Fast facts
Fast facts
Funnel-web spiders belong to the family
Hexathelidae
Spiders are not insects
but arachnids
and are closely related to scorpions,
mites and
ticks
Funnel-web spiders may
sometimes be
confused with wolf spiders or black
house
spiders
CSIRO no longer conducts
research on
funnel-web spiders. This fact
sheet is provided for information
only
State museums and Canberra
Connect in
the ACT will usually provide
identification and advice for the general
public.
Description
Funnel-webs are
large black spiders with
a shiny head/thorax. The body may
range from 1.5 cm up to more than 5 cm
long depending on the
species.
Female
funnel-web spiders are stockier than males, with shorter legs and a
bigger abdomen, which may be brown or
bluish. The eyes are small
and closely
grouped, the fang bases extend
horizontally from the front of the
head and the
long fangs lie parallel underneath (do
not check this on a live
spider!).
Funnel-web spiders live in burrows in sheltered positions in the ground, or
in stumps, tree trunks or ferns above the
ground. Their burrows
are lined with a
sock of opaque white silk and several
strong strands of silk
radiating from the
entrance.
Funnel-web spider
venom is highly toxic
and all
species should be considered potentially
dangerous.
Funnel-web spiders belong to the family
Hexathelidae
Spiders are not insects
but arachnids
and are closely related to scorpions,
mites and
ticks
Funnel-web spiders may
sometimes be
confused with wolf spiders or black
house
spiders
CSIRO no longer conducts
research on
funnel-web spiders. This fact
sheet is provided for information
only
State museums and Canberra
Connect in
the ACT will usually provide
identification and advice for the general
public.
Description
Funnel-webs are
large black spiders with
a shiny head/thorax. The body may
range from 1.5 cm up to more than 5 cm
long depending on the
species.
Female
funnel-web spiders are stockier than males, with shorter legs and a
bigger abdomen, which may be brown or
bluish. The eyes are small
and closely
grouped, the fang bases extend
horizontally from the front of the
head and the
long fangs lie parallel underneath (do
not check this on a live
spider!).
Funnel-web spiders live in burrows in sheltered positions in the ground, or
in stumps, tree trunks or ferns above the
ground. Their burrows
are lined with a
sock of opaque white silk and several
strong strands of silk
radiating from the
entrance.
Funnel-web spider
venom is highly toxic
and all
species should be considered potentially
dangerous.