Table of Contents
Photo by Ed van duijn on Unsplash
Australia has a reputation for its spiders. There are over 3000 arachnid species in the country and while some of them are harmless there are ones that can be dangerous. If you have a spider problem in your home, it’s best to get pest control to fumigate your home.
Most homeowners don’t know what type of poisonous spiders are out there. So, we’ve listed the topmost dangerous spiders you can find inside your house.
These spiders may enter your home to find water or a food source. If you have other types of pests around your house it can attract spiders. Keep reading to find out more about these dangerous eight-legged creatures.
1. Redback Spiders Hide in Sheltered Places
The redback spider is also known as the Australian black widow. It’s a highly venomous spider that hides in dry sheltered places. Most bites come from the female spider and can cause intense pain. Swelling and sweating can start five minutes after being bitten. One hour of the bite, symptoms may include headaches and vomiting.
What Does a Redback Spider Look Like?
Female redback spiders are black or sometimes brown. On the upper abdomen there is a distinct red stripe often broken in the middle which makes it look like an hourglass. The male’s red markings aren’t as distinct and it has a brown body with white markings on the upper abdomen.
If you find a redback spider in your house it’s best to call pest control Melbourne residents trust to remove the arachnid from your home.
2. White Tail Spider Are Hunters
The white-tail spider is nocturnal. These spiders prefer living in cool and damp locations such as garden mulch, so it’s important to be careful when walking around your garden at night.
Since the white tail spider is a hunter it seeks out prey instead of spinning a web to catch food. This spider eats other types of arachnids such as daddy-long-legs.
The spider is native to Southern and Eastern Australia. A bite from a white tail spider causes localised skin irritation such as intense burning. In some cases, it can cause nausea and vomiting.
What Does the White-Tail Spider Look Like?
The white-tailed spider has a long cigar-shaped body and is typically reddish-brown or grey. Its legs are dark orange and it has two white tips at the end of its abdomen. These spiders have a body size of 18mm with a leg span of 28mm.
3. Wolf Spiders are Shy
A wolf spider is another hunter that dwells in gardens. Instead of spinning webs to catch its prey, the wolf spider pounces on other insects to eat them. When the spider catches its prey, it injects the bug with venom to liquefy its organs to turn it into a wolf spider smoothie.
Bites from the wolf spider can cause dizziness, breathing difficulties or bumps that look like hives. You may also have swelling around the face especially by the mouth. Although bites from the wolf spider aren’t deadly they can cause severe irritation and sometimes unconsciousness.
What Does the Wolf Spider Look Like?
Wolf spiders are large and hairy and coloured grey with dark brown markings. They also have eight shiny eyes. Females grow to 35mm and males grow to 20mm in length.
4. Funnel Spiders are Aggressive
When the funnel spiders feel threatened, they can get extremely aggressive. The Sydney funnel spider is considered the world’s most deadly spider because it carries a dangerous toxin called delta altracotoxin. These spiders enter homes in search of mates.
This spider builds a funnel-shaped web to trap its prey which is how it got its name. So, if you find these sorts of webs around your home you may want to call pest control to find this venomous spider.
Symptoms from a funnel spider include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Excessive sweating
- Fluid in the lungs
- Unconsciousness
What Does the Funnel Spider Look Like?
The funnel spider is black or dark brown with banded legs and spots on its abdomen. They have eight eyes that are arranged in two rows. These spiders have a shiny head and thorax with long fangs. Funnel spiders greatly resemble tarantulas.
5. Mouse Spiders Are Found by Waterways
The mouse spider is often mistaken for the funnel spider because they have similar features. However, this spider can be found near a water source. These spiders are active during the day.
Symptoms from a mouse spider bite include sweating, nausea and sometimes vomiting.
What Does the Mouse Spider Look Like?
The mouse spider is black with a distinct bulbous head. They have large fang sheaths and shorter legs. These spiders can grow to between 10mm and 35mm.
Final Thoughts
Do you have a suspicion that you have a venomous spider in your home? You may want to call pest control services to find and remove the spider. As a result, you’ll reduce the risk of getting bitten and have peace of mind that nothing is stalking you at night.