Funnel Web Spiders in Australia - Biology, First Aid & Control

Female
Sydney Funnel Web Spider- MALE

Male
Sydney Funnel-Web

Funnel-Web Spiders

BEWARE: THE WORLD'S DEADLIEST SPIDER

The male Sydney Funnel-Web Spider is the world's most deadly spider.

Both the male and female Sydney Funnel-Web Spider carry atraxotoxin, the world's most dangerous toxin to humans as produced in the animal kingdom.

The male Sydney Funnel-Web Spider is six times more toxic than the female, and it is he whom is most often encountered by humans, during their intrepid search for a female to reproduce.

The Blue Mountains Funnel-Web and Northern Tree Funnel-Web Spiders are also highly venomous.

Area of distribution

The Sydney Funnel-Web Spider is a ground dweller commonly found in areas of moist soils along much of the eastern coastal area of New South Wales, Victoria and in certain areas of South Australia.

The Blue Mountains Funnel-Web Spider is found mainly in the Blue Mountains area, as far west as Orange and Bathurst and occasionally in the Sydney basin.

The Northern Tree Funnel-Web Spider is found in south-eastern Queensland and northern New South Wales as far south as the Hunter Valley.

Danger time

The mature male funnel-web spider will wander around during hot humid nights, looking for a mate. Invariably after mating when he is totally exhausted the female bites him and sucks all the nourishment from his body leaving him an empty shell.

The male is highly aggressive when disturbed or cornered and is able to inflict multiple strikes, with its "flick-knife" hardened fangs.

You may also find funnel-web spiders wandering around the garden or in your home after heavy rain or nearby construction earthworks.

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