Funnel-web spiders!
Distribution
Funnel-web spiders are found
in:
Queensland
New South Wales
the Australian Capital
Territory
Victoria
South Australia
Tasmania.
They mainly occur along the coast and
mountain regions from Gladstone in the
north to southern
Tasmania.
Isolated species occur in the Mount
Lofty Ranges and Eyre Peninsula of South
Australia, and in the mountains of North Queensland. The Sydney
funnel-web
spider is found within about 100 km of the
city.
In
the tropics and subtropics, they favour rainforests and higher altitudes,
but in southern states they also live in drier eucalypt forests
and woodlands,
as well as snow country.
Life
history
Female funnel-web spiders are
long-lived, possibly up to 20 years. They are
rarely seen except during tree felling, excavation or landscaping
work.
Female funnel-web spiders are sedentary
and pass their entire lives inside
the burrow, only venturing out momentarily to grab passing prey.
Prey consists
of insects and small vertebrates such as lizards and
frogs.
Young spiders are raised inside the
burrow. After the first couple of moults
female funnel-web spiders leave the maternal burrow, dispersing
on foot to build
their own burrow.
Juvenile male spiders remain in the
burrow until their final adult moult.
Males mature at 2-3 years then vacate the burrow in search of a
mate.
Pest status and
management
Funnel-web spider venom is highly toxic,
and all species should be considered
potentially dangerous. Males wander at night, especially during
or after rain,
and may enter houses.
Bites by males of two large species, the Sydney funnel-web and northern tree
funnel-web, have resulted in
death.
If
you are in a known funnel-web area:
wear gloves when
gardening
know what a burrow looks
like
wear shoes when walking
if camping:
close tent flaps
carefully shaken out before use, any footwear, clothes and
sleeping bags
left on the ground overnight, as the spiders hide during the
day.
First aid if
bitten:
keep calm
move only if necessary
if a limb is bitten, apply pressure bandage to bite area and
around limb
towards heart
immobilise limb with a
splint
collect spider specimen (even if
squashed)
seek medical aid as soon as
possible.
Mouse spider
Mouse spiders are widely distributed across mainland Australia
and are
sometimes mistaken for funnel-web spiders.
Fast facts
Mouse spiders belong to the family
Actinopodidae
They construct their burrows with a protective trapdoor at the
entrance
Funnel-web antivenene has proven effective against severe
symptoms following