Dangerous spiders and snakes are invading Wyndham homes and armies of ants are joining the offensive, according to local experts.
One resident recently found a venomous redback spider in his letterbox, and another found one in the bathroom, while other locals complained of an invasion of white-tailed spiders.
A Point Cook woman said a redback spider bit her before Christmas and she “nearly died” before being treated in hospital.
Hoppers Crossing snake catcher Adam Sapiano said last week’s hot weather had brought many snakes out at night.
He said he had caught five in the week to Friday, with a total of 25 for the summer.
Mr Sapiano said snakes suffered heat exhaustion and stayed out of the extreme daytime heat but were active from 8pm to 9am.
The night-time snake activity led to several dogs being bitten, according to Dr Leonie Richards of Werribee’s University of Melbourne Veterinary Hospital.
“People have been walking their dogs at night, but that’s when the snakes are out,” Dr Richards said.
The vet hospital had seen numerous cases of heat-stressed dogs, including one animal that died despite being kept inside with water, she said.
There were also many cases of heat-stressed native wildlife and birds, including a possum and its baby found by the roadside.
Dr Richards encouraged residents to leave water out under trees on their properties.
She said despite reports that the Lort Smith Animal Hospital was dealing with an outbreak of the deadly parvovirus in dogs in the western suburbs, the Werribee hospital had not seen an increase.
Alan Rust, of Rusty’s Pest Management Solutions, said Point Cook residents had been invaded by redback, white-tailed and other spiders because of the extreme weather.
He recently found three white-tailed spiders under a trampoline that children had been playing on in Point Cook.
He urged parents to be vigilant.
