Spiders

I have been bitten by a funnel-web spider.
I used to live in Sydney's North Shore, where they are common. Normally, they are ground dwelling spiders, but they get on the move in summer, and can become very aggressive when looking for mates.

I was in an upstairs bathroom, and the spider was on the inside of the fold of a towel on a towel rack.
I picked up the towel, to wipe my face, and the spider bit me on the hard knuckle part of my left hand.
The spider was captured for confirmation of identification, and both the spider and myself were transported to hospital immediately.

The reason given for my survival is that only a tiny amount of venom must have been injected. If I had been bitten on the face, I would not have been writing this post. It left two tiny puncture marks, which still remain to this day as two tiny brown tattoo marks.

I was a teenager at the time, and that was about five years before an antivenene was developed by the CSL. These days, funnel web antivenene is kept at all hospitals in Sydney.

Funnel Web venom only kills primates and man, it does not seem to affect other large animals. That is because it is a neurotoxin (affects the brain). Perhaps I didn't have a brain. I was jokingly accused of being brainless at the time!

We had a cat that used to do it's 'busy' into funnel web spider holes. "Dig before you dump". Our cat didn't have to bother.
THAT must have angered the spiders! How would your home being 'dumped on'?

Actually, I like spiders. There about 1,500 species of them in Australia, and only four of those have caused any harm to humans. They more than earn their keep in my garden, where they keep down insect pests.

Perth Mint uses a pad-printing technique to colourise its coloured coins. In this case, the colour is printed onto a finished proof coin, with parts of the non-coloured design given mirror-finish, and other parts frosted.

And just a minor technicality: these coins are not actually issued "by" Australia, but "by" Tuvalu. To see the obverse, check the Perth Mint sales page for this coin.