Garden Orb Spider
These large spiders are common in gardens or out in the bush. The males are much smaller than the females. The abdomen is rounded and usually has small protrusions, giving it a knobbly look.
These large spiders are common in gardens or out in the bush. The males are much smaller than the females. The abdomen is rounded and usually has small protrusions, giving it a knobbly look.
It’s easy to confuse an Eastern Tiger Snake with the Spotted Harlequin Snake. The graphic below illustrates how to recognize the key differences.
South Africa has a rich diversity of spider species, with more than 2000 species. This is directly related to our diverse habitats and landscape in southern Africa. Jumping Spiders are the most specious group followed by Ground Spiders and Crab Spiders. Identification of spiders is tricky, and many new species are described each year (Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2014).
This is a question which is often asked by members of the public or those interested in becoming certified snake removers.
Animal Planet or Nat Geo put together a documentary in which it was stated that juvenile snakes are more dangerous than adults because they are still dumb and do not know how to control their venom. What research this was based on (if any) is not known.
What is the deadliest snake in Southern Africa?
A popular question with no easy answer. We do not have a way to test snake venoms on humans, and in the past, tests were done on laboratory mice and referred to as a LD50 test. It boils down to the amount of venom, measured in milligrams, that is required to kill fifty out of one hundred laboratory mice within 24 hours.
These spiders are very common in gardens and occasionally come into houses. They are usually larger than a R5 coin.
A small spider that is usually black or dark brown. They have a smooth, velvety appearance.
They generally have a broad profile, with two legs facing forward and two facing backward.
We teach snake handling to a number of corporate clients in various industries, around Africa. And we have thousands of private individuals attend our public courses in South Africa yearly.
“Do snake removers charge to remove snakes from your home or business premises?” This is a question we are asked quite frequently on our various social media pages. The answer differs from snake handler to snake handler.