Spelunking has its risks (warning graphic pic open at own risk if eating)

Its fun to go clambering in caves but there are a few things you have to watch out for.

In the caves of South Africa are found a very interesting inhabitant. It looks like normal daddy ling legs spider but should not be confused with such.

This is the Violin spider

So named for the violin shaped pattern on its head. This one I photographed while hunting for fossil-bearing caves in the cradle of human kind. They are quite common in caves and are not aggressive but they do need to be watched out for in case of an accidental bite.

They have also spread to mines and sewers in the regions where they occur. Most people bitten by these spiders are usually unaware that they have been bitten.

These bites often occur at night when one rolls on the spider while sleeping.

The victim awakes and sometimes thinks they have been bitten by a mosquito or have a new pimple... its not particularly painful... these bites can become severely infected and lead to tissue death or necrosis. If left unidentified and untreated for too long the results can be devastating.

Another thing to watch out for is cave disease. This can occur when spores of the fungus that grow on bat guano in poorly circulating caves gets into your lungs and starts to grow...

You get really sick.

Happened to a mate of mine...

He spent a week or two in hospital...

You wont find him in cave ever since.