Warning Issued Over Deadly Funnel-Web Spider Population Boom In Australia

A park in Australia issued a warning over a recent increase in funnel-web spider sightings. Although funnel-web spiders are quite dangerous, capturing -- not crushing -- them has its benefits.

Funnel Web Spider Warning

The Australian Reptile Park in north Sydney issued a warning via a Facebook video that the population of deadly funnel-web spiders is poised to spike due to the ideal conditions for the beginning of its mating season. According to spokesperson Daniel Rumsey, funnel-web spiders enjoy humid conditions, which Australia is now experiencing due to recent rains and, currently, hot weather. Furthermore, the heavy rains might have pushed the spiders out of their burrows.

During the spiders’ mating season, the males, which are particularly more dangerous to humans than the females, typically go out in the night in search of the females. This is why people should be on the look-out for spiders possibly crawling around because funnel-web spiders have powerful fangs that can easily pierce human skin and inject venom when they come in contact.

As such, people should be wary of shoes and piles of clothes, as these are some of the things that the spiders might burrow in when they cannot find their way back to their own burrow before daylight.

Capture, Not Crush

According to the Australian Reptile Park, funnel web-spiders are some of the most dangerous spiders in the world in terms of bites towards humans and their bites have actually caused deaths in the past. That said, there have been no confirmed deaths from funnel spider bites since the 1980s, largely because of an effective anti-venom that can save the people who have been bitten.

As it happens, the Australian Reptile Park is the only source of the anti-venom in the world. So, those with enough nerve may capture the funnel-web spiders they encounter rather than crush or kill them, then, bring them to the park or other drop zones around Sydney. The venom of the spiders surrendered to the park can then be used to make the antidote.

Because funnel-web spiders are ground-dwelling spiders that are unable to climb up slippery surfaces, they can be caught by simply scooping the spider into a jar. Anyone who gets bitten by a funnel-web spider should immediately apply pressure or a compression bandage to the affected area to stop the circulation and head to the hospital.