We had a brush with death this morning on a walk up to the Phare des Mamelles (lighthouse atop the Mamelles). We'd heard about the leaping spiders, and their propensity for propelling themselves from their large webs onto unsuspecting prey, including domestic animals, and the occasional unsuspecting child.
The leaping spider is THE most venomous arachnid in West Africa, and one of the deadliest creatures on any continent, this according to spiderworld.com. Like the spitting cobra, the leaping spider sprays neurotoxin while in flight, stunning its victim even before landing.
We not only encountered one of these lovelies, but dozens, their webs stretched between trees in the thick brush alongside the road.
We were completely taken by surprise when they came springing out of the brush toward us, the air wet with neurotoxin. Naturally, we ran for it, covering our eyes. Randi got off a couple of photos, including a candid of me, horrified.
We were very fortunate to be carrying a couple of cans of Orange Fanta. Oddly, Orange Fanta neutralizes the neurotoxin of these deadly spiders. Both Randi and I were bitten several times about the neck and ears, but the Orange Fanta did the job, thank goodness.
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6 comments:
this is funny!!!!!!
ha ha ha! Mr.Spedding must be in pain to come to school after being spat by a spider.
I allso have to add. When me and my family went to the light house we allso saw the spiders. We didn't know if they were dangrus, so I wanted to do a test. I took my brother and did like I slipte and pushed him on to the web! Luckly he was stuck in the web for four days and not 5. The last time we pasted there a spider bit all over the neck. We tried the fanta but it didn't work, so my father made me drink five bottles of beer. It was good and not good. The good thing was that the scars went away. The bad thing was that allso my family got heart(I drank a little to much...). If you ever go to the light house, bring 4 and a half botls of beer and maby not your hole family will have painfull memorys.
Really funny Mr.S 8-]
I like yoel's comment... but it's coke, not beer or fanta, but coke. I tried it myself!(on teddy)
I talked with Yoel this morning. Actually, he meant to say root beer. It's the root in root beer that possesses those special healing properties.
I have to say, I'm a little suspicious of the authenticity of this story. I realize that Orange Fanta is widely used as a catch-all cure for many African ailments, but I do believe that the photo of Mr. Spedding was doctored...he seems to be sitting in a chair.....? House spiders?
Enjoy spider season in Dakar. Feel free to come to our garden to see a few that we are raising at home.
Mr. Rutherford
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