27 March 2023 , 22:14
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An Australian woman has issued a warning to other homeowners after finding four venomous spiders in her swimming pool.
Lynda Knight, who lives on the New South Wales north coast, spotted four eastern mouse spiders in her pool after heavy rainfall.
Some mouse spiders have a toxic venom that can be dangerous for humans, even though only few cases of serious sickness have been reported.
After spotting four creatures in her swimming pool, Ms Knight wrote on Facebook: "Please always check your pools before jumping in especially after rain.
"There were 4 of the d**n things in ours after the last couple days of rain."
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Some mouse spiders have a toxic venom that can be dangerous for humans (Getty Images/iStockphoto)A person commented saying they regularly spot eastern mouse spiders in their pool and usually get them out with a leaf scoop.
Ms Knight said: "We haven't had any for a while, but all the rain we've had up here of late has obviously resurrected them."
She added: "Not to be messed with."
The Australian Museum explains that mouse spiders are often confused with funnel-web spiders.
The main differences between the two species are that the funnel-web has much long spinnerets - the two appendages on the end of the abdomen - and the male funnel-web has a spur on its second leg.
The abdomen in mouse spiders can be uniform black or dark blue, or black with a light grey to white patch on top.
The head is very wide, shiny, and black, sometimes with bright red or orange-red jaws and eye region. Females are larger, stockier, more solid spider than males.
Mouse spiders are found over much of mainland Australia and are commonly found from late summer until April-May. They often fall into suburban swimming pools.
Because of their potential toxicity to humans, first aid treatment should be provided as recommended for funnel-web spider envenomation.