How to Identify Australian Spiders

Note the color of the spider. An aggressive and highly venomous black spider is the Sydney funnel-web spider. The black house spider is poisonous but not deadly. The red-back spider, which is highly venomous and potentially deadly, is black with spindly legs and a red splotch on the back. Spiders with a mottled gray or brown pattern likely are wolf spiders, which are venomous but not aggressive. Orb-weaving spiders tend to be brown and not aggressive or dangerous.

Note the habitat of the spider. You can often find a Sydney funnel-web spider wandering around in the garden or even the home when it leaves its burrow. Red-back spiders like to build webs in dry corners, such as underneath seats or in outhouses. The white-tail spider looks for cool and moist locations, such as in a garden or in bathrooms.

Note the type of home it has. Sydney funnel-web spiders, mouse spiders, wolf spiders and trap-door spiders live in burrows. Red-back spiders and black house spiders like to build messy webs in corners to catch insects. Orb-weaving and garden spiders spin large circular webs between buildings and plants to catch flies and mosquitoes.

Look for unique markings. Sydney funnel-web spiders have long spinnerets and a distinctive spur on their second front legs. The mouse spider has large, elongated fangs. A huntsman spider has long front legs that curve outward. A St. Andrews Cross spider has a large yellow-and-brown-striped abdomen.