Finding a spider in a pair of shoes, a laundry basket, or in a closet is never a pleasant experience. As Australia is famous for its diverse creatures and its frightening spiders, people that live in the Sydney area know that the spider hiding in their slippers could potentially be the most deadly spider in the world.
The Sydney funnel-web spider is native to Australia. As its name implies, it is typically found in the greater Sydney area and the Central Coast in forests and home gardens. This spider’s venom is lethal enough to kill a human. It affects the nervous system directly, resulting in spasms and breathing difficulties.
Like most spiders, the females of the Sydney funnel-web are larger than the males. However, it is the males most responsible for bites to humans as they wander around seeking females to mate with. If you are a local to Australia or plan on visiting, how scared should you be of stumbling across the most deadly spider in the world? And what do you do if you are bitten?
What to do if you find this deadly spider
The Sydney funnel-web spider is most active during warmer weather. Funnel-web spiders look for small crevices they can line with web, creating a tunnel or “funnel” for them to live in. However, heavy rainfalls can disrupt their funnel nests and force them to wander about to relocate. This results in the spiders ending up in and around people’s homes. Dark places, small corners, and tight crevices are the most likely locations to be surprised by these spiders.
If a spider is found in a home, the Australian Reptile Park has drop-off points for those brave enough to capture it and transport it. These drop-off points are essential for the Australian Reptile Park’s anti-venom program. Anti-venom research has made previously deadly bites from spiders, snakes, or other creatures treatable. Venom-based research has also expanded into other medical areas such as treating ED, using venom from the rather large and dangerous Brazilian wandering spider.
If you do get bit, don’t panic. Applying pressure to the area of the bite and keeping it as still as possible is the best procedure until you are able to receive medical care. Promptly seeking a medical professional is key as these bites can turn deadly very quickly. The Sydney funnel-web spider’s bite has been known to kill primates within hours. About 20 people are bitten every year by the Sydney funnel-web spider. Prior to the invention of the anti-venom in the 1980s, 13 people died from these bites. There have been no deaths since.
How does the funnel-web spider compare to others?
The Brazilian wandering spider mentioned earlier, is also highly venomous, but interestingly it’s capable of controlling how much venom it injects in each bite, so it doesn’t cause many deaths.
Another Australian spider, the Australian black widow — also known as the redback — has venom that targets the nervous system and may trigger symptoms such as nausea, intense pain, or vomiting. Safe to say, getting bitten by this spider would be extremely distressing. One spider you can come across unexpectedly in the U.S., the Joro spider, is actually quite docile, and its venom is not dangerous. However, its leg span can be quite large, and its ability to parachute around on its web can make for a terrifying surprise if it accidentally lands on you.
Scary to some and fascinating to others, humans have to co-exist with spiders. Medical advancements like anti-venom, along with scientific understanding of how spiders behave and why, makes even the most deadly spider in the world not as deadly as it could be.
