This (pictured right) is what I woke up to this morning. Crawling along my arm was the most feared of all Australian spiders. The White Tailed Spider. In my rational mind, I knew there was nothing to worry about. These little guys are no more dangerous than a bee or even less so. The reason they are one of Australia's most feared animals is because of sensationalist media like A Current Affair, The Daily Telegraph etc... In actual fact, White Tailed Spiders are very handy to have around the house. It's just hard to appreciate it when you wake up at 6:30am with one on your arm.

Actually when I contacted the CSIRO about these spiders, they told me that whenever anyone has come into a hospital or Doctor with a big unexplained rash or chronic skin condition like they saw on Ray, they have never been able to produce the White Tailed Spider that "bit them". Not once.

It is theorised that some people might have a reaction to its bite just like some people have reactions to bee stings however it would not be anything like necrotising arachnidism. For most if not all of us, being bitten by one of these guys would be just like being bitten by a Bull Ant, it might sting like a bugger and be itchy for a little while but that's it.

But the reason why they are actually good to have around the house is that their main source of food is other spiders. They love eating the little Black House Spiders that live in and around most homes.

So this was what the rational side of my brain was telling me as I watched this little thing sitting on my arm, tapping away with its front legs. At least it was for about 3 secs until I squashed the bloody thing.