Scientific Pest Management: Pest Data Base - Australian Spiders and pest control

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Spiders

There are many varieties of spiders, though not all are venomous.

Spiders usually only bite when provoked, but care should be exercised in all contact with these creatures.

Because they often hide during the day, a spider population is easy to underestimate.

The Redback Spider * (Latrodectus hasselti) is encountered regularly in many areas of Australia. The female of the species is about 10mm in length and has a black velvet-like body with a red or orange stripe on the upper surface of the abdomen. It makes loose webs in places containing stacked goods, rubbish etc. It is also found outdoors and webs have been found under toilet seats! Bites are usually painless, with intense pain felt after about five minutes. Symptoms include localised sweating at the bite site, muscular weakness, lack of co-ordination, paralysis, tremors, nausea, vomiting, local swelling, dizziness or fainting, palpitations and fever. The Black House Spider * (Badumna insignis) is one of the most common spiders encountered around houses and buildings. It makes webs around windows, under eaves and in bark fissures of trees. The entrance tunnel is usually in the centre of the web. The female is about 12mm long and brown to dark grey/black in colour, with banded dark and pale legs. These spiders have a small head and large abdomen. Bites can cause severe pain, numbness, headache, giddiness, nausea, vomiting, sweating and muscular pain.

The Sydney Funnelweb Spider * (Atrax robustus) is one of the most toxic in Australia, getting its name from the web lined tunnels the female makes in the ground. Both sexes are dangerous and aggressive, and may enter houses after heavy rain or landscaping. They are about 25-30mm in length and have a shiny black to dark brown head/thorax, with a black to dark plum abdomen. Bites are painful and possibly even fatal. The Sydney Brown Trapdoor Spider * (Misgolas rapas) is similar to the funnelweb spider, and is also found in holes in the ground. These burrows may or may not have a trapdoor and are usually in an open situation. The female is typically dark brown and the head/thorax region is hairy, not shiny thus differing from that of the Sydney funnelweb spider. It will bite if provoked, but no fatalities have been recorded.

The Whitetailed Spider * (Lampona cylindrata) is found throughout Australia, and is common in urban environments. Males will wander at night, while females form nests under tree bark and similar environments. They are often found inside bathrooms, kitchens and laundries. Whitetailed spiders have a long, cigar-shaped body between 5-15mm in length. They are grey in colour with a white spot on the tip of the abdomen. Bites are painful and cause localised swelling and ulceration. Mouse Spiders * (Missulena spp.) occur throughout Australia and are often confused with the funnelweb spider. The males wander at night, while the females build nesting burrows which may have a door or lid. Very robust spiders, about 25mm in length with much shorter legs than the Sydney funnelweb. It is black in colour with reddish coloured hairs. The bite is painful and will cause localised swelling, burning or itchiness.

The St Andrews Cross Spider * acquires it's name from the cross of white silk often found in the centre of their orb web. Even when the silk cross is missing from the web, this characteristic cross shape is reflected in the position of the spider's legs, which are often held in pairs. The St Andrew's Cross spider is equally active at night as during the day and tends to build its web in and around small shrubs and against walls. This species has not been known to bite. Garden Orb Web Spiders * are moderately large spiders with a plump triangular shape. They build sticky webs, usually strung between low trees and shrubs. A nocturnal species, the spider moves to an elevated position during the day and can often be found under eaves, leaves and occasionally in washing that has been left out overnight. This docile species will only bite if roughly handled, triggering mild pain, nausea, dizziness, numbness and swelling around the bite site.

The Huntsman Spider * is easily recognised by it's flattened body and the tendency for it's legs to turn frontwards when stationary. Most active at night, this species hides under the bark of trees during the day, coming out at night to hunt over tree trunks and on the ground. They are often found inside homes at night on walls and ceilings. Although they are fast moving spiders, the huntsman has a timid nature and will only bite if handled, in which case some local discolouration and swelling may occur in addition to dizziness, vomiting, lethargy, irregular pulse and sweating. The Wolf Spider can be identified by the light brown/ black marking on it's back which may resemble a Union Jack pattern. They are ground hunters and are often disturbed in gardens where they dig burrows in the soil or live among fallen leaves. This species enter houses only occasionally. If mishandled, the wolf spider may bite causing rapid pulse, dizziness, nausea, swelling and persistent pain and tingling. However, most bites cause no reaction.

* Photographs courtesy of Phillip Hadlington - long recognised as one of Australia's foremost pest control experts.

To exterminate or not to exterminate...

Unpopular as they are, few spiders are actually harmful to humans, generally with fangs too weak or small to puncture our skin. The majority are guilty only of annoying us with their habit of building webs across doorways etc and scaring us when we least expect it !
So should we take out a license on the lives of all spiders we see around the home?

Generally, wholesale destruction of any insect or spider should be avoided unless they are directly detrimental in some way. Spiders can often be beneficial by feeding on insects like flies and crickets, carrying out their role in balancing the ecosystem.

If you are unsure of the need to have spiders removed from an area, contact your local Scientific Pest Management office for advice.

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Original script for spiders from 'Scrolling Fix' by Troels Jakobsen - The JavaScript Source

	The Redback Spider * (Latrodectus hasselti) is encountered regularly in many areas of Australia. The female of the species is about 10mm in length and has a black velvet-like body with a red or orange stripe on the upper surface of the abdomen. It makes loose webs in places containing stacked goods, rubbish etc. It is also found outdoors and webs have been found under toilet seats! Bites are usually painless, with intense pain felt after about five minutes. Symptoms include localised sweating at the bite site, muscular weakness, lack of co-ordination, paralysis, tremors, nausea, vomiting, local swelling, dizziness or fainting, palpitations and fever.		The Black House Spider * (Badumna insignis) is one of the most common spiders encountered around houses and buildings. It makes webs around windows, under eaves and in bark fissures of trees. The entrance tunnel is usually in the centre of the web. The female is about 12mm long and brown to dark grey/black in colour, with banded dark and pale legs. These spiders have a small head and large abdomen. Bites can cause severe pain, numbness, headache, giddiness, nausea, vomiting, sweating and muscular pain.
	The Sydney Funnelweb Spider * (Atrax robustus) is one of the most toxic in Australia, getting its name from the web lined tunnels the female makes in the ground. Both sexes are dangerous and aggressive, and may enter houses after heavy rain or landscaping. They are about 25-30mm in length and have a shiny black to dark brown head/thorax, with a black to dark plum abdomen. Bites are painful and possibly even fatal.		The Sydney Brown Trapdoor Spider * (Misgolas rapas) is similar to the funnelweb spider, and is also found in holes in the ground. These burrows may or may not have a trapdoor and are usually in an open situation. The female is typically dark brown and the head/thorax region is hairy, not shiny thus differing from that of the Sydney funnelweb spider. It will bite if provoked, but no fatalities have been recorded.
	The Whitetailed Spider * (Lampona cylindrata) is found throughout Australia, and is common in urban environments. Males will wander at night, while females form nests under tree bark and similar environments. They are often found inside bathrooms, kitchens and laundries. Whitetailed spiders have a long, cigar-shaped body between 5-15mm in length. They are grey in colour with a white spot on the tip of the abdomen. Bites are painful and cause localised swelling and ulceration.		Mouse Spiders * (Missulena spp.) occur throughout Australia and are often confused with the funnelweb spider. The males wander at night, while the females build nesting burrows which may have a door or lid. Very robust spiders, about 25mm in length with much shorter legs than the Sydney funnelweb. It is black in colour with reddish coloured hairs. The bite is painful and will cause localised swelling, burning or itchiness.
	The St Andrews Cross Spider * acquires it's name from the cross of white silk often found in the centre of their orb web. Even when the silk cross is missing from the web, this characteristic cross shape is reflected in the position of the spider's legs, which are often held in pairs. The St Andrew's Cross spider is equally active at night as during the day and tends to build its web in and around small shrubs and against walls. This species has not been known to bite.		Garden Orb Web Spiders * are moderately large spiders with a plump triangular shape. They build sticky webs, usually strung between low trees and shrubs. A nocturnal species, the spider moves to an elevated position during the day and can often be found under eaves, leaves and occasionally in washing that has been left out overnight. This docile species will only bite if roughly handled, triggering mild pain, nausea, dizziness, numbness and swelling around the bite site.
	The Huntsman Spider * is easily recognised by it's flattened body and the tendency for it's legs to turn frontwards when stationary. Most active at night, this species hides under the bark of trees during the day, coming out at night to hunt over tree trunks and on the ground. They are often found inside homes at night on walls and ceilings. Although they are fast moving spiders, the huntsman has a timid nature and will only bite if handled, in which case some local discolouration and swelling may occur in addition to dizziness, vomiting, lethargy, irregular pulse and sweating.		The Wolf Spider can be identified by the light brown/ black marking on it's back which may resemble a Union Jack pattern. They are ground hunters and are often disturbed in gardens where they dig burrows in the soil or live among fallen leaves. This species enter houses only occasionally. If mishandled, the wolf spider may bite causing rapid pulse, dizziness, nausea, swelling and persistent pain and tingling. However, most bites cause no reaction.

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Contact us	Residential Services	Find-A-Pest Data Base