Find out what to do if you're bitten and how to identify a spider. Australia is well-known for its spiders, but the place isn't overrun with them. While we may have some of the world's most venomous species, you are unlikely to come across one unbless you go looking for one or happen to disturb one hiding away.
As common as spiders are in Australia and how essential it is for the environment, no one still likes to see them in their home. With over 2400 different species in Australia, you are most likely to see any one of these eight-legged creatures in your lifetime.
Due to the diversity of arachnids in the country, you can find spiders everywhere in Australia. Some families, however, are more localised than others. Although, depending on their way of life there is still very little chance of crossing them.
Huntsman spiders are found in most states and territories of Australia, so you've got a good chance of spotting this buddy. In warm weather, or when it rains, they are often seen inside homes, on walls and ceilings.
While it can sound like something out of a horror movie, in Australia the transition from late summer to fall can trigger what is known to the locals as spider season.
Spider season usually begins in the late summer and goes through fall. Spiders are likely looking for a secure home or trying to mate. Experts say if you see a spider, try not to kill it, and just move it instead.
And yes it's true, we have a lot of spiders, and it's sad when we hear people say they don't want to visit Australia because it's too dangerous. So let's set the record straight. Only 6 people a year die of spider bites.
Huntsman spiders are not normally aggressive towards humans (except for females guarding their egg sacs). They are more likely to run away than attack, unless provoked.
Contrary to popular belief, huntsman spiders do not chase people. They do not see like we do, and cannot see us from a distance. Running down a wall towards us is not intentional – they are attempting to get away. Apart from startling us from time to time, these iconic Aussies are practically harmless.
Many people happily leave huntsmen alone to roam the house – they don't actually like getting too near humans. Because huntsmen are large and reasonably long-lived (they can live two years or more), some will even go so far as to name them.
When threatened or provoked, funnel-web spiders will display aggressive behaviour, rearing up on their hind legs and displaying their fangs.
Stay in the cities.
I went to Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns in October. I saw no spiders.
Spiders dislike the scent of peppermint, eucalyptus oil, tea-tree, or citrus.
Most spiders have bad vision and therefore move around by sensing vibrations. In fact, that's how they know when something landed in their web. And the vast majority of spiders are more active at night (nocturnal). Some spiders have even moved from nocturnal to diurnal over their evolutionary years.
And other spider facts. As the seasons change, you might have noticed a few more spiders climbing out of the plughole, scuttling across the floor or hiding in corners. They're more frequent in early autumn because it's their breeding season, and males are looking for a female to mate with.
Do huntsman spiders intentionally chase you? No. If you try to catch a huntsman and it runs towards you, it isn't attacking. It is trying to get to a safe place, away from the giant human thing looming over it.
When a Huntsman, Redback or Funnel-web is walking along, the Daddy-long-legs can simply reach down and haul the more dangerous (but shorter-legged) spider into its web. It swiftly wraps up its prey before the captor can get close enough to harm the Daddy-long-legs.
'They don't like the smell of lemons, eucalyptus, tea tree or peppermint oils,' he added. 'If you rub these around the doors it can help detract them. ' During the day most huntsman spiders prefer to rest in retreats under bark, crevices or other protected areas out of the sunlight.
Conclusion. Huntsman spiders are found across Australia, and they regularly wander into homes and cars during times of rain and humidity. Despite their fearsome appearance, Huntsman spiders are relatively harmless to humans, and they prefer to feast on cockroaches and other insects.
If you find a huntsman spider in your house, yard or on your property, the best thing to do is to leave it alone. These spiders are not aggressive and will usually only bite if they feel threatened.
Despite their often large and hairy appearance, huntsman spiders are not considered to be dangerous spiders. As with most spiders, they do possess venom, and a bite may cause some ill effects. However, they are quite reluctant to bite, and will usually try to run away rather than be aggressive.
Australia is well-known for its spiders, but the place isn't overrun with them. While we may have some of the world's most venomous species, you are unlikely to come across one unbless you go looking for one or happen to disturb one hiding away. They are more scared of us than we are of them.
Be spider aware but not scared of spiders
There are all kinds of dangerous things in Australia. Spiders are only part of it: we have stingers, blue-ringed octopus, stonefish, sharks, snakes…but fear of wildlife isn't a reason not to move here. Just remember, your home country likely has dangerous creatures too.
According to research conducted by McAfee, snakes are the top phobia for Aussies followed by spiders, heights and sharks.