A Swedish golfer has told how she used a tee to try to extract venom from her leg after being bitten by a dangerous spider during a qualifying tournament in Canberra.
The Swedish Golf Federation reported on their website how 24-year-old Daniela Holmqvist saw what she believed was a redback spider on her lower leg after she felt a sharp pain above her left ankle.
An official for Golf Australia confirmed the incident was reported during the pre-qualifying tournament at the Federal Golf Club in Canberra's inner south on Tuesday morning.
Seeing her leg swell up, Holmqvist did not seek medical attention but instead grabbed a golf tee from her bag, pierced her skin and squeezed out as much venom as possible.
"A clear fluid came out," she said. "It wasn't the prettiest thing I've ever done but I had to get as much of it out of me as possible."
The Swedish federation added that, after the incident took place at the fourth hole, an unfazed Holmqvist went on to finish her round with officials monitoring her progress.
The redback spider (Latrodectus hasseltii) is a dangerous spider endemic to Australia. It is a member of the genus Latrodectus, the widow spiders, which are found throughout the world. The female is easily recognisable by her black body with a prominent red stripe on the upper side (i.e. the back) of her abdomen. Females have a body length of about a centimetre, while the male is smaller, being only 3 to 4 mm long. The redback spider is one of few arachnids which usually display sexual cannibalism while mating.
Redbacks are considered one of the most dangerous species of spiders in Australia. Its neurotoxic venom is toxic to humans, with bites causing severe pain, often for over 24 hours. An antivenom is commercially available, and since its introduction in 1956, no deaths due to redback bites have been reported.
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