Funnel-Web Spider
Funnel-web spiders are some of the world’s most deadly spiders and are found in coastal and mountain regions of eastern and southern Australia.
They 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.
Their 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.