How often do you find the redback, huntsmen and funnel-web spiders there in Australia?

Question

I suffer with arachnophobia and i'm a little worried about these, to come to Australia. Could you please let me know the real facts, i'm not one of those who poke them but try to stay away from them all the time.

Answer 1

I'm an arachnaphobe too, but seem to survive here quite fine. You don't really have to worry about funnel web spiders. I've lived here my whole life (29 years) and have never seen one. They generally live in the bush, and if you are moving to sutropic/tropical area, they prefer high altitudes and live in burrows anyway. People tend to see more of them in new south wales and victoria. Redbacks, you usually see outside in unkept outdoor furniture (if you don't clean) or in garden shed etc. Huntsmen spiders are spiders that you see inside. They look big, but are harmless and actually kill the huge cockroaches that we have. If you live in a newer type of home you are less likely to see spiders - it's the old fibro ones you tend to get alot of spiders in, and if you get your house sprayed regularly (only as frequently as the exterminators specify - about 6-12 monthly) you generally won't see any at all. All Aussies keep a can of insect spray and a can of outdoor surface spray (to spray under outdoor furniture and in your entertainment areas) in their home just in case. The you will be fine.

Answer 2

i live in Perth and don't get funnel webs redbacks will leave you alone if you leave them alone huntsmen are harmless my son used to keep them as pets i would see more snakes than spiders

Answer 3

Funnel Web Spider Canberra

Answer 4

There are various different species of funnel-web and all live along the east coast and ranges. The most dangerous is the Sydney Funnel-web, atrax robustus, but these are not common. You are most likely to see them if you live on the north shore but even then probably not unless you go looking for them. The most dangerous are the males because they wander around looking for females and sometimes come indoors. The females stay in their webs in their burrows and won't bother you.

Redbacks are a widow spider, related to the black, brown and Pacific widows. The females are the dangerous ones but they stay in their webs which are usually in dark, warm places like woodpiles and sheds. They are common but few people get bitten because the spiders don't bite unless provoked. redbacks seldom come into a house abd if they do, black house spiders and daddy-long-legs will kill and eat them.

Huntsman spiders are common and will come into the house. They range from big and hairy to huge and hairy. They will clean your house of cockroaches and other insects that fly in. If you saw the film "Arachnophobia" the spiders they used in large numbers were huntsmen, one of the moderate sized species.

Answer 5

The funnel web spider is very restricted in it's range. I believe they are really only found in the area immediately around Sydney.

Redbacks wave a wider range but are actually fairly rare. They do not usually enter houses. They tend to build in dry, fairly clean areas and build a web more or less vertically between two surfaces. I moved to Canberra from the tropics and I had never seen one till I got here.

Huntsmen are very common and often enter houses. They are harmless, though they can bite and might make people sick. They vary from tiny little things to fairly large.

The legend of Australian creepy crawlies is vastly over-rated. It was boomed up by characters like the late Steve Irwin to sell TV shows in the USA. A lot of people, me included, though he was full of bullsh&t, but it turns out he knew what he was doing and made a lot of money basically fooling people overseas that the place was crawling with spiders, snakes, crocodiles and all the rest. Other Australians overseas tend to tell people tall stories.

This is the second time you have been on this site going on about spiders. You really should seek treatment.

Answer 6

I DETEST spiders. I have red backs here at home, only a few in the garage, none inside and a few outside - but I really dont' see them that often. Just have to be careful around outdoor furniture etc if I haven't cleaned it in a while.

Funnel Webs...never seen.

Golden Orb spiders, see frequently -- dont' like them

Huntsmen just fair scare the crap out of me -- I KNOW they're "harmless" but it's just the way they look. They range in size from big to huge (lol) and when they get running, they can MOVE. I spend a morning chasing one around my laundry -- I couldn't bare the thought of it running aruond inside; so made myself find it an shoo it out. I hate to kill the huntsman; and they dont' die easily anyway!

As for snakes, yes we've had them around the yard - but only because of the drought, they've come in looking for water. Have only had one and some of my neighbours have never seen them.

Answer 7

If you don't actively hunt them down the chances are...you will come over, have a great time and go home shattered to have not crossed paths with any of them
You failed to mention the golden orb spider.....that is an arachnid to behold!

Answer 8

FATTY FOR PETE'S SAKE STOP SCARING THE FOREIGNERS DON'T YOU THINK YOUR PROFILE PIC IS SCAREY ENOUGH!!!


Ok .. It's not likely that you will see too many red backs unless you have the habit of picking up bits and pieces of stuff ( like old wood , brick halves, corrogated Iron) .. they tend to live in those places...
Funnel webs are common in Sydney BUT in all honesty .. I don't think you're likely to run into them much ..

BUT Huntsmen .. I am sure you will encounter them on your travels .. they are a big spider .. but left alone shouldn't be a concern .. although my wussie hubby reckons they WILL draw blood if they bite you .. (I'm the one who deals with spiders in our household. Sometimes they might hitch-hike in your car and that can cause a bit of a startle if you drop the sun-visor and Harry The Huntsman drops into your lap.
I actually like Huntsmen ( yes I know it your eye that that must make me seem somewhat weird) they keep the mossies down and generally if you have huntsmen you have fewer other spiders inside.

Don't be put off by our critters ... when you think about it ... although they have the reputation of being dangerous .. it's generally when you enter their territory that you will encounter problems with them ... LOL i would MUCH prefer to have our creepy crawlies .. than have to deal with Lions, Tigers, wolves, bears and other carnivores ...

Come and Visit and Don't be scared .. Fatty isn't something you'd encounter either,,,

Answer 9

I live in the middle of Sydney, and usually I wake up with a couple of funnel webs on my blanket and sometimes a snake inside the washing machine.. and theres always the occasional redback hiding somewhere in my clothes..

but other than that we don't get many 8 legged visitors

Answer 10

I absolutly HATE spiders as well! It isnt like we see them all the time and are under threat from them. Red backs are usually found in the garden, like in the corners of the garden shed, underneath garden pots and the like. They are very dangerous, but will usually just leave you be unless you deliberatly provoke them. But if you are to come here for a holiday, i doubt you will see any. Huntsmen are harmless. Really. From one arachnophobic to another, there is absolutly no harm in them except that they look freaky! They are more common, you'll find them in houses, cars and anywhere warm. But they cant do much to you. Funnel webs are a bit different. Look for holes i the ground, (like crab holes in the sand) and be careful of them. They are likely to attack when found, but thier bites are treatable if medical treatment in had striaght away, where as red backs are more deadly. If you stay away from them, you should be fine. Its not like they're just waiting in herds at the front door for you. Unless you go camping in a national park or something, you shouldn't come across one at all for your vist.