Australians warned of possible deadly spider “bonanza”

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An Australian funnel-web spider is seen at the Australian Reptile Park in a January 23, 2006 file photo. Getty

Australians, already reeling from months of devastating bushfires, have been warned they face a potential “bonanza” of “super dangerous” funnel-web spiders. While experts have voiced fears that the bushfires have killed as many as a billion wild animals, and pushed as many as a 100 species closer to extinction, the deadly spiders are apparently thriving.

Jake Meney, of the Australian Reptile Park, north of Sydney, told CBS News partner network 9 News on Wednesday that hot temperatures and days of rain have increased humidity, creating perfect conditions to lure the spiders out of their hiding places.

He said the park has seen an increase in the number funnel-web spiders, which are native to eastern Australia, being brought into the park by members of the public. The increase prompted the park to issue a warning for Australians to keep an eye out for the creatures.

FUNNEL WEB SEASON IS HERE!

🚨WARNING! FUNNEL-WEB SEASON IS HERE! 🚨 We are issuing a message of warning to the public as recent wet weather conditions followed by hot days have created perfect conditions for funnel-web spiders to thrive. We’re asking for any collected spiders to be brought to the park to contribute to our lifesaving antivenom program! 🕷️

Posted by Australian Reptile Park on Monday, January 20, 2020

Male funnel-web spiders are of particular concern, as they are more likely to emerge — and their venom is six-times more dangerous than that of their female counterparts.  

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“Females don’t move around too much,” Meney, who looks after spiders and reptiles at the park, told 9 News. “They mostly wait for the males to come and find them, but that’s bad news because it’s the males that are super dangerous.”

“A male funnel-web bite is extremely dangerous and extremely serious and has caused deaths in the past,” he noted.

Officials airdrop vegetables from helicopters for animals amid Australia’s fires

Meney said anyone bitten by a funnel-web should “apply immediate first aid, which would usually be applying pressure or a compression bandage to stop limit circulation to the entire limb.” He added that anyone bitten by a fennel-web should immediately be taken to a hospital.

Meney said that funnel-webs don’t jump and can’t climb on smooth surfaces, so they are most likely to be found at ground level. 

“Piles of clothing, and shoes (are) a tempting retreat for them especially when they’ve wandered too far away from their burrow and they can’t find their way back before daylight,” he said.

For those with the nerve, Meney said the spiders aren’t difficult to catch. “If you see one on the ground just slowly put a jar over it or just put the jar in front of it and it will usually just crawl straight it.”

The Australian Reptile Park said anyone who captures a funnel-web can bring them to the park or to one of the drop zones set up around Sydney.  

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