50|50 Scorpion Antivenom Insert

New Presentation: The Creepy That Crawl by Jonathan Leeming

January 1, 2022

With 2022 comes a new way to communicate my message to the world. My clients already know me for my focus upon values and beliefs, and how these value and beliefs towards venomous animals mirror our perceptions of the world. The Creepy That Crawl is a story based presentation that takes a dive into creepy crawlies in the home (snakes, spiders, scorpions and centipedes) and our values and beliefs towards them. It's funny, ironic and pokes fun at our reactions to some of the worlds most harmless creatures. It is also an important message for protecting biodiversity, understanding the environment, and how our perceptions of the world can have disastrous consequences. Presented by Jonathan Leeming.

Scorpion Antivenom

September 10, 2020

In partnership with Lowveld Venom Suppliers and myself, Jonathan Leeming, we participated in an insert for 50/ 50 focusing upon the production of scorpion antivenom and it's use. This program was filmed at the Lowveld Venom Suppliers laboratory in Hazyview and White River, and features Chris Hobkirk, the Lowveld Venom Suppliers Team and myself.

The Truth About Spiderbites In Southern Africa

October 26, 2018

The subject of spiderbite is a rabbit warren of hoax emails, misinformation, misconceptions and ignorance. It's almost impossible to identify a lesion or wound as being caused by a spiderbite, and at the same time, it's is equally impossible to say that a spider was not involved. Common sense says that unless you watch the spider bite you, you have to raise the question of if a spider was the cause at all.

Should We Be Afraid?

March 1, 2018

Venomous animals have been a symbol of evil and death ever since the dawn of mankind. If mankind can control an aspect of nature it becomes our slave for use and abuse as we see fit. However, if we cannot control an aspect of nature, it becomes an object to be persecuted and feared. The seemingly magical capabilities of venom, and the historical inability to understand its action and function, has led to these animals being associated with evil, witchcraft and black magic - even today these perceptions exist. But should we be afraid?

Is it dangerous?

February 28, 2018

There is a common question that is asked when discussing snakes and their medical importance - How dangerous is it? Traditionally authors have attached danger ratings to venomous animals in an attempt to indicate the consequences of being bitten or stung, however, all that danger ratings convey is a superficial understanding of how we interact with the natural world.

Found A Small Scorpion in Gauteng

February 18, 2018

There is a small reddish-brown scorpion that commonly enters houses in Gauteng (and Bloemfontein, Kuruman, Bethulie and other major centres) which has causes a lot of drama for no reason at all. This scorpion is called Pseudolychas ochraceus and is unusual because it thrives in the urban environment. Their natural habitat is riverine valleys and […]

Argument From Ignorance

January 31, 2018

Although we as humans consider ourselves as superior beings, we suffer from several flaws of the human mind. These flaws propagate sightings of the Yeti, Elvis, the Loch Ness monster and occurrences spider bites. Argument from ignorance is not a unique feature of the easily fooled, but a a phenomenon that occurs in every culture […]

Violin Spider Bite On Hand

January 1, 2018

There is an email that has spread throughout the world. There are many different variants, but the images and general contents are the same. It’s responsible for some of the Violin Spider mass hysteria. It shows the hand of a “Violin Spider bite victim”, together with a photo of a Violin Spider.

Measuring Venom Toxicity

January 1, 2018

Have you ever noticed that everyone has their own opinions of how venomous an animal is? When we watch TV, we see programs such as the 10 Most Deadly Animals In The World, or Snakes Of Death... and they list different animals in their top 10 most venomous? That's because measuring toxicity is not as easy as you think.

Scorpion Antivenom

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More Articles

New Presentation: The Creepy That Crawl by Jonathan Leeming

Scorpion Antivenom

The Truth About Spiderbites In Southern Africa

Should We Be Afraid?

Is it dangerous?

Found A Small Scorpion in Gauteng

Argument From Ignorance

Violin Spider Bite On Hand

Measuring Venom Toxicity

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