Australian bugs!

[JeniferRabbit]

Anyone watching that new show "Bite Me with Dr. Mike"? It's travel or discovery channel.

Anyhoo, the episode the other night was about dangerous jellyfish, spiders, and plants in Australia. I couldn't help but think of Pete & Walter while watching this! With how adamant Pete is about staying out of FL lakes, I thought he might like to see what Australia has to offer bug-wise.

I don't mean to scare you guys, but you try your best to warn us about amoebas, so I'm just returning the favor!

Let me leave you with this:
• they have a 6" spider that loves hanging out in cars.
• dangerous spiders (that like pool drains) that can survive & bite you while under water.
• near-invisible jellyfish that are deadly.

Yikes! But even with all that, I'm still super jealous!!

 

[teskak]

Anyone watching that new show "Bite Me with Dr. Mike"? It's travel or discovery channel.

Anyhoo, the episode the other night was about dangerous jellyfish, spiders, and plants in Australia. I couldn't help but think of Pete & Walter while watching this! With how adamant Pete is about staying out of FL lakes, I thought he might like to see what Australia has to offer bug-wise.

I don't mean to scare you guys, but you try your best to warn us about amoebas, I'm just returning the favor!

Aussie here - and yes it is pretty much true

Let me leave you with this:
• they have a 6" spider that loves hanging out in cars. Funnel web spiders can kill and could get to that size. However you really have to look out for the little red-back that likes to live under toilet seats & bite sensitive bits while you are "enthroned". They can also be deadly.• dangerous spiders (that like pool drains) that can survive & bite you while under water. Not sure about this one
• near-invisible jellyfish that are deadly. Yup the box jellyfish will have tentacles 20ft long so it is not even close when it gets you.

Irukandji jellyfish - less than 1 inch in size but found around Cairns where Pete will be. Will not kill you, but there is no cure for the venom in your system & morphine will not do anything for the pain.

We have amoembic meningitis in standing water each year during the hot seasons - close enough to the brain eating stuff.

Stone fish - look just like a rock, but the first aid for stings is to keep the patient from either suiciding or chopping off the affected limb because the pain is so bad

Blue ring octopus - looks gorgeous, fits in the palm of your hand, but one bite will stop you breathing for 2+ hours and it is usually in areas where there are no hospitals or ventilators

That is before we get onto the snakes, and Australia has 7 of the 10 most deadly snakes - although Pete is lucky and they will be dormant for most of the time he is there.
Yikes! But even with all that, I'm still super jealous!!

Have fun Pete