Thursday 15/01/15
It's a strange title for a blog; but a simple concept. Living in an urban environment, it is unlikely that you will have unwanted visitors sleeping in your shoes overnight. At least, until Funnel Web season. Then the chances of finding something nasty in your shoe increases dramatically. Funnel Web spiders aren't looking for permanent lodgings, just somewhere to sleep during the day. A hollowed out log is preferable, but an empty shoe will do just as well. A spider in a boot is an aggressive spider. It's not biting a person, it's trapped in a confined space and it is defending itself from a large animal invading its sleeping quarters.
Clearing your boots is easy. Don't just shove your hand inside your boot and feel around. Pick your boot up and hit the heel against the ground several times, then turn your boot upside-down and shake it. This should dislodge anything hiding inside. This seems obvious, but after watching a grown man squeal because he put his foot on something sleeping in his boot, I thought I should remind everyone about the basics.
Funnel Web spiders aren't the only culprits. Redbacks, huntsmen, white-tips, and black house spiders also like empty shoes. Cockroaches, mice, centipedes, scorpions and other critters have also been known to sleep in boots on many campsites.
Something else to keep in mind; if you're going away from civilisation for a day or two, pack a spare pair of bootlaces. They weigh nothing and take up no room in your backpack. You'd be surprised just how often a short length of cord will come in handy. Also, nothing's more annoying than a boot loosely flopping around on your foot.