Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Author

Arapiles spider

ben wiessner

30-Jan-2013
8:40:19 AM

Any ideas on who this little critter is? Seen at base of Muldoon. He looked huge and scary when I was there... he doesn't seem to look quite so enormous in the photographs. Just wondering whether he might be venomous?


shortman

30-Jan-2013
8:49:34 AM

Totally deadly specimen. You are a brave man.

I think his name is George, hard to tell the sex from the photo's, but I'm sure it's not Thelma, she has a different hair style.


Superstu

30-Jan-2013
9:25:44 AM

I think you are looking at a black house spider (Badumna insignis). Rectangular head, round abdomen, funnel-shaped web. Body up to 2cm long. Bites are rare but can cause a general reaction. Feeds on flying insects and builds a lacy web, with funnel-shaped holes, above the ground. Native to Australia!

ben wiessner

30-Jan-2013
9:31:39 AM

Thanks Stu! I was hoping for something that sounded more exotic than "black house spider", but that will have to do :) Much thanks!


Superstu

30-Jan-2013
9:35:59 AM

Dug up some juicy info for ya from the wikiweb..

Males, when ready to mate, go in search of females. The male plucks the web of the female to attract her attention. Once the male has made sure that the female will be receptive, he will approach and inseminate her with his palps. They may then stay together for several days, and may mate again several times.

tskinner

30-Jan-2013
9:37:52 AM

Just looks like a normal black house spider(they don't just live in houses). It will bite like most spiders if threatened. Not venomous. The red back is really classed as the only Victorian venomous spider that could, in specific circumstances cause a fatality. (Although in my case, this obviously wasn't the case) All those nooks and crannies in the rocks around Araps where you find those little webby tunnels - most likely these guys.

Reluctant

30-Jan-2013
9:39:22 AM

Sounds like an end of season footy trip.

tskinner

30-Jan-2013
9:40:21 AM

obviously posted before Stu's post was visible. :)


Miguel75

30-Jan-2013
9:49:52 AM

After watching Megamind my kids have taken to calling all spiders 'Arachnus deathicus'... And according to my daughter all spiders will kill you so watch out!

Wendy

30-Jan-2013
2:51:31 PM

I can find some of those in my house for you Ben. You can take one home as a pet.

JDB

30-Jan-2013
5:00:13 PM

I think he/she/it must have been out on afternoon stroll from home base....Arachnus


shortman

30-Jan-2013
7:02:29 PM

On 30/01/2013 JDB wrote:
>I think he/she/it must have been out on afternoon stroll from home base....Arachnus

I wondered about the name of that climb when I did it. No surprises on the spider front though.


IdratherbeclimbingM9

30-Jan-2013
8:29:02 PM

... There is another possibility, but I would need to see a close detail pic to verify that it may be the female of the (common name) mouse-spider species. The males are easily recognised by having a red head and generally being a large spider, but the females are nondescript black and can be much bigger.
Mouse-spiders are closely related to the Funnel web species and highly venomous. They are known to be at Araps, and prefer leaf litter habitat (can also be found in rocky areas and in trees!).

Post edited: regarding male/female spider colouring/size.


Groveller

31-Jan-2013
4:06:15 PM

On Sunday I was bitten/stung by a small ant while belaying on D Minor at Arapiles. My arm swelled up a fair bit for 3 days. Popeye keeps saying it was a jumping jack ant but it looked too small.


Sabu

31-Jan-2013
4:47:18 PM

On 30/01/2013 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>... There is another possibility, but I would need to see a close detail
>pic to verify that it may be the male of the (common name) mouse-spider
>species. The females are easily recognised by having a red head and generally
>being a large spider, but the males are nondescript black and much smaller.
>
>Mouse-spiders are closely related to the Funnel web species and highly
>venomous. They are known to be at Araps, and prefer leaf litter habitat
>(can also be found in rocky areas and in trees!).
>
I did wonder about it being a mouse spider. Doesn't seem to have the same shape as those little black house spiders.


hangdog

31-Jan-2013
5:16:42 PM

If he was as big as 11 hex then i would be impressed but this thing is as big as an RP.

PDRM

31-Jan-2013
5:53:27 PM

On 31/01/2013 hangdog wrote:
>If he was as big as 11 hex then i would be impressed but this thing is
>as big as an RP.
>

There's another thread just there! Analogies climbers use:
As big as a # 11 hex
About a rope length long
A loose as Dog Face
...

P


salty crag

31-Jan-2013
9:06:13 PM

On 31/01/2013 Groveller wrote:
>On Sunday I was bitten/stung by a small ant while belaying on D Minor at
>Arapiles. My arm swelled up a fair bit for 3 days. Popeye keeps saying
>it was a jumping jack ant but it looked too small.
Many years ago I was climbing in a fairly hard to get to spot in the Gramps with couple of mates when one (Tom Daniels) was stung by an ant. Almost had a full on anaphylactic reaction, really scared the shit out of me, poor bugger looked like elephant man.


The good Dr

1-Feb-2013
8:05:38 AM

Definately not a mouse spider.

jrc

1-Feb-2013
5:24:09 PM

You folks need a good NSW spider. This one was guarding the highway near the st leonards gym the other night. Pavers are 100 x 200mm.

There are 31 messages in this topic.