Spiders

The redback spider typically resides in dark, sheltered locations like roof and wall cavities, letterboxes, garages, sheds, rockeries, and rubbish piles. The female redback is the more aggressive and dangerous gender. An anti-venom is available for individuals bitten by a redback.

Occasionally mistaken for the funnel-web spider, the mouse spider lives in a silk-lined burrow and delivers a venomous bite, potentially comparable to that of a funnel-web. However, mouse spiders are known to “dry bite” humans at times.

A wandering, ground-based arachnid, the wolf spider, lives in burrows and under leaf piles. While a wolf spider bite is generally not considered dangerous, it may cause swelling, itchiness, and ulceration in rare cases. Distinguished by the configuration of their eight eyes in three horizontal rows (4,2,2), wolf spiders don’t spin webs.

Similar to the mouse spider, the trapdoor spider is often confused with the funnel-web. Living in a burrow with a camouflaged “trapdoor” entrance, it lacks silk trip lines. Bites from a trapdoor spider typically do not require emergency medical treatment.

Found around eaves, under external window sills, and in wall cavities, black house spiders construct tunnel-shaped webs. They may bite if disturbed, resulting in painful bites, local swelling, and, in some cases, nausea or sweating.

Wandering in dark crevices both inside and outside homes, white-tailed spiders feed on other spiders, including redbacks and black house spiders. While their bites are thought to cause severe skin ulceration (necrotising arachnidism), conclusive scientific evidence is lacking.

Large and long-legged, huntsman spiders are prevalent in Canberra. Although they can bite, leading to swelling and localized pain, they are not considered a threat to adult humans and may enter homes during warm weather or after heavy rain.

Australia’s deadliest spider, the Sydney funnel-web, poses a significant threat. While not common in Canberra, these spiders may get transported from coastal areas in timber and firewood. Treatment for all funnel-web species, although not as deadly as the Sydney funnel-web, requires utmost caution.