BARRIER REEF AUSTRALIA Accommodation, Tours, Attractions & Interesting Facts About The Great Barrier Reef.

Insects:

The Wet-Tropics Rainforests harbour approx  around 40,000 species of insects!

Common insects found are: Stick insects, moths, butterflies,  beetles, grasshoppers, ants, crickets, cicadas, ants, roaches and fireflies. All these insects have many relatives, so you will find a multitude of different types of the same insect in the rainforest.

Harmful little creatures:

Paralysis Ticks: (family. Arachnids)

The Australian paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyus) is found on most of the east coast.  It secretes a neurotoxin in its saliva that causes a progressive, and occasionally fatal, paralysis. Sometimes a severe hypersensitivity reaction may occur. The tick will often go unnoticed until weakness or ataxia develop, and then is found during an ensuing search of the body. Behind the ears and under armpits is a good place to start looking. Occasionally localized paralysis of facial muscles occur, but more commonly there is progressive ascending flaccid paralysis affecting the lower limbs first.

Red back spider

The adult female red back is about 2-3 cm long, quite black, with a distinctive red stripe on its abdomen. Found through out Australia, the male is much smaller and considered harmless. Neither are aggressive. A special feature seen only with Red-back bites is that the bitten limb may sweat profusely while the rest of the skin remains dry.  Although the toxin is slow to act, it is important to seek medical attention ASAP.

Red back spider