Hill End & Spiders

Was at HillEnd again this weekend with a few forum members and for some reason I cant recall we went to check something in the annex of Freshies camper, lucky we did as a nice Funnelweb spider was making tracks for Johns boots!
We also got inundated with these huge moths that look like Bogons on steroids! These things have the wingspan of a Jumbo and leave dents and bruises when they fly into you...my lizards are now dining out on mega moths and think it's heaven!

Apart from that and the huge downpour that wiped out most of the weekend, a good weekend was still had.

Davsgold's better half Veronica scored a nice 1.1grammer, Dicko continued his run with two for a touch under 2gr and I lucked a 2.86gr which was a bootscrape and 2 pubes shy of being a sunbaker.

one of Dicko's...cant recall the weight


my 2.86gr



p.s. sorry Dicko, I must not have pushed record when we video'd you digiing up that nugget

They're mouse spiders out at Hill End. The Funnel Web is closely related but has longer spinnerets, a better dispopsition and a slightly different compound in the venom.

Easy to mistake though... same size and color (see pic)



I've given Hill End a break... found a spot an hour away that is currently giving up 20 ounces to the ton. Knock yourselves out.

Those moths are large. Their eyes reflect light so you can spot them on the road. They actually look like small sparrows. You may have noticed that they also make a rasping noise when picked up. I have no idea why they have the need to make an audible sound.

Cheers,

M.

marco, I can assure you it was a funnelweb.

I thought that mouse spiders have some blue and red on them, they do here anyway!!

GoldstalkerGPX wrote:I thought that mouse spiders have some blue and red on them, they do here anyway!!

Hi mate, there are about 7 or 8 species of Mouse spider and yeah some are quite colourful. There are 30 or 40 or so species of Funnelweb and all are nasty evil looking bastards!

Male Mouse spiders do have red fangs however the Funnel Web & Mouse spider females can easily be mistaken for one and same.
All are dangerous so, yes, beware.
If you have to leave your boots outside always jam your socks or something into the opening so critters can't take up residence down inside your boot.
Two of many identification sites here;
http://www.termite.com.au/spider-identification.html


http://theata.org/home.php
Cheers
Peter

Nice bit o gold tuna. No worries about the vid thanks for the pic. I'm glad it stopped raining for you.
Nero I'd love to see some pics of that reef you're working while the gold's still in the rock. That would be cool.

Dicko..

It annoyed me mate as we finally got to video you unearthing one and I mustn't have pushed record.....next time!

Marco: it was a nasty funnie, and was despatched to its maker.

Regards
John
PS Tuna i was thinking ya lizards might have chocked on them large moths LOL, bloody good weekend away as per usaual.

smooshed by the boot it tried to call home
Cheers John...yeah a damn good weekend! all moths gone bar one which is hitching a ride on one of the Bearded dragons head...will be gone as soon as one of the other ones spot him

Don't worry. I'm on a roll. There will be a next time.


Dicko..

We had a good time out there with you guys as well, nice nuggies, and plenty of laughs, till next time

cheers dave & veronica

I'll happily take your word for it gentlemen as I have no doubt you've seen more than your fair share of spiders out there. To add a little support, I could have sworn that I found a Funnel Web at Sally's Flat (right next to Hill End) last summer but was unable to get it out from under the tree that it had made home. I could only see the front half of her and her web was above the ground (Mouse Spiders prefer to live in the ground rather than above it). Also, the male Funnel Web spiders wander when looking for a mate, hence you found one on the run near your shoes.

Caught a LOT of Mouse Spiders in Wattle Flat a few years ago. I really don't like any of them. Interesting to find them active so close to Winter. They must be out because of the warm weather we've had.

Congrats again on your nuggets guys. I was at the caravan and camping expo over the last 10 days and a lot of people approached me to say they were headed your way based on the posts they saw on this forum. So don't give your location away so you can do the best with the areas you're on. I get the impression you might come up with something special soon since you keep getting such good, regular results. Good, clear pics btw.

Cheers,

M.

Dave and Veronica thanks for coming out, your company is always a pleasure and most welcome!

Marco, I'd say he was on the move due to the rain and possibly a flooded burrow. I was raised and lived on site in one zoo and worked in two others, part of my job was indentification and collection of funnelwebs, this fellows spinnerets and leg spurs were uniquely funnelweb. Mouse spiders by the hundreds out there, but this is only the 2nd funnelweb I've ever seen past Lithgow though I know they've been found as far west as Dubbo.

Hi Tuna,

Funnelwebs live for many hours under water, they don`t leave camp when it gets wet.

Mick.

Congrats Guys on the nice gold !
And had a laugh too... Well done.

Recon my 11 year old daughter could ID it....... she got bitten earlier this year

Hi mate, funnelwebs can survive under water for up to 30 hours before drowning, often when a burrow floods they will come out and seek refuge in a dry spot. Though, they are nocturnal so he may have just been out trying to pull chicks as Marco suggested.

NSEW wrote:Hi Tuna,

Funnelwebs live for many hours under water, they don`t leave camp when it gets wet.

Mick.

Hi All,
Just a thought, could he or she have come from out of the boot, as in carried to the area,thats one horrible thought though!!!
Ron

madtuna wrote:marco, I can assure you it was a funnelweb.

lmao