Learn about the most dangerous spider on Earth
The most dangerous spider on Earth
There are 35 species of funnel web, a number of which are found along Australia’s eastern coast, from New South Wales to Queensland – however, only one holds the title of world’s deadliest spider.
The Sydney funnel-web (Atrax robustus) is generally found in both suburbia and bushland in an area bound by Newcastle to the north and Illawarra to the south.
They are relatively large spiders – one male affectionately named ‘Big Boy’ by the Australian Reptile Park reached 10cm stretched out – and have large, rearward-facing fangs capable of piercing through fingernails.
They are aggressive spiders that are black in colour, the front of their bodies shiny and hairless and their abdomens black or dark plum in colour.
Females are generally sedentary, remaining within burrows, their entrances framed by the species’ characteristic ‘funnel’ webbing, often positioned beneath rocks or logs in suburban gardens and bushland.
Males are more active, especially after summer rain, when they begin to wander looking for females, and this is when people generally come into contact with them.
Nocturnal in nature and extremely sensitive to sunlight, males wander at night time, however if unsuccessful in their quest for a mate, they will look for anywhere sheltered to wait the day out and that’s when they end up in people’s shoes or houses.
“They’re not ambushing you, they’re not attacking you, it’s just an attractive option for shelter.
However with this tendency to enter suburbia, people need to be vigilant, wearing gloves while gardening, checking shoes before putting them on and not walking around barefoot.
the atraxotoxin protein contained within funnel web venom is responsible for its severe effects on the nervous system – shorting out the synapses in the nerves and halting the relaxation cycle.
This causes constant firing of the nerves – or fibrillation – resulting in a number of symptoms including rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure, breathing difficulty and numbness around the mouth.
“People know within minutes that they’re going to die or are in deep deep trouble – death has occurred with funnel webs in 15 minutes