Huge funnel web spider

Warrigal

Warrigal

SF VIP
Location
Sydney, Australia
This is an unusually large size funnel web spider. These are very dangerous spiders, highly venomous, very aggressive and unlike most spiders, the male is more deadly than the female.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-Newcastle-taken-Australian-Reptile-Park.html

One wonders what is going on - good conditions or climate change causing spiders to grow larger? New species or genetic mutation?
Whatever is causing the large size, it is a worrying development.
 

Okay, I sleep with "pit bulls" and regularly cuddle my daughters rat pack. But this spider would have me screaming like a little girl...
 
I cannot stand spiders of any size. Even though I know that most of them are harmless, and they do eat bad insects, etc., etc., they trigger some kind of deep revulsion in my gut. I cannot even bear to open Warri's attachment. Thanks, Warri, for not just posting the picture where I'd see it when I opened the thread.
 

Autumn is the mating season for these spiders and it is when the males leave their burrows and go looking for a mate. They do this at night because they can't stand being dried out by the sun. If they are still out at sunup they look for something to crawl into or under. A shoe or some laundry left on the floor can be a hazard at mating time. Best to pick up gingerly and shake. If they fall into a swimming pool they can survive underwater for up to a week and still give a nasty bite.
 
Beeeg Spiders!

Much of the West and Southwest part of the U.S., as well as Mexico, is home to very large spiders commonly called "Tarantulas". Many are even larger than the one pictured above, often referred to as "teacup-sized". They are very capable of inflicting a severe bite, huge mandibles, but are non-venomous. "Depending on the species, the body length of tarantulas ranges from 2.5 to 10 centimetres (1 to 4 in), with leg spans of 8–30-centimetre (3–12 in)."

Male_cricket_1.jpg


We once picked one up on a hike, put it in a plastic bag from some munchies; riding back home, sitting in the back seat, I heard a strange crunching sound. The spider was chewing it's way out of the confines of the bag! imp
 
One time we parked in the woods for the day in PA. By the drivers mirror I noticed a fuzz a few days later. Kind of like one of those puffs that blow off plants. A few days later while driving I saw it was a nest, it's owner was crawling from it. The window was up but a big brown hairy spider. I did manage to drive home and get out on the other door.

Then order my son to go out and destroy it!
 
Warrigal said:
This is an unusually large size funnel web spider. These are very dangerous spiders, highly venomous, very aggressive and unlike most spiders, the male is more deadly than the female.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-Newcastle-taken-Australian-Reptile-Park.html

One wonders what is going on - good conditions or climate change causing spiders to grow larger? New species or genetic mutation?
Whatever is causing the large size, it is a worrying development.
Click to expand...

Probably a good thing that I can't look at the link (Daily Mail is blocked in Thailand) as I hate spiders!!
 

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