News Digest

Meet Big Boy, the giant-sized funnel-web spider caught for milking…

A reptile park in Australia is celebrating after receiving its biggest ever male funnel-web spider. Big Boy, a Sydney funnel-web spider, with a leg span of 10cm (4in) and was so full of venom, it was dripping from his fangs… It is the deadliest spider in Australia and one of the most deadly in the world. Big Boy was handed in to the Australian Reptile Park in New South Wales, which milks spiders to make anti-venom. The park’s head curator Liz Vella said it was always happy to receive funnel-webs for milking.

They are a feisty species of spider and can be expected to stand their ground and defend themselves.

Liz Vella

It has has been known to kill humans, so bite victims must be treated as soon as possible. The Australian Reptile Park website has an online safety and capture video to help with the collection and delivery of funnel-web spiders. She said now is the best time to catch them as it is the mating season. Miss Vella added: "January and February are the peak times when male funnel-web spiders are out trying to find females to mate [with],“ she told the Sydney Morning Herald. "Given that only males can be milked, we really encourage local communities to hand them in… within this peak season. Funnel-web spiders only live for 12 months so we’re constantly needing to restock our males.”