Six common spiders in Australia and how to prevent them

According to the network, as the weather in Australia gradually warms up, more and more spiders are entering indoors. Kane Christensen, head of the spider department at the Australian Reptile Park, introduced six common spiders in Australia. The most poisonous spiders must be avoided when seen.

1. Sydney Funnel-Web Spider

Christensen said that of all the spiders in Australia, the Sydney hole-web spider is the most dangerous. Its aggressiveness and venom are fatal. If a human is bitten by it and not treated in time, it may be in danger of death. This spider usually lives underground. When the weather warms up, the male spider will come out to mate. Christensen said that due to the warm weather this year, this spider came out earlier than in previous years, but the peak season is usually in January.

“To prevent bites from Sydney funnel-web spiders, clean the floor and shake out shoes or towels before putting them on to prevent spiders from getting stuck in them,” Christensen said. Another danger area is swimming pools, Christensen said. “The spider often falls into the pool and can’t get out because the walls are too slippery, but it can survive in the water for 30 hours.”

2. Wolf Spider

Wolf spiders can grow up to 8 centimeters and are common in Australia. Baby wolf spiders are usually carried on the back of the mother spider until they can move on their own in the web. Wolf spiders rarely use webs to catch prey, but instead chase their prey directly on the ground. Christensen said that wolf spider bites are not a big problem for humans unless the spider is very large.

3. Rat Spider

The mouse spider is similar in appearance to the Sydney funnel-web spider and is also highly venomous to humans. It moves a little slower than other spiders and is more active during the day than other spiders, which prefer to be active at night. Christensen said bites from mouse spiders are usually injected with the same antitoxin as funnel-web spiders.

4. Redback Spider

The redback spider, also known as the red-backed widow spider, is mainly found in Australia, but with the migration of tourists and immigrants, it is now rampant in Japan. The redback spider is a highly venomous spider, with a body length of between 2 and 8 mm, a red mark on the back, and is extremely aggressive. Five minutes after being bite, the wound begins to heat up and ache. If there is no serum treatment, the person will die within half an hour.

Christensen said that compare with other Australian animals, Australians are most likely to be bite by this redback spider, and females are more aggressive than males. They prefer dry and dark environments, so they like to hide indoors.

5. White-tailed spider

The spider gets its name from a distinctive white marking on its tail. Christensen said he was aware of 132 cases of white-tailed spider bites, which generally cause pain and swelling.

6. Huntsman Spider

The size of the huntsman spider often scares people, but Christensen said there is no need to worry too much. “It is also venomous, but not extremely venomous. It usually only causes pain and swelling. And they usually don’t attack humans unless they are defending their eggs.” Huntsman spiders often appear indoors and in cars, especially behind sun visors, as well as behind rock walls and dead bark.

Ways to prevent spider bites:

1. When picking up something from the ground, observe it first;

2. Shake your shoes before wearing them outdoors;

3. Ensure that the door is well ventilate and airtight, and there is no large gap between the floor and the bottom of the door;

4. Don’t throw clothes on the floor, because the first thing spiders do is find a place to hide;

5. Check the swimming pool. For example, the Sydney funnel-web spider can easily fall into the swimming pool and will not die immediately.