----- Original Message -----
From: Allison J Parent <allisonp_at_world.std.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, 21 September 1999 8:20
Subject: Re: Spiders, hazard of collecting junk?
> <I have to admit I am more than a little paranoid about spiders, and since
> <watching a brown recluse segment on PBS, I simply don't poke my fingers
> <into places I can't see.
Don't think we have that type here.... (not by that name anyway) we have
some
Huntsman spiders (big brown things - not web spinners - they run around and
hunt things....)
> My other no computer collecting half was bitten by a Brown Recluse years
> ago at work (construction site trailer) and it was a nasty thing.
Obviously something different, huntsmen are slightly poisonous but not
considered dangerous, and they
are fairly unaggressive. The bite is painful, and may cause some nausea,
but that's about it.
> I'm very wary as we do have black widows and brown recluse in New England
> and no doubt other nasty ones too. Most spiders that bite bring two risks
> their venom and infection with the later being sometime worse.
We have Redbacks which are a somewhat more dangerous version of the Black
Widow, they'll make you very ill,
and can be fatal if not treated, if you have a weak heart, and especially
where small children are concerned.
They will kill small dogs and cats outright in about half an hour or so.
(Lost a couple that way)
Spare a thought for people on the East Coast, the Sydney Funnel-Web likes
the same environment as the
redback/black widow, but it's DEADLY. It's quite agressive, particularly
during breeding season, and a bite from a male
is a death sentence without the antivenene. The females are slightly less
poisonous, but can still kill you if it's not
treated. They will bite repeatedly, given the chance. Children sometimes
die even when treated promptly.
By your standards they are in the rattlesnake class. We don't get them in
South Australia, (fortunately).
There's also a Black House spider that looks a lot like a Redback, but not
quite as poisonous. (More like your Black Widow
I think) looks similar, but does not have the distinctive red spot the
redbacks have.
Individual search and destroy missions with a can of REALLY GOOD insectiside
are the only effective way to kill the beggars.
Fogging a house or shed often doesn't kill them, they either run for it, and
come back when it's clear, or just hibernate.
I've known funnelwebs to bite after floating underwater for an hour in a
backyard pool. Tough little suckers.
I hate spiders, snakes are less of a problem, most breeds run for it given
half a chance, & you can see them coming.......
(We have some of the deadliest snakes in the world IIRC, Queensland Taipan
being at the top of the list...)
Brown snakes are also very dangerous, (easily in the rattler class) and are
quite common around here in summer, even in urban areas, though they are not
that aggressive except during breeding season..... Then there's the Death
Adder...:^)
We tend to be very cautious about things that have been laying around for a
while. I found a nest of Redbacks in a HSC50 I
have in storage a while back, fortunately I'm almost instinctively cautious
about putting my hand under things after a couple of
near misses with redbacks, and hit the thing with a squirt of spray first.
After about 2 or 3 minutes a very large redback dropped onto the floor and
headed for the doorway. When I had a look underneath there was a nice big
web with a stack of egg cases
in the corner right where I would have put my hand.....
Cheers
Geoff Roberts
Computer Systems Manager
Saint Mark's College
Port Pirie, South Australia.
Email: geoffrob_at_stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au
netcafe_at_pirie.mtx.net.au
ICQ #: 1970476
Received on Mon Sep 20 1999 - 22:12:37 BST