Saturday, June 24, 2006

Australian Killer Spiders


Australian Killer Spiders


One of the things you learn to live with in Australia is Spiders. There are always a few building webs in our pergola out the front. Always gives me the heeby jeebies when I walk straight into a web. My crochet endeavors lead me away from the cutesy to these ugly little buggers. The Funnel Web Spider, Huntsman Spider and Red Back Spider


Australia has some of the nastiest, ugliest spiders in the world.These original crochet designs have been inspired by the creepy crawlies that hang about dark dusty places, and scrubby bush in Australia.


The Sydney Funnel-Web Spider carry atraxotoxin, the world's most dangerous toxin to humans. The mature male funnel-web spider will wander around during hot humid nights, looking for a mate. After mating when he is totally exhausted the female bites him and sucks all the nourishment from his body leaving him an empty shell. What a tough cookie!

While the male is about 6 times as poisonous as the female, in this breed the female has the last laugh!


While the Huntsman is non toxic, it is a big hairy thing that scares the living daylights out of you and often hides in the garden. I often find these hanging about near the bark in the gum trees in our yard. They do bite, but actually wont kill you. I have seen these up to about 15cm ( 6 inches across). We tend to leave them alone as they get rid of the flies and mosquito's.

The Red Back Spider can make you quite ill. They are famous for hiding in dark places like underneath the toilet seat. We found some under the tile edge of our pool a few Christmases ago. I was swimming about and noticed these cute little red things under the tiled edge. I got out of the pool pretty quick on realising what they were!

They are a pretty cool looking spider with the splash of red on the back.

About 250 people received antitoxin for these each year.

I have just listed this lot on my etsy store. I think they are creepy enough to appeal to a few of you out there!

Let me know what you think.

2 comments:

LG said...

Hi Cupcake! I hate real spiders! But yours are cute!

Ruby said...

I'd like the pattern!