bitten by a white-tailed spider and had two of his legs amputated. But experts assure that it is not the spider bite that is to blame, but the Bairnsdale ulcer (Buruli ulcer).

5. Australian tarantulas (Selenocosmia, Selenotholus, Selenotypus and Phlogiellus)

Photo. Australian tarantula representative

No wonder Australian tarantulas are the largest spiders in Australia. With limbs reaching over 22 cm (9 in) and intimidating fangs up to 1 cm, these spiders are adapted to hunt fairly large prey. They also have the longest lifespan of any spider in Australia, with some females living up to 30 years (unfortunately males only up to 8 years).

There are several groups of spiders here called tarantulas: Selenocosmia, Selenotholus, Selenotypus, and Phlogiellus. Selenocosmia (as pictured above), also known as the "Queensland whistling tarantula" or "barking spider", it makes a hissing noise, which is why it is so called.

Only for one kind of tarantula deserve to be in the TOP-10. But as we all know, these big spiders have strong bite. Given their large fangs, like some snakes, this is going to hurt. The venom is not as strong as some of the spiders on this list, but it can result in some severe systemic effects such as vomiting for up to 6 hours. Spiders pose a great danger to animals and have been reported to be fatal to cats and dogs.

4. Loxosceles (hermit spiders)

Photo. recluse spider

The recluse spider (Loxosceles) is quickly becoming one of the most feared arachnids on the planet. There are numerous images as well as the effects of the bite circulating on the internet, but this is one of the fairly harmless spider species. The carnivorous properties of its venom have attracted attention. Bites resulting in large areas of skin and flesh being destroyed are not uncommon. These injuries are known for their slow healing and may require skin grafts. In the worst cases, the limb is amputated and many deaths around the world are attributed to recluse spiders.

There are even reports that some insecticides do not take them, which only makes them more poisonous and aggressive!

Okay, is this bad news? Fortunately, recluse spiders are not known to be aggressive and their bites are rare. Small fangs also limit their ability as a venomous species. In addition, most bites are fairly inconspicuous and result in only minor symptoms.

The really good news for Australians is that many species of recluse spiders are quite small and not as common as reported. Over the past 20 years, there have been no reports of a bite in Australia.

3. Mouse spider

Photo Red-headed mouse spider

The photo above will be enough to convince you that these spiders are really serious guys. The red-headed mouse spider is the most common of the ten Missulena species. Hiding, the mouse spider creates two moves to provide itself with a safe exit if something threatens it. Males are known to roam throughout the summer and fall, especially after rain. Females tend to stay within or near their burrows throughout their lives. Being slow-moving spiders, they are rarely aggressive.

Mouse spiders can be found in open forest in semi-arid areas where shrubs grow. They are quite common throughout Australia and live in burrows in the ground as trap spiders, often on the banks of rivers, streams and other water sources, and are sometimes found in suburban gardens. The spider's strong jaws and venom allow them to kill prey larger than themselves, such as small lizards, mammals, and frogs.

Therefore, it is not surprising, but mouse spiders are capable of causing unpleasant pain when bitten. The toxicity of the venom varies between species, but there are reports that the strongest of them is as dangerous as the venom of the Sydney funnel-web spider. Therefore, you can rest assured that the antidote used for Sydney funnel-web spider bites is also effective for mouse spider bites.

2. Redback spider (Latrodectus hasselti)

Photo. redback spider

The redback spider is one of Australia's most iconic venomous spiders. Instantly recognizable by the stripe of red on its abdomen, you cannot mistake it for other spiders. This spider is a member of the Latrodectus family, along with the equally infamous black widows, and are very similar in appearance. Most deserving of your attention is the strength of the poison - this is the most powerful poison among Australian spiders. The effects of this powerful poison range from localized pain to a systemic condition known as latrodectism. Symptoms: pain and swelling spreading from the affected area, abdominal pain, nausea and sweating, etc. This condition occurs in about half of bites and can be fatal in the elderly and very young. Within an hour, the victim usually develops more severe local pain with focal swelling.

The redback spider is one of the few arachnids that commonly exhibits sexual cannibalism during mating. In about two out of three cases, the female completely eats the male during mating. Males that have not been eaten completely die of their wounds shortly after mating. Sacrifice during mating is believed to confer two benefits on males. First, the process of eating allows them to copulate over a longer period and thus fertilize more eggs. Secondly, the female who ate the male is more likely to refuse the next suitors. While this is a major handicap for the male as he will no longer be able to mate, this is not a major disadvantage as these spiders are rare enough that only 20% of males will ever find a potential mate in their lifetime, in any case the male is functionally sterile if he is in during the first mating, he used the contents of his two paired palps.

Unlike many of the other spiders on this list, the bite of the redback spider is quite common. It is estimated that between 2,000 and 10,000 people are bitten by these spiders every year. Even more alarming is the large number of bites in the genitals, which is why in Australia the court buildings of the toilets are being replaced by indoor toilets.

Fortunately, there is an effective antidote for redback spider bites. When it was developed in the 1950s, there hasn't been a single bite since then that has resulted in the death of a person. However, it should be avoided!

1. Sydney leukopautinous (funnel) spider

Photo. Sydney funnel spider

The Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus), perhaps the most dangerous spider in the world. Aggressiveness and its ability to terrify in some cases, led to death. There are several factors that make the funnel spider worthy of its place in the hall of fame. First, they are aggressive. Although the vast majority of spiders will try to avoid confrontation, the Sydney funnel-web spider will attack and attempt to bite no matter who threatens it. When attacking, the spider will cling to its prey, biting repeatedly to make sure it has injected the full dose of venom.

Aside from this willingness to bite, the Sydney funnel-web spider has an amazing set of fangs. Pointing straight down, these hollow fangs are larger than those of some snakes and are capable of slamming into prey with considerable force. The fangs of the Sydney funnel-web spider have been reported to be able to penetrate shoe leather and nails. Through this destructive venom delivery mechanism, the spider injects an appropriate dose of a powerful atracotoxin, a small dose can kill anything that flies, crawls, and threatens it.

It is also unusual that the males of this spider have a more deadly bite, about 6 times stronger. This neurotoxin is especially toxic to primates, attacking the nervous system in minutes. Only 20% of bites cause severe reactions like muscle spasms, heart palpitations, vomiting, head confusion and cerebral edema. One study reports that death occurs within 28 minutes of being bitten. There is at least one reported case where one Small child died 15 minutes after being bitten by a Sydney funnel-web spider, although this tragedy happened before antivenom was available.

Video. What is the danger of the Sydney leukocobweb spider for people

These spiders are primarily active at night, as typical daytime conditions dehydrate them. During the day, they seek shelter in cool, damp shelters. After heavy rain spider activity increases as their burrows can be flooded. When threatened or annoyed, funnel web spiders will exhibit aggressive behavior standing on its hind legs and showing fangs. When a funnel spider bites, it has tight control over its prey, often repeatedly biting.

Reports state that the Sydney funnel-web spider was responsible for 13 deaths in the reporting years, all of which were attributed to males of this spider. However, since the invention of an antivenom for this spider species in 1981, no deaths have been reported.

If you are going on vacation or a business trip to Australia, then you should watch the following documentary about the most dangerous animals in Australia. In addition, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with, there are also videos for each continent.

Video. The most dangerous animals in the world. Australia

Other interesting facts about Australian spiders

In 2012, Australian spiders spun huge webs that covered an entire region.

In early March 2012, flood-damaged fields in New South Wales were covered in a web of wolf spiders. In an attempt to avoid rising water, the spiders climbed the grass and released hundreds of meters of silk in the hope of flying to a safe place with a gust of wind. locals they were called the flying spiders (on the web) of Australia.

"Everything you see is the result of all their failed attempts to escape." Evolutionary geneticist and spider expert, Amber Beavis, said it was unusual to see adult spiders trying to escape in a balloon.

Photo. Australian fields strewn with cobwebs

Photo. dog under the cobweb

Photo. Everything is strewn with cobwebs

Usually young spiders use this method of travel, said Dr. Beavis from the Australian national university. She said that wolf spiders are not social spiders. “They are loners, but in such extreme conditions, they clearly do not mind being near each other.”

Spiders do not pose any harm to humans. They are not aggressive and do not bite unless they are facing a serious threat or if their life is not in danger. They have a mild venom, so if they bite you, you may get a mild headache and local pain.

Video. In Australia, millions of spiders wove a huge web

Because of the water, the number of mosquitoes was unbelievable, but these spiders grabbed all these insects and bugs. They are beneficial. They actually helped people, experts said.

wrapping spider
A photo of a spider in disguise will make arachnophobes shudder, as you can see that this spider is flexible enough to be found in Australia.

The pictured spider, Dolophones turrigera, or wrap-around spider, was found in the Rotary Park Rainforest Reserve, in Lismore, New South Wales. They can easily camouflage even on a regular branch.

Its general appearance is typical of all types of Australian dolophones, where upper surface the abdomen resembles a cone-shaped shield. The adult female is about 8 mm long, and the male is slightly smaller, usually 4-5 mm. Other types of dolophones, such as Dolophones conifera, are very similar.

Photo. Wrap spider camouflaged on a branch

Photo. The wrapper spider has a cone-shaped abdomen

Photo. Wrap spider in the shade of foliage

Wrap spiders have a concave underside, allowing them to wrap themselves around small branches during the day to camouflage themselves from birds, wasps, and other predators, and at night they build large webs between the trees.

New species of spider named after singer Bob Marley
It was two o'clock in the morning on January 11, 2009. The tide on the coast of Queensland, Australia, has receded significantly and revealed for the first time a group of sea spiders unknown to date. This peculiar scene reminded scientists of a popular 1973 Bob Marley song called "High Tide or Low Tide", which means "ebb or flow".

Researchers have described it as the new kind spider. Now a team consisting of Dr. Barbara Bahra, Robert Voron and Danilo Kharms, affiliated with the Queensland Museum and the University of Hamburg in Germany, has published this study revealing details about the arachnid and providing information on two of its relatives (previously known but not studied) from Samoa and Western Australia.

Photo. Spider Desis bobmarleyi

The new species was given a scientific name Desis bobmarleyi. And unlike other spiders with which people are widely familiar, this species is truly marine.

These animals have adapted to underwater life, at high tide they hide in the shells of empty shells, corals and algae. In order to breathe, they build air chambers built from silk. However, once the sea water is gone, they prey on small invertebrates that walk on the surface of rocks, coral, and nearby plants.

The study was aimed at examining female and male samples collected from where they were found. Both sexes are predominantly characterized by reddish and brown colors and their limbs are orange-brown and they are covered dense layer thin, long and dark gray structures. Females are larger than males at almost 9 millimeters, while males are about 6 millimeters long.

The distribution range of this species is still too abstract to define a precise region. However, they can currently be tracked in the tidal zones of the Great barrier reef which is located on the northeast coast of Australia.

The scientists are also using their work to honor the memory of a late 19th-century German naturalist: Amalia Dietrich, also known as a Jamaican singer and songwriter.

"The song High Tide or Low Tide is the perfect reference for this spider because it speaks of love and friendship in all of life's battles," explains the writers who gave the spider the curious name. Both personalities, although they represent very different areas, are perceived by researchers as examples of human nature, "enterprising and persistent at heart" in search of freedom and independence.

Many have probably seen on the Internet or the media photos or videos with huge spiders the size of a plate, or even more. Such giants do exist, and they are not as ferocious as they seem at first glance. In this article, we will get acquainted with some varieties of one of the largest representatives of arachnids - a hunter spider, and also find out if they pose a threat to humans and what the consequences may be when meeting with him.

Characteristics of the hunter spider

Hunter spiders can be found on different continents. These creatures have different appearance, lifestyle and methods of reproduction. To get acquainted, consider the 3 most common and well-known varieties of hunters in the world:

• Australian(lat. Heteropoda);
  
• bordered(lat. Dolomedes fimbriatus);
  
• striped(lat. Dolomedes plantarius).
  

Australian

Appearance	It reaches a length of up to 4.6 cm. The span of the legs is 30 cm. There are 8 eyes in 2 rows on the sides of the cephalothorax. The color of the body, depending on the species, varies from dark green to light gray.
Spreading	In Australia, there are several species of the genus Heteropoda: Heteropoda sartrix, Heteropoda renibulbis, Heteropoda kalbarri.
Lifestyle	Leads a predominantly nocturnal lifestyle. Runs fast. It can sit in ambush for a long time, stalking the victim, or chasing it for short distances.
Nutrition	Insects.
reproduction	After mating, the female may eat the male. She constructs a cocoon to bear her eggs.
Lifespan	Up to 3 years.

class="table-bordered">

Did you know? Among the phobias identified by psychologists, the most common is the fear of spiders, scientifically - arachnophobia. It affects about 6% of people in the world. Celebrity arachnophobes include actor Johnny Depp, tennis player Martina Navratilova, US President Ronald Reagan, singer Samantha Fox, singer Justin Timberlake.

Kayomchaty

Appearance	The length of the female reaches 1.2–2 cm, the male - 1–1.3 cm. The color can be in several variations - from yellow-brown to black-brown. The sides of the cephalothorax are bordered by bright yellow or white stripe. In young individuals, stripes may be absent, and the body is colored yellow. Brown color.
Spreading	It lives along the banks of reservoirs with stagnant water, is found on the Eurasian continent in wet meadows, swamps, wetlands, and gardens.
Lifestyle	He does not equip himself with dwellings, he does not build cobwebs. Hunts prey by chasing and jumping out of an ambush. Runs fast, can move through the water and dive. After catching the victim, it kills it by injecting poison, dilutes and absorbs it for several hours.
Nutrition	Insects like themselves, tadpoles, small fish.
reproduction	Mating occurs in May-June. After that, the female builds a cocoon with a diameter of 1 cm and lays about 1000 eggs there. During the incubation process, which lasts approximately 3 weeks, the female carries a cocoon on her body. Immediately before hatching, the spider prepares a net in the form of a dome with a diameter of 25 cm, which it hangs on plants growing near water at a height of 10–100 cm. After the birth, the spiders remain in this net for about 7 days. The mother also does not leave her during this time.
Lifespan	1–1.5 years.

class="table-bordered">

Important! When bitten by a spider, call ambulance, rinse the wound with water and an antiseptic, fix the limb to prevent the rapid spread of poison throughout the body, give the person an antihistamine, apply a cold compress to the bite site and provide the bitten with plenty of drink.

Striped

Appearance	The body length of males reaches 1–1.2 cm, females - 2 cm. The cephalothorax is colored brown. A wide yellow stripe runs along its sides. The eyes are located on the sides in 2 rows of 4 pieces. The abdomen has an oval shape, it has 2 yellowish longitudinal lines below and on the sides. The body is covered with hydrophobic hairs that prevent it from getting wet. The legs are long, about 6 cm thick, covered with spines. At the ends there are scopulae - pads, consisting of hairs, designed to move along smooth surfaces.
Spreading	Lives in European countries. Most often comes across in Lithuania. In Belarus and Lithuania, it is listed in the Red Book. There are about 100 varieties.
Lifestyle	Prefers to live near water. It can completely submerge in open water sources, as well as move through the water, sliding along the surface with its paws. Often hunts from the water, being the front part of the body in the pond, and the back on the vegetation. The victim is ambushed. Does not use a web to catch prey. The victim is killed by injecting poison, which acts almost instantly. For movement on water and hunting, it can build a "raft" of vegetation and dry foliage that float on the surface of the reservoir. On land, the spider moves at high speed.
Nutrition	Insects: mosquitoes and their larvae, water striders, dragonflies, flies; small fish, frogs, tadpoles; other types of spiders.
reproduction	Mating takes place twice a year. The female lays 500–600 eggs in a cocoon. The process of carrying babies and caring for them is the same as that of a border spider.
Lifespan	Up to 2 years.

class="table-bordered">

Did you know? A Australia is famous for its population of the most unusual and largest spiders in the world. One of them is a pelican spider, interesting topic, which has long neck and a pelican-like beak. He preys on small relatives, deceiving them into his nets.

Is there a danger and what could be the consequences of the bite of these spiders

Arachnologists explain that, as a rule, spider bites do not pose a serious danger to human life, since the dose of poison that it can release into a person is calculated on the death of a much smaller victim.
The body of an adult can successfully cope with the penetration of poison and neutralize toxins. You can often find the statement that there are much more deaths from bee stings than from spiders. Bites can be dangerous only for certain categories of people:

• little children;
• allergic to substances contained in the poison;
• having a fear of spiders.

Australia is home to most of the world's poisonous spiders. However, the hunter spider that lives on its territory is not included in the list of threats to humans, its poison does not provoke serious intoxication of the human body. In addition, most often these arthropods do not show aggression towards people, but prefer to move away when they appear. Aggression can only be shown by the female during the period of gestation.
The consequences of the bites of Australian hunting spiders can be as follows:

• redness in the bite area;
• nervous shock, stress from a meeting with a giant.
The poison of the banded and striped hunter spiders also does not pose a threat to human life. A bite can cause redness on the body, swelling, pain at the bite site, itching. If a person is allergic, then headache, convulsions, shortness of breath, chills, runny nose, fatigue, drowsiness, fever and blood pressure may develop.

Important! When bitten by a spider, it is forbidden to apply a tourniquet to the limb, make incisions and cauterize the bite site. All these activities provoke a deterioration in the condition of the bitten.

Hunter spiders are found in many parts of the world. They have a large size, interesting appearance, lead an active lifestyle. They are poisonous, but do not pose a serious danger to humans. They can only pose a threat to small children and people with allergies. Also, these giants can be dangerous for people with arachnophobia due to nervous shocks and their health consequences.