Hate spiders?
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A redback spider bite is poisonous and can be very painful, causing nausea, vomiting, headache and swelling.

Redbacks can live 3-5 years and are quite common Australia-wide.

Colour

The female redback is black, distinguished by its large bulging abdomen with a prominent red stripe down the middle. Males are similar looking, yet have a more brownish abdomen with brown and black striped legs.

Size

It grows to around 2 centimetres in body length yet the male is much smaller.

Habitat

Mostly nocturnal, redbacks spin an untidy web and live in warm, dark locations such as garden beds, under the house or in the garage/shed.

Lifecycle

Males will live only around 6 to 7 months and usually die after mating, whereas females will live for up to 3 years. The spiderlings hatch from spring to early summer and once hatched, they disperse through a process called ‘ballooning’; weaving small silk strands and floating away on them, like being carried away by a balloon.

The white-tailed spider may bite when threatened, but its venom is not particularly dangerous to humans.

Bites can result in pain, swelling and an itchy redness.

Colour

Dark to reddish-grey, with lighter coloured legs and a whitish tip at the base of its abdomen.

Size

It is slim and grows from around 1 to 2 centimetres in body length.

Habitat

White tails are nomadic, living in dark crevices throughout the house. They are also often found in clothing, as they are attracted to the bright colours and floral-smelling detergents — so take care bringing in the washing!

Lifecycle

After mating, the female stores up to 90 eggs in a flat, disc-shaped silk sac and guards them until they hatch. Spiderlings will hatch throughout winter but stay in their sac until spring when they disperse.

A huntsman bite is venomous and can cause local pain and swelling or in severe cases nausea, headache and heart palpitations, but otherwise it is not considered dangerous to humans.

It doesn’t tend to drag its belly, so it will only pick up chemicals on its legs, often taking a couple of days to die. If you see one after an extermination, just leave it and let the treatment take its course.

Colour

Light to dark brownish-grey, sometimes with darker markings or stripes on their legs.

Size

It is easily recognisable around the house due to its large furry body and long crab-like legs. The average body length of an Australian huntsman is around 2.5 centimetres, with a leg span of up to 12 centimetres.

Habitat

The huntsman spider is quite common in Australia and in other warm climates around the world. It doesn’t build a web but like the redback, hides in dark places and uses its swift hunting skills to dart out and catch prey.

Lifecycle

After mating, the female will create a silk sac to store its eggs and reinforce it with dead leaves or similar material, at times hiding the sac under bark or a rock, since they do not live in webs. Spiderlings will hatch and disperse after about 3 weeks. The lifespan of a huntsman is around 2 years or more.

The black house spider is venomous but not considered dangerous.

Although rare, a bite can be excruciatingly painful and cause nausea, sweating and swelling.

Colour

Mostly matte black with dark brown to black legs and carapace and a greyish black abdomen.

Size

Around 1 to 2 centimetres in body length and up to 3 centimetres in leg length.

Habitat

It is found all across Australia and New Zealand and its webs are usually seen in doorways, windows and dark corners of the house.

Lifecycle

After mating, the female stores her eggs in several silk sacs attached to her web. She stays with them until they hatch and for a short period afterwards. After hatching in the spring and maturing in the summer, the black house spider will live for 1-2 years.

The wolf spider has excellent eyesight and is an agile, efficient hunter. Its bite may sting and swell but it is not poisonous.

Colour

Usually a greyish-brown, with dark markings on its hairy body and legs.

Size

Around 1 to 3.5 centimetres in body length. It has 8 eyes in 3 rows, long thin back legs and more robust front legs.

Habitat

They live in silk-lined burrows in the yard like the trapdoor and mouse spiders and different species of wolf spider are found all around Australia and the world.

Lifecycle

After mating, the male must escape quickly to avoid being eaten by the female. The female then lays around 100 eggs and carries them around in a sac until they hatch. After hatching, the spiderlings are still carried around on the mother’s back for a few weeks before dispersing.

The highly venomous Sydney funnel-web can live 5-6 years and its bite can cause serious injury or death if left untreated.

Colour

Glossy dark colours; brown, dark plum or black.

Size

Robust and medium to large in size. It has an average body length of 1 to 5 centimetres and an average leg length of 6 to 7 centimetres.

Habitat

Found in and around Sydney, including as far as the Central Coast, Illawarra and the Blue Mountains, with rare sightings in the ACT.

Lifecycle

After mating, female funnel-webs produce an egg sac containing around 100 eggs, which is stored in her burrow until it hatches. Males usually die after mating, but females can live for many years and breed several times.

The highly venomous northern rivers funnel-web is also known as the northern tree funnel-web.

When confronted, it will rear up on its hind legs and display their fangs.

Colour

Glossy dark brown or black carapace with a matte brown or black abdomen and legs, sometimes with a plum or purplish tinge.

Size

It is the largest of the funnel-web family, with an average body length of 4 to 5 centimetres and an average leg length of 7 centimetres.

Habitat

Found throughout QLD, NSW and ACT.

Lifecycle

After mating, female funnel-webs produce an egg sac containing around 100 eggs, which is stored in her burrow until it hatches. Males usually die after mating, but females can live for many years and breed several times.

The bite of the mouse spider can at times be just as dangerous as the funnel-web.

Colour

The female mouse spider is always black but the males can vary in colour, some with blue tinged abdomens and/or red heads.

Size

Usually 1 to 3 centimetres in body length with high, broad heads and their eyes spread out across the front of the head.

Habitat

They live in burrows like the trapdoor and can be found all around Australia.

Lifecycle

At around 4 years of age, once the male spider has reached sexual maturity, it will seek out a mate. The male mouse spider will die soon after mating, while the female will store her egg sac containing around 60 eggs in her burrow. After hatching, some mouse spiderlings disperse through a process called ‘ballooning’; weaving small silk strands and floating away on them, like being carried away by a balloon.

Often confused with the Sydney funnel-web, the trapdoor’s bite is not toxic, aside from local pain and swelling.

Despite the name, this species’ burrow does not have a door, but rather an open silk lined tunnel.

Colour

Glossy chocolate brown.

Size

Around 2 to 3.5 centimetres in body length and 2 to 4 centimetres in leg length.

Habitat

Its burrows are often found in the yard or in bushland and consist of small round holes in the ground covered by silk webbing.

Lifecycle

Males will search for a mate in humid weather and once found, will need to escape quickly afterwards to avoid being eaten. Females keep the eggs in a cocoon inside the burrow until the spiderlings hatch and disperse.

A very common spider all along the east of Australia, aside from local pain and swelling their bite is not poisonous.

Colour

Can range from tan to brown or black with the legs and head usually darker than the body. It has a large bulging abdomen that is often patterned like a leaf, with spots or stripes.

Size

Around 1 to 2.5 centimetres in body length and 1 to 3.5 centimetres in leg length.

Habitat

It weaves sticky, round webs suspended in foliage around the yard or in bushland.

Lifecycle

After mating, the female creates a cocoon stuck to foliage to house her eggs. Once hatched, the spiderlings disperse through a process called ‘ballooning’; weaving small silk strands and floating away on them, like being carried away by a balloon. Their lifespan is about 12 months.

The St Andrew’s cross spider is often found stretched out in its web with its legs forming an X shape.

Their large orb webs can be almost invisible and easy to walk into yet aside from local pain and swelling, their bite is not poisonous.

Colour

Glossy black with yellow stripes and patterns on its legs and abdomen.

Size

The body length of the male measures around 3 to 4 millimetres while the females are larger at 10 to 16 millimetres.

Habitat

This species is found stretched across the east coast of Australia, from Central NSW to Southern QLD. It usually lives in warmer areas and spins its webs in trees and shrubs.

Lifecycle

After mating, the female stores anywhere between 400-1400 eggs in a thick green silk sac stuck to her web and camouflaged in the surrounding leaves. The spiderlings hatch in winter and emerge in spring. Their lifespan is about 12 months.

The Golden Orb Weaver is known for its yellow silk with which it weaves its orbs.

Its venom is potent but not lethal to humans and a bite may cause local pain and swelling.

Colour

It ranges from reddish to greenish yellows, with black striped legs.

Size

It can grow to be quite large, ranging from 2 to 5 centimetres in body length, with long legs.

Habitat

Found in many warm climates around the world and widespread throughout Australia. It builds its webs in bushland, rainforest and can be found in trees and shrubs in urban areas.

Lifecycle

After mating, the female lays her eggs in a sac attached to its web. Once hatched, the spiderlings disperse through a process called ‘ballooning’; weaving small silk strands and floating away on them, like being carried away by a balloon.