Poisonous Spiders in Australia

Australia gets a pretty common worldwide view of being that country with heaps of dangerous animals. While living here is nowhere near as threatening as other countries make it out to be, that doesn't mean that we don’t have our fair share of threatening creatures - especially spiders.

Whether they’re just venomous or deadly as well, the following five spiders are best avoided. We will be listing them in an ascending order from venomous but not life threatening to those that could kill you.


1. Wolf spider

What you have going for you if you come up against a wolf spider is that they’re not really aggressive. They’d be more likely to flee than fight, but if cornered and feeling threatened, they won’t have any qualms about digging their fangs in.

Typically burrowed down in the earth, these nocturnal spiders bite will hurt, possibly even extremely painful. If you do find yourself being bitten by one, seek medical attention immediately. We mean an ambulance.


2. Black house spider

The black house spider likes to call your house home (in window frames, under eaves, hiding in brickwork and even setting up shop in your toilet) but they also enjoy rocks and bark. As the name also suggests, they’re typically a velvety black colour.

While their bite isn’t fatal, it is known to cause pain around the bite, headaches, heavy sweating, vomiting, muscle pains and dizziness/giddiness. Much like a wolf spider bite, seek medical attention ASAP.




3. Mouse spiders

A mouse spider can cause severe illness and deep pain around the bite wound due to its large fangs that can penetrate deep into the skin. They live underground in deep burrows and have a tendency to come out during the day. If bitten, apply first aid and seek medical attention immediately.




4. Red back spider

The red back spider has a powerful nerve poison that ultimately impacts on the nervous system of someone who is bitten. Symptoms include vomiting, headaches, abdominal pain and, in severe cases paralysis or even death. An anti-venom has existed since 1956, so be sure to seek medical attention immediately after you’ve been bitten. They like dark areas including letter boxes or residing on the underside of chairs.



5. Funnel web spider

Last but not least but not surprisingly the funnel web spider is considered one of the most dangerous - if not the most dangerous - spiders in Australia. Regardless of whether it’s the male or female or varying types of the funnel web spider, all of them are extremely dangerous and very aggressive.

Their venom is known as atraxotoxin, which is one of the world’s most deadly toxins. If threatened, the funnel web spider will attack and bite its victims multiple times. If not treated ASAP, a bite victim will die. They tend to hang out in gardens and move into houses during hot humid nights. The good news is an anti-venom does exist, so immediate medical attention is absolutely vital.