Govind Tekale
A spider measuring 9.2 centimeters measuring 9.2 centimeters from foot to foot is now helping save lives in Australia. The Australian Reptile Park just received its biggest funnel-web spider ever.
The spider, nicknamed “Hemsworth,” joins the park’s life-saving antivenom program. “We named him after Chris Hemsworth and his brothers because he towers over other spiders, just like the Hemsworths tower over most people,” explains spider keeper Emma Teni.
Most male funnel-web spiders are tiny by comparison, usually between 1 to 5 centimeters wide. This makes Hemsworth notably larger than typical specimens.
Saving Lives One Spider at a Time
The park turns spider venom into medicine that saves people’s lives. Each year, 30 to 40 Australians get bitten by these spiders. Without treatment, their bite can be deadly within 20 minutes. Their fangs are so strong they can pierce through a fingernail.
Making this life-saving medicine takes time and lots of spiders. “We need to milk a spider up to 200 times to make just one bottle of antivenom,” says Teni. Thanks to this program, no one has died from a funnel-web spider bite in over 40 years.
How You Can Help (Safety)
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The park needs more spiders for its program, but safety comes first. If you live in or near Sydney, Newcastle, or the Blue Mountains, here’s how to safely catch a funnel-web spider:
“All you need is a smooth jar and a long-handled spoon,” Teni explains. “Put the jar in front of the spider and gently guide it inside. Then secure the lid and bring it to one of our drop-off locations.”
These spiders often show up in suburban gardens and wooded areas around Sydney, Newcastle, and the Blue Mountains. While they’re dangerous, the park’s program helps keep everyone safe. Each year, their antivenom saves up to 300 people.
Hemsworth’s arrival marks more than just a size record. Like the previous record-holders Hercules (7.9cm) and Colossus (7.8cm), this giant spider will help protect hundreds of Australian families in the years ahead.
