Spider Identification
Information
Common Species found in Sydney
Huntsman
A Huntsman inside your home can be unsettling. To prevent them from entering, make sure your home is sealed as best as possible. For example, cracks and crevices, airs vents and flyscreens. Keep outdoor areas neat and free of debris, such as piles of wood or leaves where spiders might hide. Trim back vegetation that is close to your home. By taking these preventative measures, you can minimize the likelihood of huntsman spiders entering your home.
Redback Spiders
Redback spiders are venomous and can pose a risk to humans, especially if bitten. A Redback spider bite can cause pain, swelling, and other symptoms, so it is essential to exercise caution and seek medical attention if bitten. Like many spiders, Redback spiders prefer quiet and sheltered areas such as sheds, garages, and outdoor furniture, so it's a good idea to be cautious when handling objects in these areas. They construct messy, irregular webs often in dark and undisturbed areas. The web is usually close to the ground and may contain tangled debris.
Funnel Web Spiders
The funnel-web spider is a highly venomous spider . Commonly found in moist and humid environments. They often build their burrows under logs, rocks, or in crevices. Funnel web spiders are renowned for their characteristic burrows, which have a distinctive silk-lined funnel-shaped entrance. Bites from these spiders can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. To reduce the risk of encounters with funnel-web spiders wear gloves while gardening, shake out clothing and shoes before wearing them, and take caution when reaching into dark and sheltered areas.
White Tail Spider
The white-tailed spider is named after the distinctive white tip on the end of its abdomen. They may be found in gardens, parks, yards, and inside homes, particularly in dark, sheltered areas such as closets, attics, basements, and behind furniture. White-tail spider bites can be painful, but severe reactions are rare. Symptoms can include localized pain, redness, and swelling, sometimes followed by a blister. In some cases, there may be itchiness or a mild headache.
Black House Spider
These spiders are often dark-coloured, with a dark brown or black appearance. Black House Spider bodies are robust and cylindrical, with a dark coloration. They have a bulbous abdomen and long legs. These spiders construct tangled, funnel-shaped webs. The webs are often found in sheltered locations, such as corners of buildings, windows, eaves, fences and sheds. Bites from Black House Spiders may cause localized pain, swelling, and redness, but severe reactions are rare.
Mouse Spider
Mouse Spiders are venomous, but they are not considered aggressive. They prefer sheltered locations for their burrows, such as under rocks, logs, fallen vegetation, or in dense vegetation. They may be more abundant in areas with access to water sources such as creeks, rivers, or wetlands. They emerge from their burrows to hunt for prey under the cover of darkness. They feed on a variety of small arthropods, including insects, spiders, and other invertebrates.