What is the shape of a funnel web?
The body of a funnelweb spider is typically long and roughly oval in shape. The legs are long, slender, and bristly, and the eyes are small and occur in two horizontal rows of four. A pair of spinnerets, used to make the spider’s web, protrudes from the tip of the abdomen.
How do you identify a funnel web spider?
A key feature of funnel-webs and mouse spiders is that they are glossy on the front part of their body, where their legs are attached. This helps distinguish them from dark-coloured trapdoor, wishbone and black house spiders, which are covered in fine hairs. The other feature to look at are the fangs.
What spiders are mistaken for funnel webs?
Spiders that are often confused with Funnel Webs are Trapdoor spiders, Mouse spiders, Wishbone Spiders and Black House Spiders. While some of the 30 odd species of Funnel Web Spiders are considered dangerous, the most notorious and dangerous is the Sydney Funnel Web spider.
What is special about the funnel web spider?
They are one of the most venomous spiders in the world The Sydney funnel-web spider is one of the most venomous (to humans) spiders in Australia, and second most venomous in the world. Unlike many other spiders where the most toxic venom lies within the female, the male holds venom up to six times more toxic.
Are Funnel Webs aggressive?
The Sydney Funnel Web Spider is not aggressive by nature, but will show aggression if threatened. Sydney Funnel Web Spiders reside in moist (sandy clay, shale or basaltic soils) sheltered burrows in the ground, under rocks or logs, or in stumps, and tree trunks.
Where funnel web spiders are found?
Funnel-web spiders live in the moist forest regions of the east coast and highlands of Australia from Tasmania to north Queensland. They are also found in the drier open forests of the Western Slopes of the Great Dividing Range and South Australia’s Gulf ranges.
What does a funnel web spider bite look like?
The original bite may be small and may progress to a blood blister and look like a bull’s eye. (This is similar to the appearance of a brown recluse spider bite.) The area affected by the bite may become deeper.
What do you do if you find a funnel web spider in your house?
Take care as funnel-webs are highly defensive and may strike; however, they cannot jump or climb glass. When the spider is within the jar, slide a piece of heavy cardboard or solid plastic under the opening to completely cover it.
What kind of body does a funnelweb spider have?
The body of a funnelweb spider is typically long and roughly oval in shape. The legs are long, slender, and bristly, and the eyes are small and occur in two horizontal rows of four. A pair of spinnerets, used to make the spider’s web, protrudes from the tip of the abdomen.
How big does a funnel weaver spider get?
The body of a funnel weaver spider ranges between 10-20 millimeters in length for females and 9-18 millimeters for males (Jacobs 2002). Identification of funnel weaver spiders can sometimes be aided by looking at the spider’s web.
Which is the largest funnel web spider in Australia?
The largest of all funnel-webs is the Northern Tree Funnel-web Spider, Hadronyche formidabilis, reaching 4 cm – 5 cm body length. These spiders live in the wet forests of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland and have been found over 30 m above ground.
How does a funnel web spider inseminate the female?
Both spiders rear up with first legs raised against each other, while the male engages his mating spurs across the bases of the female’s second legs. The male then inseminates the female by inserting the tips of his palpal organs into the female’s genital opening on the underside of her abdomen.