Australia’s 5 Deadliest Spiders

The fear of spiders is one of the more common fears that people have, and rightly so as some spider bites can prove to be deadly. Although many spiders are completely harmless, and play an important role in our ecosystem, there are some spiders that are considered poisonous and should thus be avoided when possible.

Australia’s 5 Deadliest Spiders

1. Red Back Spider – Australia’s most famous deadly spider, the Red Back’s venom causes extreme pain. Although thousands of people are bitten every year, only about  a fifth require medical treatment, with deaths being quite rare.

2. Funnel Web Spider – Looking a bit like a tarantula, the Funnel Web spider has fangs that are able to hold a good amount of venom, and are so strong that they can pierce through a fingernail. This deadly spider is mainly found in coastal regions of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.

3. Mouse Spider – Although the Mouse Spider is fairly slow and not very aggressive, the potency of their venom is similar to that of a Funnel Web Spider. This is also one of the few spiders that are more active during the day, as most similar species tend to move around at night when it’s cooler, and safer.

4. Trap Door Spider – This spider gets its interesting name from the fact that it camouflages the entrance to its burrow in order to make its prey fall inside without even knowing what happened. Interestingly, while the majority of spiders live about 1 year, the Trap Door Spider can live up to 20 years!

5. White-Tailed Spider – This deadly spider is popular all across southern Australia, and has a reputation for releasing venom that is known as ‘flesh eating’, although there’s no scientific evidence that this is indeed true. The White-Tailed Spider likes to hunt at night, especially for other spiders.

Good to Know
In order to avoid these deadly spiders, you first have to be able to recognise them. Not only so you can stay away from them, but so you know how to treat someone if they were to receive a bite from one of these deadly spiders. If you see one in your home, be sure to use all precautions in getting them out, using a professional if necessary.