A giant, venomous male spider has a new home in the Australian Reptile Park in Somersby, Australia. But don’t get too close. His fangs could pierce a human fingernail!

He’s a Sydney funnel-web spider. People call him Hercules.

Someone found Hercules north of Sydney, Australia. Workers took him to the park.

The eight-legged creature measures just over three inches from foot to foot. He’s a little bigger than the park’s previous record-holder. That spider was a male named Colossus.

Sydney funnel-web spiders normally grow to be a half-inch to two inches across. Females are usually bigger than males. But males are deadlier. Most of the bugs are found in forests and gardens.

Now that he’s been caught, Hercules will have a job. He’ll get milked! Not for the milk you drink. For venom.

Venom is poison. Certain snakes, fish, amphibians, spiders, insects, star fish, and even snails produce it. Some animals use venom to protect themselves. Some use it to hunt. An animal may deploy its venom using fangs, spines, or stingers.

People use venom to make antivenin. Antivenin can be given to someone bitten by a venomous animal. It can save lives.

“We’re used to having pretty big funnel-web spiders donated to the park,” says Emma Teni, a spider keeper. But she says a male funnel-web this big is a great find. He could give a lot of venom. That could mean making more life-saving medicine.

The milked spiders contribute to good work. The park’s antivenin program started in 1981. No one in Australia has died from a funnel-web spider bite since.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases. — Psalm 103:2-3