As peak funnel-web spider season approaches, the Australian Reptile Park is calling on Central Coast residents to collect any funnel-webs and their egg sacs that they might find in their gardens or nearby bushland.
The Park is asking responsible adults to retrieve egg sacs safely and take them directly to the Somersby facility.
Once hatched, the spiderlings will be raised at the Park until they are mature and are able to join the lifesaving venom milking program.
Park Director Liz Gabriel said each year more male funnel-web spiders were needed for the program.
“Because male funnel-webs only live for about a year once they reach maturity, we only have a very short period in which we can extract their venom,” she said.
“Once extracted, this venom is sent to CSL Seqirus, where it is processed into lifesaving antivenom.
“We rely on funnel-web spider donations from members of the public.
“If they also come across any egg sacs, we can use them to hatch between 50-150 spiderlings, making for a wonderful source of healthy, robust spiders to contribute to the program.”
In an educational video Gabriel explains the steps to safely retrieve the egg sac and the kinds of environments they can be found in.
These include shady areas with sloped ground as funnel-web spiders prefer to burrow under any debris in those sorts of areas.
Suburbs funnel-webs are commonly found include Wyoming, Terrigal and Matcham and those in which houses back onto forests.
During the collection of funnel-web spiders or their egg sacs, it is important to wear enclosed shoes and use a long-handled spoon to maintain a safe distance between yourself and the spider at all times.
The spider or egg sac can then be carefully guided into a large jar and brought in to the Australian Reptile Park.
The Park is the sole supplier of funnel-web spider venom to make into lifesaving antivenom.
The program has contributed to saving countless Australian lives since its inception in the early 1980s – there has not been a single death since the introduction of the program.
Anyone with a suspected funnel-web spider bite should always seek urgent medical advice or call 000.
To learn more about the appropriate first aid for funnel-web spider bites, download the Australian Bites & Stings App.
Source:
Australian Reptile Park