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There are many species of spiders found around Australian homes and properties. Whilst the majority of spiders are non-aggressive, poisonous spiders can be of great concern for families with young children and pets.
Black House spider: This type of spider is common in sheds, under house eaves and around windows where it forms tunnel webs finishing outside with a funnel shape. Electric lights appeal to their main food source of moths, flies, mosquitoes and other insects. Black house spiders are extremely gentle and their behaviour makes bites rare. Bites are painful and can cause illness and complications but they are not lethal. It is recommended to seek medical assistance if bitten.
Funnel Web: These spiders are medium to large in size with body lengths from 10 mm to 50 mm. They are darkly coloured ranging from black to blue-black or plum to brown. They are commonly found in suburban rockeries and shrubberies. A Funnel-web’s burrow characteristically has irregular silk trip-lines radiating from the entrance. Australian Funnel-web spiders are found in New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Queensland.
Huntsman spider: The Huntsman spider mostly lives outside under bark and hunts prey at night. They often enter houses but are usually timid and placid. Sometimes the spider walks sideways on occasion. These spiders rarely bite and the venom is non-toxic.
Mouse spider: Mouse spiders are ground dwellers with burrows that are no more than one metre deep. Both the female and male spiders can cause a deep and painful poisonous bite. Normally the mouse spider is not aggressive but the male Mouse spider will bite if provoked and should be considered dangerous to humans. All the black females are timid and can be distinguished by blunt spinnerets on the rear of abdomen.
Red back spider: These spiders prefer to be in dry habitats and are common in roof areas, gutters, sheds & gardens and under garden furniture. Commonly adults are black with a red marking on top of the abdomen. Their tough, untidy webs are usually near the ground with the spider hiding in a shelter in a corner, often guarding her round woolly egg sacs. The red back spider is potentially dangerous. There have been no deaths recorded since 1954 when anti-venom was introduced. It is recommended to seek medical assistance if bitten.
White tail spider: White tails spiders are not common in Queensland. The White tail spider is a cautious hunter. The bite of the spider may cause nausea and burning pain followed by swelling and itchiness around the site of the bite. The white tail spider prefers cool, moist locations and is commonly found in garden mulch areas. In summer, these night-hunting ground dwellers will enter houses, particularly bathrooms to escape the heat. It is recommended to seek medical assistance if bitten.
Wolf spider: The Wolf spider prefers to live under the flaking bark of trees, under flat rocks and under eaves or within roof spaces of buildings. All hunt at night, are very fast and get their name from the way they run down their prey. A large Wolf spider has lengthy fangs and can deliver a deep painful bite but is a low risk to humans. They are extremely shy and afraid and will run away given the chance.
