If you’ve been to Australia, how often did you see spiders?

[feelingstifled]

Hi all. Going to Australia for the first time this year. I hate spiders, so I’m slightly panicking at the thought of encountering lots of big ones. So if you’ve been there, how often do you think we will be coming across them? Thanks !

@Catsmere- inside. Felt bad destroying his wee web so juts left it there for a few weeks- he worked so hard on it.......then jumped into the aircon vent- got thrown out and died on the dashboard 😆😆😆 I left the web for a day as a mark of respect in case he was kidding then got rid of both....

I’ve lived in Australia for 5 years.

Never seen a huntsman.
Never seen a red back.
A few whitetails by my front door in autumn/winter.
There are some cobwebs in the garden but I haven’t seen any spiders there.

@Remaker- I love doing the 'boot bang' before putting on shoes when they are left outside 😆😆

It also depends when. You'll see more spiders & snakes in summer. Spiders in December & January. I have more issues with a tiny magpie lark that's crapping on my back deck. It's there now... Back in a sec....

Als long as a house is annually sprayed, kept clear of outdoor clutter & not amongst a rainforest of trees you won't see many, or any, at all. I mean, if you go wandering through the bush into their territory you might see some!

The rule is simple - of you do see an animal - leave it alone. Or kill the spiders in your house of course! Most Snakes/spiders/drop bears (🤣) don't want to take you on & if you are not a threat they'll just go about their business.

At my (rural) house, I do get plenty of spiders and snakes. But I know where they tend to be, and they know where we tend to be, and we avoid each other in that way. If I'm walking outside in snake season, I make plenty of noise to let them know I'm around. I don't stick my fingers in dark places as that's where redbacks like to hide.

You'll be fine!

Are you staying in hotels or people's homes?

I imagine hotels will be OK.

Most Australian backyards would be harbouring the odd Redback or 10. You'd need to know where to look for them though, they're not going to run out and launch themselves at your face.

I have lived in Australia for 30 years - I see one a year if that. If you’re in cities and hotels etc you won’t see many, if at all.

Amazing we all survive really! You'll be fine. Don't give it another thought, unless advised to by an Australian eg ( don't leave your shoes outside, bang them before putting them ( if you are in a rural area).
The cities are just like most others in the world, with regards to "dangerous wildlife", there is none. . Huntsman are the most likely spiders you will see and they really are not dangerous. I haven't seen one in years though sadly. My young son used to insist on naming ours Jimothy if we ever had one in the house ( they eat the bad spiders so are very welcome in my place).

( Oh and please swim between the flags at the beach - then our lovely lifesavers can help you if you are in any trouble - watch Bondi Rescue a TV show)

Staying In Sydney and was a massive huntsman in near the lifts 🤣 We live regionally and get lots of spiders. They have never crawled on us. Usually hiding in a bathroom or hanging on a wall.

Saw lots of big huntsman but they're harmless. Also had a redback in the back of our car when backpacking in bryon Bay. That was scary, we were v careful when getting luggage out. Think we lost him as we went further north!

I've been to Australia regularly since I was a baby - never once seen a spider.

It's the drop bears you need to worry about, OP ...

I’ve been several times with longest stay nearly 6 months and saw one. And he/she was not interested in me, just scuttled away into hedge.

Spiders are the least of your concerns!
As a pp says...always swim between the flags on a patrolled beach.
Be knowledgeable about rips.
Slip, slop, slap! Invest in good quality factor 50 suncream.
Buy it here not in your local Boots.
Get a wide brim hat, good quality sunnies.
Don't sunbathe!!! If sitting in the sun, sit under a shade.

...and know that Aussie bird life like to get up early and screech! No dawn chorus from a few British blackbirds and delicate robins.
It's loud!!!

Other than that you'll be right.

And don't moan how hot it is! It's Australia!!

Never!

I grew up in Australia but have lived in the uk for over 20 years - I see more spiders in the uk then I ever saw in Australia because they come inside due to the cold. They live by building webs and catching insects there is not a lot for them to do inside an Australia house especially one with fly screens / air conditioning.

Lived there for 2 years and visited several times. We had way more cockroaches than spiders. We had a red back on our porch once, we had a couple of snakes but behind that nothing.

Edited to add we have had more spiders in the UK than we’ve ever has in Oz.

I have visions of finding dinner plate sized spiders in our bed or in the car etc

Fuck me. And a shark will also jump in your car on route between Melb and Syd🤯.

Tbf I have had one in my car and shower. The H ones

We saw them a fair bit but luckily not since travelling back, touch wood

Two month long visits in WA and I saw a dead red back once, I'd no idea what it was until it was pointed out, I try not to think about them.

Do you not speak to your own child @feelingstifled ? Are they a compulsive liar?

I cant fathom the this thread, you could have asked your child or for users who actually live in Oz but youd rather hear from random tourists about spiders, what's that all about 😂

She’s just asked the question. It’s what mumsnet is about. Asking questions and getting experiences and opinions.

@VisionsOfSplendour it's about volume - she's consulting the hive mind. Her daughter is one person, Mumsnet is many.

Went for 2 weeks and was constantly on edge (paranoid they were under the toilet seat etc) and I didn’t see one! There was a huntsman in a relatives house but luckily I wasn’t there when everyone else saw it

Still don't get why you wouldn t ask the millions of people who live there rather than someone who visited for a couple of weeks in 1983, of course it's sensible to ask for advice but you've got to use the best source 😀