Spiders and Snakes in Perth - Part II - Spiders

Spiders are a different kind of problem in Perth.  There are a large number of species but only one, the redback spider has the actual ability to kill you.

The not so killer Redback Spider
The anti-venom for the redback was created in 1956 and no-one has died of a bite since 1955.  Generally if you're a health adult they will just make you feel quite unwell and then you'll move on with life.

The Redback Spider

The redback is the very timid.  You normally find them in humid, dark places just sitting there.  Bites tend to happen when people grab them by accident.  I do suggest a pair of gloves when taking out the little rolly garbage bins as they like to hang out under lids and places similar.

Seriously don't worry about them.  They're a non issue.

The bigger pain - Common house spiders
Common house spiders, black spiders the size of a small coin come in waves.  They start to really show up when it starts to heat up in summer.  They really only cause two issues.

I know these guys too well. 

1) They're around, and it isn't really pleasant to have spiders crawling around the house.
2) They make webs.  And if you let them, bucket loads of webs.

When we first moved into our rental house there seemed to be a lot of them.  It seemed like every time I went into our upstairs bathroom I would need to kill one of two which would come in through the bathroom vent grills.  I should mention that I don't see the same numbers that I did last year.

Many of my friends bring in people to spray for spiders around their house.  It will kill the spiders there but doesn't stop any new spiders from coming in.

I bought an expendable spider web broom and every month or so I walk around outside and take down all of the webs.  That seems to do the trick.

Don't let spiders scare you away from coming to Perth.  The issue is way over blown.  They are much more of a nuisance than anything.

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Spiders and Snakes in Perth - Part I Snakes

Upon announcing that we would move the family to Perth, and not so much Perth, but Australia the most common response was:

"Oh Australia, you know about the spiders and snakes right?  They can kill you!"

In honesty the comments and the propoganda started to affect a reaction in me.

"How would we keep the kids safe"
"Would we need to have them in blue jeans at all times"
"How would we know when they got bit?"
"How long would we have once they were bit?"

You get the idea.

The truth is something so far from what you read it isn't funny.

First snakes:
I have yet to see a snake in the wild anywhere in my travels up and down the coast of Western Australia. AND....I have yet to meet someone who has been bit by a snake.

That is not to say they are not here.  Western Australia is home to tiger snakes, brown snakes, duggites, king browns, and death adders.  All of which are venomous.

The thing about snakes is however, they don't like being around humans.  Even the slightest vibration can make them go the other direction.  In almost all cases, snake bites occur in humans when the person is trying to do something to a snake or in cases where the person scares a snake which is sleeping or under brush and leaves.  So it usually boils down to drunk bogans and lovely old ladies gardening without a quick check that get bit.

In the end snakes in Perth is simply about a little awareness and it will never be a concern.  It should certainly never prevent anyone from making the journey.

Owen likes his garden time

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