FUNNEL SPIDERS(For Aussies only-'specially that live near Sidney)

[DirtDawg]

Note the stance.

Of course, that specific pic was chosen to show ferocity. (I'm not even sure if that's a FWS, but that is a good example of why they are dangerous)
They are aggressive!! We have a deadly spider hear as well, but it prefers to hide - in fact the Indians who live with them in the woods call it "The Spider That Hides"  in their native language.

We also have a very aggressive species of spider here, known to capture and kill birds, mice, etc, called a trapdoor spider. Extremely aggressive, but their poison is not even slightly dangerous to humans. Hurts like fuck to be bitten (seen it, but never been bitten - biting insects and arachnids do not seem to have any interest in biting me, stinging insects and scorpions have no such qualms, however.) and makes a mess of the local skin for a couple of weeks, but only leaves a small scar and no one is known to ever have the kind of complications from this spider bite that can cause death.

We have trapdoor spiders in Australia too.

http://www.austmus.gov.au/factsheets/trapdoor_spiders.htm

Yes, I know and they are similar to ours. South America has one of a related species, also, with the same habits, but it is the size of a dinner plate. Ours is only the size of of a small palm at their largest.

None of these have the same type of toxin that a FWS can claim, though. As I understand poisons, FWS's is more similar to a snake's poison than most spiders use. It attacks the nervous system.

[Phlexor]

You might be able to get one encased in resin or in formalin but not lose and dry.  And you would have a better chance if you did it through a university. We used to have samples from all over the world when I took entomology.

This is so ridiculous. It's a fucking dead spider. You could get dead scorpions through the customs in Sweden before. Maybe you still can. I know people who have done it.

It's not about the spider being dead, it could be other micro organisms containing on or in the dead spider that they have a concern about.

[Phlexor]

I don't live near Sydney, but couldn't you buy one for scientific research purposes or something? Not sure how customs would like a regular person sending one in the post. The government is is a little sensitive about people sending wildlife and plants etc overseas.

I dont want a live one, I want a DEAD one. 

Mercifully there are NO funnel spiders whatsoever in the Americas[in fact, there are species of funnelweb spiders all across Eurasia, the australian variety just happens to be the Deadliest :skull:]
But the spider that really freaks me the fuck out is the Godforsaken "Banana Spider"(Phoneutria Nigriventer) which just showed up in an box of bananas from Brazil in an Oklahoma supermarket!! 

Yeah, I meant a dead one for study purposes. Or perhaps those people who collect insects and shit and pin them to boards or whatnot. Maybe they trade and sell that shit.

But yeah, that banana spider is a deadly motherfucker or what. 

Well actually, the banana spider is deadly but not NEARLY as lethal as the Sydney Funnel Spider! 

Wikipedia says it particularly dangerous because of its willingness to attack people I think.

I hear the same is true of funnel spiders. ESPECIALLY males during the rainy season. A bite from Phoneutria Nigriventer Can kill but apparently it isnt fatal 100% of the time. On the other hand, a bite from a Male syndey funnel spider is guaranteed to kill if untreated with antivenin.

Here are the worlds top 3 most dangerous spiders:

1.Atrax Robustus(sidney funnel spider)

2.Phoneutria Nigriventer(banana spider)

3.Latrodectus Hasselti(redback spider)

Definitely seen a few Redback spiders in my time. Part of the black widow spider family (hence the Latrodectus in its name).

[SleepyDragon]

You might be able to get one encased in resin or in formalin but not lose and dry.  And you would have a better chance if you did it through a university. We used to have samples from all over the world when I took entomology.

This is so ridiculous. It's a fucking dead spider. You could get dead scorpions through the customs in Sweden before. Maybe you still can. I know people who have done it.

It's not about the spider being dead, it could be other micro organisms containing on or in the dead spider that they have a concern about.

And what about the venom, couldn't it remain toxic even after the spider has died?

We used to own one of those big plastic turtleshell thingos that you could fill up with sand for the kids to play in, or at a pinch you could use it for a wading pool. When we finally decommissioned it and went to take it to the tip, we discovered maybe three dozen redback spiders of all ages and sizes living happily on its underside.

[ANTON_UBER_ALLES]

Note the stance.

Of course, that specific pic was chosen to show ferocity. (I'm not even sure if that's a FWS, but that is a good example of why they are dangerous)
They are aggressive!! We have a deadly spider hear as well, but it prefers to hide - in fact the Indians who live with them in the woods call it "The Spider That Hides"  in their native language.

We also have a very aggressive species of spider here, known to capture and kill birds, mice, etc, called a trapdoor spider. Extremely aggressive, but their poison is not even slightly dangerous to humans. Hurts like fuck to be bitten (seen it, but never been bitten - biting insects and arachnids do not seem to have any interest in biting me, stinging insects and scorpions have no such qualms, however.) and makes a mess of the local skin for a couple of weeks, but only leaves a small scar and no one is known to ever have the kind of complications from this spider bite that can cause death.

It is the effectiveness of their poison against so many species, along with their inherent aggression that makes the FWS so dangerous.

WHERE do you live DirtDawg? And what is the name of the deadly spider species you're referring to?