Although not as paranoid about snakes and spiders as I am about centipedes I am curious about whether there are poisonous snakes and spiders on the island. I saw a snake the other day about four feet long. I have had to kill death adders and brown snakes before. Not liking to do it, but necessary under the circumstances I was faced with at the time. I would rather not have to kill snakes and spiders so if I know which are dangerous and which are not my lapsed buddist predisposition would be partially satisfied.
I have hardly seen a spider on the island.
I never would have thought moving to cosmopolitan Hong Kong from a land reputedly still practicing cannibalism and routinely partaking in tribal warfare would be teeming with wildlife.
The irony of life still flabbergasts me as it did 20 years ago.

Hey there... can anyone please help me to identify a snake? Didn't have time to take a photo...but i couldn't get into my flat the other day (Yung Shue Long New Village - 1st floor!) as there was a long thin brown & green snake @ the doorway. There seemed to be a conversation going on btwn him & my cat on the other side of the door... anyway...waited for it to slither away (10 mins or so) Buuut...can't find a pic of this snake on the www. Though fish & ag would have something that allowed ppl to identify lil slitheries...but...no dice.
Sorta scared now...carrying a torch when walking @ nite.
Ewwwwwwwwwwwww.
Thanks
Sher

I found this gigantic spider in my room (yikes!) tonight. I was totally stunned to find it there because my windows were closed and though my door was open, I had been in the next room and had not seen it go in there.

Any help in identifying it would be a relief to me

I might be paranoid but I have been stung (and bitten) by a black forest scorpion (though it was not in Asia) once before, for which I was flown to a clinic for medical treatment (near death experience! I'm not kidding).

Thanks!

Here is the photo:

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/jLFWG3Hl1jmJcimha3b0pQ"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ZTDULaEd0zA/SQn4Zr1EpMI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/EkQKNPvQdbk/s144/IMG_1042.jpg"></a>
From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/philipandemi/Misc">misc</a>

It is a large house spider (Heteropoda venatoria - google images of this for more nightmare fodder). Here's what it says in Hong Kong Animals by Dennis Hill and Karen Phillips:

"A large brown wolf spider, this species hunts by speed and pounces on its prey. It is most abundant in old houses, but is now becoming established in many blocks of flats. Its legspan is about 10 cm...

This spider has large poison fangs (chelicerae) and is reputed to have a very painful bite. It is expected to feed mainly on the American cockroach."