Ah yes, bug stories - the one you will usually hear from Australia is about redback spiders (http://www.csiro.au/csiro/content/standard/ps1rv.html). They are quite common around us (seen on a daily basis) but some common sense usually prevents most bites:
- Don't stuck your hand into dark cavities without checking what's in there first
- Teach children what redbacks look like, that they need to move away from them and tell an adult
- (my personal favourite) If you are going to kill them, kill them really thoroughly

This occasionally sees me prowling around the house with steelcap boots on, a spare shoe in one hand and a can of bug spray in the other! They don't get away from me often!