Beasties

[G1ZmO]

Yes I know I'll probably get laughed at for this post but here goes...:lol:

I'm currently in Scotland and there aren't any beasties that can really do you harm when you're standing in the dark observing at night but what about in Aus? (specifically Victoria)

Has anyone had problems with snakes/spiders or any other beasties at night while observing?

I've probably been tainted with the usual paranoia which afflicts potential Australian immigrants with regards to the indigenous wildlife :P

Thanks

Paul

[lacad01]

For me just mosquitoes, I'm like a magnet to them :rolleyes:

[jjjnettie]

A little paranoia is a good thing to have.
You just need to be careful. Don't stick your fingers or feet anywhere without having a little look first. If somethings been lying on the ground, a tarp, a piece of wood, some corrugated iron, always assume that some little critter will be curled up asleep under it.

[G1ZmO]

Oh yes, I didn't mention the midges in Scotland but they do generally vanish before the astro season starts in August (too light between May and August to do any astronomy really)

Ref: http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usfeatures/midges/

Won't miss them, that's for sure lol

[AstralTraveller]

Jeanettes advice is pretty good, especially in northern Oz or in summer when snakes can be active at night. Down here I've never had a problem in 35 years of observing. Mozzies are only about in summer and they ease off after twilight. I have been at a quiet spot by myself and been able to hear the roos chewing the grass about 5m from me - very nice.

Of course there is the rare and endangered nocturnal drop-bear to worry about. Since astronomers don't set up under trees they aren't really a problem, but do beware where you stand when answering a call of nature. :eyepop:

[G1ZmO]

Yes, drop-bears. I'll be sure to be wary of them lol
We have a similar problem in Scotland during the autumn when astronomers can suddenly be bowled over by a passing herd of migrating haggis :P

[stephenb]

Actually, I have heard that drop bears have been know to drop at angles of up to 45-degrees if the conditions are just right. An exclusion perimeter equal to the height of the tree is advisable. ;)

http://www.geocities.com/muirnin/db.htm (http://www.geocities.com/muirnin/db.htm)


When I used to set up in the middle of a paddock, I was cautious fo snakes, especially in the warmer months.

Mozzies at night can be a nuisance.

[snowyskiesau]

The only hazard I have to put up with is flying foxes. Mostly they sit in a neighbours fruit trees arguing (apparently they don't like to share) so noise is the problem.
Having one swoop silently overhead in the early hours can cause a few skipped heartbeats. I won't even start to describe the mess they make!

[stephenb]

we used to get them a lot in our area, but not anymore. Pretty harmless except their mess can be an issue.

[dpastern]

I'd say midges (females), mosquitoes (females) and horseflies (females). Anyone noticing a trend here?

Dave

[Blue Skies]

Well down here in south-west Western Australia its mainly mosquitoes and perhaps ticks (only annoying ticks here on this side of the continent, none are particularly poisonous, not like in NSW). Snakes at night only when extremely hot, but I've not encountered any during my sessions. Foxes might have a go at your food if you're camping but that's more a nuisance than a physical threat.

However if you go up north to the Pilbara and Kimberley you would be wise to look out for nocturnal snake activity, I've heard a few stories of people sleeping on the ground in swags and waking up with snake in bed with them. Best to sleep on a camp bed or in a tent you can zip up.

But there are those persistant stories of rogue black panthers living in the forests of the southwest, but of course no one can provide any proof...

[Jen]

:poke::poke: hey watch it you there is a crazy woman that also gets around with big sticks :rofl::rofl::P

[Jen]

:question: oh those dam mozzies love me in the summer time :rolleyes:

And the occasional cat or two will come up and start rubbing my leg all of a sudden and scare the willies out of me :lol::lol:

[pgc hunter]

surprisingly we had absolutely no mozzies last summer....maybe the extremely cold and disgusting December killed them off, while the heat in January finished the job.

But the summer before that....oh lordie what a horror story. Astronomy on a 30C night in sweat pants and a jumper.....mad fun...



.....not!

[DavidU]

The bacteria in the Flying Foxes teeth is what will kill you.
Here the ticks can also kill you with in a few days, oh and Red back spiders give me the willy's

[pgc hunter]

my pool is infested with redbacks in summer.

but they only get you if you disturb their webs.

[dpastern]

lol, I can run very very fast when inspired :P

Dave

[Jen]

:lol::lol: well you better start running cause i can run too when ive been inspired LMAO :rofl:
:evil2:

[pgc hunter]

When I'm inspired I jump around in circles.

[MrB]

Yeash, in addition to Jacquies post, be on the lookout for spiders, most are harmless but I've found a white-tail under my pillow once when camping out.

[DavidU]

You could have lost half your face ! jeez

[dpastern]

Spiders are much maligned. I've been bitten by a black house spider, huntsman, wolf spider, white tailed spider and lived to tell the tail. The black house spider was the worst, felt quite crook after that, the rest weren't too bad, although I got a nice headache from the huntsman and white tailed spider. No necrosis, no limbs falling off either - they are wives tales (in reference to wolf spider & white tailed spider). Most spiders will happily move on, rather than bite a human just to spite us.

Jen - I've been running for the past half an hour, can I take a breather now :P

Dave

[jjjnettie]

A lady at work got bit on the arm by a white-tail, while folding the washing. It must have got on the clothes while they were on the line. She was very lucky indeed. Very little necrosis. But she was sick for weeks.

[Jen]

:lol: Yep you can stop now ive just had a vision of spiders and they have made me run the other way :scared::scared::eek::eek: I am petrified of those ugly hairy things :help:

[Blue Skies]

You were lucky, then. My dad got bitten by a white tailed spider on the leg and it ulcerated nastily and took several months and several rounds of antibiotics to clear up - but he still has the leg. ;) My brother was stupid enough to try and pick up a huntsman once and got bitten for his troubles, but no problems, just a sore hand for a few days.

Hey, I just realised no one has mentioned scorpions yet. They sometimes wander around at night too. We get them inside when its either very hot or very cold, otherwise they tend to stay out of sight. Will give you a nasty sting but non-lethal.

[Nightskystargaz]

Paul,

I too have trouble with Mosquitoes, Here in the States.

:thanx:,

Tom

[Waxing_Gibbous]

Its different here isn't it? While most European wildlife is either aw-shucks cute or mildly annoying, the beasties here are actively, pre-meditatedly trying to KILL you.
The ubiquitous spiders, several snakes, all of which, here in Victoria, are poisonous (you really, really don't want to bitten by one). Never mind "Dropping Bears" its bear droppings you need to worry about - so don't set up near a gum tree. Possums which, tho' cute as the dickens, have razor sharp claws and jaws that can crush concrete or the little fingers of ex-pats (I think they like the tender white meat).
God help us, its a wonder anyone survives more than a night or two.

[[1ponders]]

No spiders or snakes at night here, though I do have to keep an eye out for the wallabies (keep it down kiwis :P ). They like to use my front lawn (where I setup) as a boxing ring and they don't care how close they get to the spectators and the spectators equipment. Oh and they don't just throw punches with their forefeet, they use their hind feet to excellent effect as well.

[dpastern]

necrosis and white tailed spiders has been show to be caused by that particular individual being allergic to the venom. The average person isn't allergic, and thus has very little issues with the bite. The necrosis, for the most part, is a wives tale. Plenty of scientific research will back me on this.

As to your brother, good on him for not being scared. Huntsman are quite docile spiders, very non aggressive.

My white tailed spider bite resulted in a quite bad headache, so I took a few nurofen and went to bed. The next day I was OK, slight itchiness where it bit me. The day after my arm ached (much like a tet shot). That disappeared within 12 hours and all was good.

Dave

[G1ZmO]

Thanks for all your advice folks.
Really looking forward to enjoying the southern hemisphere skies for a bit before I get stung, bitten, clawed and have my limbs fall off hehehe

Sturdy boots, bicycle clips and chainmail trousers for me :P

Paul

[goober]

I was taught the white tail spiders are dangerous because they are scavengers. They give you a bacterial infection because their fangs have been in all sorts of muck. It just depends how hygienic the spider that gets you is ... :whistle:

[jjjnettie]

Don't forget the Centipedes! Don't mess with them, nasty.
If you happen to go for a swim in a creek don't forget that
fresh water catfish have a venomous spine. If you step on one, to quote Lawson, "you know about it". Your foot will swell up like a football. Even a slight graze from one and "you know about it". Excruciating. I "knew about it" when the spine of one went straight through my volley's into my foot.

[dpastern]

nah, just remember, people 500 years ago were taught the Earth was the center of the universe. Whilst the wiki isn't always accurate, have a read:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-tailed_spider

I found the black house spider to be far worse than any of the others. I had vomiting, nausea, a very bad headache, chills and aches, dizziness for close to 8 hours. And, they are actually very aggressive spiders - they will look for a fight. Most other spiders are far better behaved!

Dave

[Glenhuon]

The salt water ones are just as bad, got speared by a cobbler fish (salt water catfish) here once and spent several hours with my hand stuck in extremely hot water to kill the pain, that was after the shot at the hospital wore off. Must admit though been in Aus for 28 years, spent a lot of time in the bush, never had a snake have a go at me and only got bitten by a spider of unknown type once, all it caused was an itch and a large bruise which disappeared in a couple of days.

Bill

[stephenb]

Here is a great Paul Hogan sketch about immigrating to Australia. I hope this doesn't upset any of our UK friends... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-7g5qbCPAM

A bit dated but some references to the dangers of our wildlife. Of course, purely tongue in cheek.

[dpastern]

Despite being a fan of Hoges, I never saw this skit. Awesome stuff, had me in tears, despite having a bad tension headache.

Dave

[toryglen-boy]

Hi Paul

i thought being from Glasgow, i better chime in.

The midges in Scotland are an absolute joy, compared to the mozzies here. Whereas the midges swarma round you, and can make you itch slightly, thats as far as it goes, but when i get bitten by mozzies (and here in Australia during the warm weather, there is no escaping it) i come up in huge welts, i have been to the doc about it, and he tells me that because i didnt grow up here, and i wasnt bitten as a child, then i dont have an immunity to it, when my partner gets bitten, it looks like a small spot, that itches for a half hour or so, but for me they take weeks to go, and they might be the same for you.

As for spiders, i see huntsmen everywhere, but whereas i was absolutely terrified at seeing something that big with 8 legs, after 3 years here, i actually dont pay them any attention, and they are very timid things anyway. I have only ever seen one snake, and that was baking in teh sun, on the middle of the road. coming from Scotland to here, there are a few things, that you get used to very quickly, and its just common sense. Things like checking garden gloves before putting them on, and turning your shoes upside and tapping them before putting on, or looking underneath the garden furniture for redbacks before lifting it etc.

but you get used to it, and the warm balmy nights are far better than sitting in the back garden in greenhills ;)

although the sound of the cicadas can drive you mental also ..

:lol:

[[1ponders]]

And don't forget the bullrouts, stonefish, scorpionfish, Lionfish, Spinefoot (aka rabbit fish, black trevally, Happy Moment (one of the most painful experiences I have ever had, nearly passed out from the pain)) Blue Ring Octopus, Box Jellyfish, Iracanji (?) Jellyfish, .......need I go on.

Lovely country this Ozztralia, but you do need to watch carefully for the locals. And that's without going into a pub. ;)

:lol:

[stephenb]

It's from Paul Hogan's England - still available on DVD

[dpastern]

Sounds good Stephen, must keep an eye out for it.

Dave

[MrB]

I've never done any of those things! :eyepop:

[G1ZmO]

Thanks for the tips everyone.

Think I'd rather tackle a few huntsmen that a bunch of greenhills halfwits full of bucky Duncan :P

heh

Paul

[AstralTraveller]

I think we've managed to cover most of the nasties - certainly more than most people will see in thier lifetime. I think the wasps found on Cape York and bullants are the only insects not yet mentioned.

If you go camping or picnicing there is another hazzard - the feathered touristpecker. They work on the assumption that your food is their food. The approach can either be full frontal or by sneaky raids. Showing intent and a weilding long stick is generally enough to ensure you don't accidently feed the wildlife. Then there are the marauding macropods. These can take a bit more convincing, often involving direct physical contact. I've had to push one out of a tent.

I don't know what bucky is but I get the idea. Sorry to say that Australia has a plentiful supply of halfwits. We've just had a bunch of them create an international incident by beating up some Indian students. :confused2:

[G1ZmO]

David, Buckfast Tonic Wine aka "Bucky" is a sweet fortified tonic wine which has a high caffeine content and is favoured by 16 - 24 year old marauding gangs of our society who have barely a braincell between them. Probably partially due to the aforementioned "wine".

Enough said on that front. :)

http://whiskystuff.blogspot.com/2009/04/buckfast-neds-beverage-of-choice.html

Paul

[toryglen-boy]

LOL

memories of Bucky, and a bottle of merrydown half filled with Tenants Lager ..

but i digress

:)