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In case you needed more fun facts to stoke your arachnophobia ... It may well be that (globally ... ) spiders consume more prey flesh than any other predator. :eek:

Spiders Eat Up to 880 Million Tons of Insects Each Year

Each year, about 27 million tons of spiders consume somewhere between 440 million and 880 million tons of insects, new research finds. ...

The new study, published in the journal The Science of Nature, finds that spiders' food consumption rivals — or perhaps dwarfs — the 440 million tons (400 million metric tons) of meat and fish all the humans in world eat each year. Spider prey consumption is similar to the amount of food that all whale species (Cetacea) eat annually, which has been pegged at between 300 million and 550 million tons (280 million and 500 million metric tons), biologist Martin Nyffeler of the University of Basel in Switzerland and ecologist Klaus Birkhofer of the Brandenburg University of Technology in Germany wrote in their paper.

"By contrast, the annual food consumption of all the world's seabirds is estimated at 70 million tons," the researchers wrote.

FULL STORY: http://www.livescience.com/58271-spiders-eat-880-tons-of-insects-yearly.html

PUBLISHED STUDY (Basis for the story): https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00114-017-1440-1
 
.. and now there's an "Eggs from spider that causes fatal four hour erections found in South West" report (the Brazilian wandering spider possibly) :

http://www.somersetlive.co.uk/eggs-...n-south-west/story-29575959-detail/story.html
I like the specialist's advice:
One of the Paignton Zoo experts said:
"This is probably a spider nest. If they want to kill it then boiling water or the freezer will do it. If they want to hatch it then stick in a warm dark place and await events…"
 
Friend of mine is going to Oz, at least 6 months. Trying to get someone to look after her tarantula. No probs getting a minder for her snake.
 
Blanket of Spiderwebs Covers Entire Field

Visitors to a New Zealand park recently found the grass blanketed not by flowers, but by silk webs produced by what appeared to be thousands of tiny spiders.

Park-goer Tracey Maris noticed something unusual about the scene on April 16 and captured video footage of the gently rolling silk waves. The web blanket was approximately 98 feet (30 meters) long and as wide as 7 to 10 feet (2 to 3 m), The New Zealand Herald reported. Webs covered ground near a soccer field at the Gordon Spratt Reserve in suburban Papamoa, near the Bay of Plenty on New Zealand's eastern coast, the newspaper said.

Initially, Maris thought the silk nets were unoccupied, she said. But as she and her family explored the webs' outer perimeter, they noticed that there were "little black things on top" — spiders, numbering in the thousands, Maris told The NZ Herald. "So, as you do, we screamed really loudly," she said. ...

FULL STORY (With Photo): http://www.livescience.com/58727-silicon-based-alien-life-possible.html
 
Watched a film last night about a woman who lived in a shed. Near the end she sees the error of her ways when she wakes up COVERED IN SPIDERS. It's supposed to be funny, but there are some things you just don't joke about.
 
Now that's a bargain - buy a bunch of bananas and get some free spiders :creepy:
Asda investigates deadly banana spiders infestation that forces horrified mum to flee home
Gemma Price had to go stay with her mum for three days while pest controllers dealt with the venomous baby Brazilian wandering spiders unleashed from a banana.
  • NEWS

    JS98284609.jpg

    Brazilian wandering spider, also known as banana spider (Photo: Getty)
    • Asda banana and unleashed a cluster of the world’s most venomous spiders.

      Gemma Price, 30, was forced to flee her home when her bedroom was overrun by baby Brazilian wandering spiders.
    Former chef Gemma, of Annfield Plain, County Durham, said: “As I peeled the banana, a white egg sac broke and hundreds of little spiders were crawling on my hands and arms and down my pyjamas.

    “I threw the banana down on the bed and they spread everywhere.”

    The adult spider’s bite can kill in two hours. Asda said: “We’re investigating this issue with utmost priority.”
 
Now that's a bargain - buy a bunch of bananas and get some free spiders :creepy:
The same thing happened when we bought an imported Christmas tree sometime in the 70's .. my dad spotted a big spider's egg sack and we had to have it fumigated by pros ..

 
Way back in the 60s I went into our local corner shop and the owner seemed very nervous (not like him at all) he told us he's been unpacking bananas and went to serve a customer. She let out a scream and he turned to see a spider the size of his hand crawling out of the box. He dropped another box on top of it - made a really yucky mess on the floor, which fascinated the 6 year old me and my mates.
He later burned the box and I don't think he ever sold bananas again!
 
Portia spiders aren't too shoddy at hunting ..

 
Hundreds of tarantulas found in van on M5
18 June 2017

Traffic officers had a hairy moment when they stopped a van to find it was full of tarantulas.
About 200 of the large arachnids were packed in tubs in the back of the van, the Central Motorway Police Group said.

Officers drew straws on who should investigate, a spokesman said. :evil:

The van was stopped at a junction near West Bromwich on the M5. A spokesman said the spiders were healthy and had been on their way to what officers said was a "reptile show".
The van was allowed to continue on its journey.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-40318838
 
Spiders around the world apparently form mutually beneficial relationships with frogs - the spiders seemingly protect the frogs from many predators, while the frogs appear to protect the spiders' eggs from ants, which are too small for tarantulas to be able to stop.

Be warned that the linked article contains one photograph of genuine nightmare fuel - a tarantula feeding frenzy. My comforting thought that spiders were much more likely to eat one another rather than co-operate took a knock when i read about the communal hunts of the chicken spider, but to actually see it is really quite horrifying.
 
Spiders around the world apparently form mutually beneficial relationships with frogs - the spiders seemingly protect the frogs from many predators, while the frogs appear to protect the spiders' eggs from ants, which are too small for tarantulas to be able to stop.

Be warned that the linked article contains one photograph of genuine nightmare fuel - a tarantula feeding frenzy. My comforting thought that spiders were much more likely to eat one another rather than co-operate took a knock when i read about the communal hunts of the chicken spider, but to actually see it is really quite horrifying.

That was disgusting, yet informative. So, erm, thanks? :/

I noticed a sizable hole in the front lawn yesterday that may belong to either a tarantula or a frog. For all I know, they may be roommates.
 
Giant Australian spider turns up in Surrey container
21 July 2017

An Australian spider the size of a guinea pig left removal men running scared when it turned up in Surrey.
The 18cm huntsman was found in a shipping container of family belongings in Merstham, near Redhill, on Thursday.
It survived 10,000 miles of travel over three months and RSPCA officer Annie Janes said it was "lucky to be alive".

Dave Aldridge, a manager at Britannia Movers International, caught the "handsome critter" after one of his colleagues ran out of the container.
The 55-year-old said: "I had three guys unloading, one ran about two miles up the road when he first saw it.

"He's a handsome, furry guy. I caught him in a lunch box and took him home for my six-year-old son to see while waiting for the RSPCA to pick him up."

...

Mr Aldridge added: "We've had a few creatures in our containers over the years, including a lizard, but he's definitely the biggest spider."
The giant huntsman variety can grow to up to 30cm in leg span and Mr Alrdridge said: "I don't think I'd be so brave if he was that big".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-40679679
 
As a long time removal man, I can confirm that most of us run from a spider the size of a shilling, let alone one the size of a guinea pig.
:spider::truce:
 
im always perpexed, when spider measurements are given they are presumably tip to tip, but a huge part of the phobic effect is in the proportionality between body size and overall diameter, which does seem to vary a lot, certainly in the larger end of the uk spider population ...
 
On a related note, on Wednesday we loaded a job to take to Yeovil, with items from the garden on the back as is the usual method. I slept in the meagre remaining space in the back of the truck as I usually do, and got a surprisingly comfortable night's sleep. When unloading the next day, we saw the fattest spider I've seen for a long time scampering around the garden furniture, right next to where I'd been sleeping. Shiver!
:eek:
 
RSPCA inspector called to catch toy tarantula in Alresford
25 July 2017

An RSPCA inspector was called out to deal with a tarantula in a house in Hampshire, only to discover it was a child's toy.
The householder had reported seeing a spider "the size of her hand" hiding in a downstairs cupboard.

Inspector Nikki Denham was prepared with gloves and nets to trap the spider, but after shining a torch in the cupboard saw it was plastic.
The RSPCA said the woman was "obviously embarrassed".
Ms Denham said the householder in Alresford had closed all doors to prevent the spider's escape before she arrived.
"It was dark under the stairs, but I could see legs behind a vacuum cleaner that certainly were tarantula size.
"However, as I shone light in I could see that it was in fact a toy plastic tarantula," she said.

She said the toy was shown to the woman's young son who confirmed it was his - "with an angelic innocent face". :twisted:

A RSPCA spokeswoman said the organisation was called on to rescue 275 genuine tarantulas in 2016.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-40716008
 
Haggis population saved from potential scorpion threat.

A flight from Paris to Glasgow was delayed overnight after a passenger spotted a scorpion on board.

EasyJet said the aircraft was being fumigated as a precaution before it takes off on Tuesday.

A passenger raised the alarm with cabin crew after noticing the scorpion on flight EZY6883 from Glasgow to Paris on Monday.

The plane is being held at Charles de Gaulle airport in the French capital before its return flight.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-41158105
 
Peppa Pig banned in Australia for being spider friendly

‘Spider friendly’ Peppa Pig episode banned in Australia Children’s favourite Peppa Pig Tim Abington 5 days Tuesday September 5th 2017 A Peppa Pig episode has been banned in Australia for the second time due to concerns that it is too sympathetic to spiders. A Sydney viewer made a complaint to broadcaster Nickelodeon as she felt that Daddy Pig’s message that spiders “can’t hurt you” might be somewhat inappropriate in a country where, between 2000 and 2013, more than 12,600 people were admitted to hospital for spider bites. The episode, which aired on 25 August, finished with the Peppa Pig family having a tea party with the spider, known as “Mr Skinny Legs”. In Australia, over 12,600 people have been admitted to hospital for spider bites. “Everyone likes Mr Skinny Legs,” said the cartoon’s narrator. The message created concern that younger viewers would be encouraged to play with some of Australia’s most deadly creatures.

Read more at: https://inews.co.uk/essentials/cult...ralia/?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=exchange
 
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