If you see this spider DO NOT pick it up!

**Matt Bleck** · 7th March 2008, 14:30

Originally Posted by Jimmy B

http://www.snopes.com/photos/bugs/brownrecluse.asp

My vote is for hoax.

Oh FFS, so Site Safety NZ have no fucking idea!?????

**Jimmy B** · 7th March 2008, 14:38

I would like to think that if a genuine bitey (as this one may or may not be) breached our biosecurity then we would all get a more tangible warning from MAF.

BTW I still havent forgiven those bastiges for confiscating my last breeding pair of painted apple moths.

Edit - Looks like the Brown recluse is right up there with the Black Widow "Brown recluse spiders possess a cytotoxin which may produce an ulcerating sore or lesion; antitoxins are available for both"

I definitely wouldnt flash my lights at them either Mikkel.

**Mikkel** · 7th March 2008, 14:43

If you see one - what ever the fuck you do: DO NOT FLASH YOUR LIGHTS AT IT! IT'LL KILL YA DED (sic)!!!

**boomer** · 7th March 2008, 14:45

Originally Posted by nodrog

and his badge number please, or this goes INTERNATIONAL!

do eeet.. blow teh cover of this pr0n ring!

**MIXONE** · 7th March 2008, 14:48

Originally Posted by boomer

do eeet.. blow teh cover of this pr0n ring!

Spiddie prOn ring.

**Big Dave** · 7th March 2008, 14:51

The wounds are those similar to what can occur with a white tail bite.
The first photo is not a white tail spider.

I subscribe to the theory that it is not the spider's venom, but there is a bacteria that lives on the white tail's fangs.

This causes an allergic reaction similar to gangrene - in some people with the relevant alergy.

My son was bitten by a White Tail in Hobart 10 years ago. He started to have the necrotic reaction.

Withing 4 days he had a blister the size of a 20c piece on his wrist and it was growing rapidly.

Amputation was discussed.

The cure not as drastic.

It was fortunate that he was in Hobart - because they stuck him in the Antarctic Station's decompression chamber and flooded him with oxygen.

This kills the bacteria.

He has a nasty scar - from a wound similar to the second photo.

If you do get bitten and have the allergic reaction. Oxygen.

Mean time - kill them remorselessly.

**kevfromcoro** · 7th March 2008, 15:22

I heard somewhere.
Put janola on the bite.
does something to the bacteria.
Dunno???

**Jimmy B** · 7th March 2008, 15:30

Originally Posted by kevfromcoro

I heard somewhere.
Put janola on the bite.
does something to the bacteria.
Dunno???

That actually sounds reasonable.

**007XX** · 7th March 2008, 15:32

I went grocery shopping a few weeks ago, and lo and behold, in the packaged green grapes, was a dead black widow

Quickly gave it to the management

i freakin hate spiders, but even more if they appear to be in my food...

**riffer** · 7th March 2008, 15:33

My youngest son Nicky copped a nasty whitetail bite over Xmas. At first it appeared to be like a boil on his thigh (looked very much like the first pic of the thumb) but got progressively worse.

I drew around the red to check its progress - at one stage it was advancing a good 5mm an hour - we went straight to the After Hours and they lanced it and got him on antibiotics immediately.

He ended up with six weeks of antibiotics and still has a scar.

I found the spider in his bed. It didn't survive discovery.

**PrincessBandit** · 7th March 2008, 15:48

OMG, anything with 8 legs (or less if they appear to be spidey-amputees) is bad news as far as im concerned. If i'm at all uncertain as to whether it should be allowed to live or not, i go for the latter option. But a humane death of "squash-by-shoe" is my choice rather than fly spray (even for spiders I think that's cruel).

**SPman** · 7th March 2008, 15:51

Feckin White Tails!

I was talking to the boss the other day, when a White Tail casually strolled across the wall, just behind his head. First I'd seen over here (yeah I know they come from Aus.)
Makes a change from all the Redbacks though - killed 4 of those little buggers in the last week - that'll teach them to try and build a web from the compressor to the saw bench!!!

**Ixion** · 7th March 2008, 15:52

Originally Posted by Big Dave

I subscribe to the theory that it is not the spider's venom, but there is a bacteria that lives on the white tail's fangs.

This is correct. It is a necrotysing coccus (strep or staph I can't remember which). But it is a little more complex than a simple bacterial infection. The spider venom is a protease, it lyses the protein in flesh, breaks it down and the bacteria gobble it up.

**motorbike.ventures** · 7th March 2008, 15:57

OMG guys, now I am second thinking about visiting this spidey island! Maybe safer to stay here where we have no deadly animals?

I grew up in Cali where we have black widows, I saw 3 in my life, never heard about anybody getting bitten. Your spiders are definately R rated horror movie spiders! Ekkkkkkkkkk!!!!