spider south africa

 

; most likely P. tribulus) photographed by Marique Kirwan in the Schurveberg mountains, Gauteng, South Africa. The common rain spider (Palystes superciliosus), formerly P. natalius, is a species of huntsman spider native to Southern Africa. While most of the spider species found in South Africa are harmless, there certainly are a few that are incredibly venomous. [2014-02-16 | 21H00] Reply. V&A Waterfront Full Name: Sac Spider (Family Miturgidae) Other Names: Huis Sakspinnekoppe. Black Widow / Brown Widow: AKA Button Spider: Seek immediate medical care if your child: Put a cool wet cloth on the bite site to relieve swelling and pain, Develops any kind of rash following a spider bite, The bite site starts to show signs of infection (redness, swelling, warmth, pain, pus), You suspect that your child has been bitten by a black widow spider and/or any other extremely venomous spider. However, such general "common names" are of limited use as the diversity of species is much greater. The violin spider belongs to the family Loxosceles and is known in other parts of the … The spider of the month is this hedgehog spider (Pycnacantha sp. Their common names include camel spider, wind scorpion, scorpion carrier, jerrymunglum, sun scorpion, and sun spider. Redback spider. Its distribution ranges from KwaZulu-Natal province in the east, then westwards to the provinces of Mpumalanga , Limpopo , Gauteng and North West in the north, and Eastern Cape and Western Cape in the south. In the forests of South Africa lurks an arachnophobe’s nightmare – Nephila kowaci, the largest web-spinning spider in the world. Here are a couple of important preventative tips for spider and spider bites in South Africa that parents can implement to protect their children against spider bites: Cape Town Helicopters They are a cream-white to pale yellow or reddish-brown with distinct black or dark mouth pieces. Spiders and spider bites in South Africa: What parents need to know: South Africa’s BIG 5 of dangerous spiders: 2. Inspect the area your child is playing in and make sure there are no visible signs of spiders or spider webs. For further information on jumping spiders, as well as the other spider families of South Africa, I highly recommend the book, "Field Guide to the Spiders of South Africa", written by Prof. Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman and published by Lapa Uitgewers. The spider of the month is this common bark spider (Caerostris sexcuspidata) in the orb weaver family (Araneidae), taken by Daniel Lee Owen Rautenbach in Headlands, Zimbabwe. V&A Waterfront Adam Knight, 29, from London, was hospitalised last year after being bitten by a venomous spider in South Africa. Experts from the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER), the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), the Centre for Remote Sensing of Land Surfaces (ZFL) of the University of Bonn and the Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa (DiMTEC) at the University of the Free State (UFS) South Africa have met in South Africa … These spiders are characterised by their large hairy bodies, pads on their feet and the distinct resemblance their 2 last segments on their legs have to that of a baboon’s fingers. Classification: HARMLESS. The spider was found perching on a low branch of a karee tree, with one strand of silk attached to a leaf … Read more, Spider weekend: Cumberland Private Nature Reserve, Pietermaritzburg. As part of a trade mission to further develop the use of UNIC mini spider cranes in the African mining industry, Spider Mini Cranes S.A. will be exhibiting in partnership…. Little ones tend to run around and explore all sorts of hideaways and hard-to-reach spots, thereby putting them at an increased risk of getting bitten by a spider. Newly Discovered Widow Spider Lays Bright Purple Eggs. They are usually smaller than a R5 coin. The arachnid is the first new widow spider species to be discovered in almost 30 years, following painstaking research by entomologist Barbara Wright of Wild Tomorrow Fund and arachnid expert Dr Ian Engelbrecht from the Department of Zoology and Entomology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. Make sure your child wears long sleeves and pants if they are playing around these areas. Take extra precautions if you know a certain area is home to a large number of spiders. The Greek myth about Arachne is probably attributed to one of these spiders. . Severe reactions, in the form of open wounds that may become septic, are sometimes seen from the bites of two groups of spiders in South Africa: The Violin Spiders (Loxosceles species) and Sac Spiders (Cheiracanthium species) (Dippenaar-Schoeman and Jocqué, 1997).Spiders often get blamed for wounds and even doctors are quick to diagnose septic wounds as spider bites. This is just how the setae around the clypeus in this specific specimen are arranged, … Read more, The spider of the month is this hedgehog spider (Pycnacantha sp. It is important to remember that spiders seen in South Africa are not bound by the territorial lines decided on by humans, therefore their distribution is subject to change. This is Australia's answer to a black widow, the redback spider. Latrodectus is a broadly distributed genus of spiders with several species that, together, are referred to as true widows.This group is composed of those often loosely called black widow spiders, brown widow spiders, and similar spiders. There is no way to identify the culprit by looking at a wound. Look familiar? The webs are huge, often spanning a large area between bushes. Philip says: February 26, 2014 at 7:15 pm. Therefore, knowing what these Arachnoid kings and queens are all about, how to identify them and what to do if you, or someone you know, get bitten makes all the difference. Most ‘spider bites’ are not spider bites but wounds caused by infections and other invertebrates. Especially with South African ‘spider season’ being upon us with spiders and spider bites in South Africa increasing during the warm summer months, it’s more important than ever to be aware and prepared! Violin Spider. South African Spiders has 23,685 members. Commonly they are confused with baboon spiders … In order to equip you with the necessary knowledge on which South African spiders are venomous, namely the BIG 5 of dangerous spiders, we have prepared this spider and spider bite in South Africa guide to help you out. In southern Africa the genus Palystes are known as rain spiders or lizard-eating spiders. Larger species sometimes are referred to as wood spiders, because of their preference for woody places. They are also called giant crab spiders because of their size and appearance. The web is strong, and we have seen small birds trapped in the webs. It was about 7cm long and 3 cm wideI hope you enjoy and this video is not for the faint hearted ;) Most are pretty harmless and have an important environmental role helping to control pesky flies, mosquitoes and other flying insects. 220 East Pier Road The spider gets its name from the colour of the silk it spins and despite its large size, it is a non-aggressive spider species. But that certainly doesn’t mean the rest of us are immune to this danger, children however have a higher risk of developing complications from a venomous spider bite, and extra precautions should thus be taken. This is probably the most well-known South African spider and can be classified into two categories, the deadly black widow or black button spider and the less venomous brown button spider. It's 6.45 am on Friday, here in sunny South Africa when my wife called me to see the biggest Rain Spider we have had in a long time. They're an integral part of our natural ecosystems and play an invaluable role in controlling pests. In southern Africa , they are known by a host of names, including red romans, haarskeerders ("hair cutters") and baardskeerders ("beard cutters"), the latter two relating to the belief they use their formidable jaws to clip hair from humans and animals to line their subterranean nests. The two most common spider bites are from house spiders, specifically the jumping spider and the wolf spider. McDonalds Coffee Boost for UNIC Mini Crane. The spider of the month is this hedgehog spider (Pycnacantha sp. Throughout South Africa ranging from the KwaZulu-Natal (east); Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West (north); Western Cape, Easter Cape (south) Habitat : Scrublands and woodlands Common Predators : Pompilid wasp (that is known to paralyze the spider by stinging them), and birds Diet Family kept it in a jar and wanted me to identify it. However, of all the spiders and spider bites in South Africa only a select few are harmful to humans. They are also called horned bark spiders, due to them often sporting one, two, three, or more “horns” on the abdomen, or sometimes a complex system of protrusions … Read more, The spider of the month March 2021 is this female jumping spider (Rhene konradi) in her retreat, photographed in Bloemfontein by Rudi Steenkamp (me). Please SUBSCRIBE NOW! The genus Latrodectus was erected by Charles Athanase Walckenaer in 1805, for the species Latrodectus tredecimguttatus and Latrodectus mactans. Classification: HARMLESS. sPIDERs must be treated as a medical emergency. South Africa has some 20 to 30 species of violin spider, members of the genus Loxosceles. It is the most common and widespread species in the genus Palystes . ; most likely P. tribulus) photographed by Marique Kirwan in the Schurveberg mountains, Gauteng, South Africa. To minimise the risk, both for yourself and your children, it is extremely beneficial to know how to identify these venomous local spiders, what common signs and symptoms of these specific spider bites are and what do if someone is bitten: Not only is this night-dwelling spider considered by many experts to be South Africa’s most dangerous spider, it is also estimated to be responsible for nearly three quarters of all reported spider bites. It contains over 280 species in nine genera, of which Selenops is the most well-known. Full Name: Golden Orb Spider (Family Nephilidae) Other names: Goue Wawielwebspinnekop. A small spider that comes in a variety of colours including blue, white, and yellow. Female Phinda button spider with its purple egg sac. Classification: HARMLESS. South Africa is home to over 3,000 known species of spiders, many of which are found in our homes, gardens and natural surroundings. If bitten, the result is some redness and swelling but is non-lethal. http://www.youtube.com/CrittaCamGiant Spiders and other Creepy Crawlies of South Africa freak Pete out. 8th Jun 2019 Southern Africa, Spiders Ashley Kemp. Full Name: Wolf Spider (Family Lycosidae) Other Names: Wolfspinnekop. This spider received 41% of the votes. Titel: Field guide to spiders of South Africa Author: Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman Publisher: LAPA ISBN: 9780799369106 Buy Field guide to spiders of South Africa from Kalahari.com.. Did you know that on a weight basis spider silk is five times the strength of steel? The spider was found perching on a low branch of a karee tree, with one strand of silk attached to a leaf … Read more Selenopidae, also called wall crab spiders, wall spiders and flatties, is a family of araneomorph spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1897. Now that you know which spiders make up the ‘Spider Big 5’, here are a couple of extra helpful tips on spiders and spider bites in South Africa and what to do if your child does get bitten by a spider: Prevention is ALWAYS better than cure! T here are over 1800 known spider species in South Africa and many tend to be out and about in the warmer summer months. These are free living spiders often found in plants and in houses where they build a silk sac under which they hide or lay eggs. Brown widows will be brown, tan, … While it can be scary to be bitten by any spider… These large spiders are well known in South Africa for their magnificent golden webs. are free of spider webs. The Spider Club of Southern Africa. But that doesn’t mean that the mere mention of the dreaded ‘S word’ doesn’t strike fear into even the bravest of us. Discussion is encouraged but bad language, personal attacks and advertisements for goods, services or courses not arranged by the club are not allowed. The Spider Club of Southern Africa. Welcome to the page that concentrates on arachnids from sub-Saharan Africa, that’s spiders, solifuges, harvestmen, pseudo-scorpions, whip spiders, scorpions, etc. 10th Jun 2019 Southern Africa, Spiders Ashley Kemp. Severe reactions, in the form of open wounds that may become septic, are sometimes seen from the bites of two groups of spiders in South Africa: The Violin Spiders (Loxosceles species) and Sac Spiders (Cheiracanthium species) (Dippenaar-Schoeman and Jocqué, 1997).Spiders often get blamed for wounds and even doctors are quick to diagnose septic wounds as spider bites. RULES: Before we introduce this page, please note, we do not allow any pictures of suspected bites. South Africa is home to over 3,000 known species of spiders, many of which are found in our homes, gardens and natural surroundings. Found exactly this spider a month ago and again last night in my house in Little Falls, Roodepoort, SA. Violin spider. It is the most common and widespread species in the genus Palystes.Its distribution ranges from KwaZulu-Natal province in the east, then westwards to the provinces of Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng and North West in the north, and Eastern Cape and Western Cape in … Salticids are small to medium spiders and in South Africa their sizes range between 1.5mm and 17mm with Hyllus treleaveni the largest in South Africa (and Africa). He concluded the colour variations were variable across the world and were not sufficient to warrant species status, and reclassified the redback and several other species as subspecies of the black widow spider. Conduct a thorough inspection of your child after they have been playing in areas that are prone to spiders and spider webs. He returned to hospital after a mosquito bite on his right buttock became infected. As allot of these spiders are night dwellers, be sure to check your child for bite sites in the morning, especially if you are in an area that’s home to a large number of venomous spiders. Remember, when a cytotoxic spider bites your child they might not feel any pain or be aware that it even happened. But while the American brown recluse (scientific name Loxosceles reclusa) is related to violin spiders found in South Africa, it does not occur in the country. Spiders and spider bites. The common rain spider (Palystes superciliosus), formerly P. natalius, is a species of huntsman spider native to Southern Africa. Throughout South Africa ranging from the KwaZulu-Natal (east); Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West (north); Western Cape, Easter Cape (south) Habitat : Scrublands and woodlands Common Predators : Pompilid wasp (that is known to paralyze the spider by stinging them), and birds Diet It's 6.45 am on Friday, here in sunny South Africa when my wife called me to see the biggest Rain Spider we have had in a long time. In South Africa the family Araneidae includes 40 genera of master weavers. [citation needed] They are also called giant crab spiders because of their size and appearance.Larger species sometimes are referred to as wood spiders, because of their preference for woody places (forests, mine shafts, woodpiles, wooden shacks). These spiders spin South Africa’s most dazzling, biggest webs, some as long as 2 metres. They generally have a broad profile, with the four pairs of legs clumped together helping them camouflage. Huntsman spiders, members of the family Sparassidae (formerly Heteropodidae), are known by this name because of their speed and mode of hunting. Identifying a Brown Widow Spider Observe the color of the spider. This certainly earns the Sac Spider the number 1 spot on the big 5 spider list. 1 220 East Pier Road South Africa is a country on the southernmost tip of the African continent, marked by several distinct ecosystems. Arachnologist Herbert Walter Levi revised the genus in 1959, studying the female sexual organs and noting their similarity across described species. ; most likely P. tribulus) photographed by Marique Kirwan in the Schurveberg mountains, Gauteng, South Africa. Let’s take a closer look at both of them. It was only when I viewed the photo on the computer that I noticed the “smile”. Huntsman spiders, members of the family Sparassidae, are known by this name because of their speed and mode of hunting. Knowledge on spider and spider bites in South Africa is especially important when you have kids. Sac Spider. The Wold Spider is grey to brown in colour usually with a pale stripe down the back bordered with two darker stripes. A UNIC URW-506 mini spider crane recently lifted a huge McDonalds McCafé cup in Sandton, South Africa. Full Name: Crab Spider (Family Thomisidae) Other names: Krapspinnekop. This family is just one of several families whose English name includes the phrase "crab spider". Spiders found in South Africa include 19 unique species from confirmed sightings by contributing members of Spider ID. Like … This is one of the families referred to as the orb-web spiders (another being, Tetragnathidae) although some genera do not spin orb webs. A brown recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa, is alleged to have got on board a Qatar Airways plane from Qatar. Make sure your outhouses, garages, attics, windowsills, corners etc. There has never been a fatal spider bite in Southern Africa. +27 81 818 4225. They all look similar, with their colour varying from grey to red-brown. The spider fits the exact same spider illustrated in this post, known to be an Scorpion Spider from South Africa. The spider was found perching on a low branch of a karee tree, with one strand of silk attached to a leaf … Read more +27 21 418 9462, Experiential Booking CMS We normally catch them and … This spider received 41% of the votes. The violin spider is a reclusive species that prefers to flee than use its fangs. Southern Africa has well over 2,200 known species of spiders with very few that are of medical importance. This spider received 41% of the votes. Classification: MEDICALLY IMPORTANT. How to identify them: A sub-family of the tarantula, the Baboon spider includes more than 40 individual species in South Africa alone. Its bites … These spiders are very common in the garden and occasionally come into the house.