But I hate anything larger. Not because I'm afraid... it's more utter revulsion :-p
2006-09-01 12:43:11 · 12 answers · asked by -=Matt=- 2 in Travel ➔ Australia ➔ Sydney
The insects aren't that bad if you're inside. We have European wasps, which are far worse than any of our native wasps. Mosquitoes and flies can get annoying outside but they don't often carry any serious diseases like malaria or anything. The spiders can be pretty bad, depending where you are in Australia. Here in South Australia we don't really get funnel webs, but there are redbacks, white-tailed spiders and wolf spiders, all of which will enter houses when it gets hot. White-tails and redbacks particularly like bathrooms, since they're usually fairly cool. They're easily identifiable by the red or white patches on their backs. Kill them if you see them and call an ambulance if one bites you. Wolf spiders are fairly big, at least by Australian standards. They generally come out at night (like 2 or 3am) and walk around on the ground. I don't know that they've ever killed anyone but they can make you really sick. That's about it for poisonous ones. There're also Huntsman spiders which are pretty big but normally stay on walls and aren't poisonous. Still pretty disconcerting, though. Good luck.
2006-09-02 05:22:24 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Rural Australia has blowflies that are huge and lay maggots everywhere and anywhere.
We also have sticky flies that love to crawl up your nose or fly in your mouth.
Cockroaches are a big problem around the coastline and in more humid areas.
Then we have the cane toad that can weigh as much as a stone in weight.
Plus we have mosquitoes that sometimes carry Dengue Fever, Malaria and Ross River Fever.
Oh, I forgot about the spiders. We have Funnel Web, Trapdoor, Red back and a few other not so serious ones.
And of course we have deadly snakes eg. Taipan, King Brown, Red Belly Black, Copper Head, etc., etc.
By the way when are you coming to Australia?
2006-09-02 00:48:58 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's certainely going to be an experience coming here if you dont like big bugs. This country is home to the biggest cocroach in the world, though you rarely see it because it lives in only a few select areas, it's absolutely massive, growing larger than a grown mans fist.
Still, you've got more chance of seeing huntsman spiders while here. They are these hairy, brown spiders that grow up to the size of a mans palm of hand. They have a tendency of coming inside houses during wet weather, or hide in car vents (it's a good "wake up call" to be driving along, only to have one of these crawl out of the vent in front of you!) Still, they are very shy, their bite hurts, but isnt deadly, and if you leave them alone you'll be right.
Of course, these are but 2 of the "big" bugs you can find in Australia, and there are a few more. Of course, most are completely harmless, or very shy, but if you a revolted by them, that's probably no consellation.
2006-09-03 18:48:08 · answer #3 · answered by azza 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Spiders are not insects!
In general, the creepy crawlies you can expect to encounter here would make you squeal.
In my lifetime I've seen spiders as big as crabs (huntsmen - not poisonous) but the deadly ones are generally smaller.
I am scared beyond belief of all insects, the worst are the enormous grasshoppers which have a tendency to land on you. Now that is utter revulsion!
Otherwise we have the standard array of insects, no worse than Europe.... hee hee hee.....
2006-09-02 05:13:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Here are some links with pictures of common insects and where to find more.
http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&aq=Australian%20insects&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:2006-35,GGLJ:en&q=Australian+insects&sa=N&tab=wi
http://www.insectfarm.com.au/photo.htm
I was there for 9 weeks travelling throughout Australia from October to December 2005 and the only bothersome insects were the flies. They are small but bothersome.
If you get a chance to see them, the huge termite mounds are amazing. The aborigines put eucalyptus sticks into the mounds, and the termites hollow them out. Presto...the makings for a didgeridoo!
Have a great trip!
2006-09-02 08:56:56 · answer #5 · answered by Bobbie 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i cant believe that no one has mentioned to you "rhino beetles" and "giant stick insects".....
rhino beetles are a large and I mean LARGE black beetles with a pincer at the front that is big enough to fit your finger in it. they hiss if you touch them...and yes, they will get you if you dont be careful! oh yeah...and being a beetle, they fly....
stick insects are huge....about 10-12 inches long is a good size. and they look just like sticks. they are usually found hanging from your clothes line or attached to the security screen of your door first things in the morning. and yes, these can fly as well...
you might also like to watch out for paper-wasps...now these are nasty little things. if you bump into or throw something at their nest, no matter how far you are away, they will seek you out and sting the pants off you. and this is no ordinary sting (i am speaking from experience, as a child)...you will be feeling the affects of this very clever little creature for a few days...
check out my links below for more information on these insects and beetle...and the last site are some insect breeders in my local area - check out the section on Cyclone Larry...we had a catagory 5 cyclone through here in March...
have a great time in Australia...
2006-09-02 08:15:32 · answer #6 · answered by skattered0077 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The Funnel Web spider does NOT hide under toilet seats red-back spiders do
mossies
bees
wasps
lot of different kinds of spiders from small to large
& a lot more look on here
http://www.milamba.com/australia/inhabit/insects/insects.htm
2006-09-01 22:13:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
omg be prepared!!! australia has every feral creature on the planet.....flies are the worst especially in summer its so gross, and coz i live in QLD the summers here are just so hot and nasty and then the flies come argh.....
i suppose i'm used to it, but foreign friends of mine cant get over how big the insects are here....so i dont know....
but i think the worst thing of all, worse than all the insects and killer animals combined is the goddamn heat!!!!! and we're in a drought too, so its water restrictions - no hosing the garden, filling up pools and summer is approaching........ :(
2006-09-02 23:11:11 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The main predator here in Oz, is the mosquito. They buzz like bee's in the night air and hone in on you when you are sleeping. Pretty much though, they are harmless little blood suckers.
2006-09-02 06:06:56 · answer #9 · answered by cheeky_beth_62 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you are going to be in the cities, flies, mossies, bees, cockies etc are all that will worry you. Spiders aren't a major concern.
2006-09-01 23:15:30 · answer #10 · answered by ***** 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋