Spiders

Features

• They have 8 jointed legs and their bodies are divided into 2 sections: cephalothorax and abdomen.
• Palps are located at the front and often mistaken for an extra pair of legs. Their function is sensory, and in the male they are associated with reproduction.
• The legs and the body may be heavily or sparsely clothed with hairs.
• The male spider is usually smaller than the female of the same species, and its legs are longer and its palps are larger than the female’s.
• Most spiders have 3 or 4 pairs of eyes, although some species only have 1 or 2.

Life Cycles

Most web-spinning spiders have a life span of less than 12 months. Some ground dwelling spiders develop more slowly and appear to have a life span of many years.

Habits

Most arachnids are nocturnal. During the day they are seldom seen, unless they are sought or disturbed in their natural environments. When the light fades, spiders become active — leaving the protection of the shelters or burrows in search for food.

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Type	Features	Nesting Habits	Toxicity	Photo
Bird-Dropping	Angular and wrinkled body with banded legs. Resembles skull. Black and white in colour. Female 12mm, male 2-3mm.	No web, attacks and seizes moth prey.	Non-toxic
Black House	Large abdomen. Fangs are not obvious but move pincer-wise. Dark brown to black; legs often black in colour. Dark brown to black; legs often black. Female 12mm, male 2-3mm	Makes a felted web at the centre of which is a tunnel. In sheds, toilets, windows, under guttering. Not aggressive.	Toxic. Produces pain, nausea, sweating. No fatalities.
Funnelweb (Nth River)	Similar to the Sydney Funnelweb but large. Male — rounded protuberance covered with spines on 2nd front legs. Black. Fine reddish hairs. Female 30mm, male 25mm.	Inhabits holes in trees. Occurs on northern coast of NSW. Aggressive	Considered to be very toxic but there is little data available
Funnelweb (Sydney)	Shiny cephalothorax. Spinnerets long; terminal segment longest. Male palps small; spur on 2nd pair of legs. Black. Fine reddish hairs. Female 30mm, male 25mm.	Favours moist dark situations. Long silken tube through litter in or on ground. Active during summer & autumn. Aggressive.	Very toxic. Male more toxic than female
Garden Orb-Weaving	Rather large abdomen. Abundant hairs over body surface. Male seldom encountered. Dark to light brown with a pattern. Female 20-25mm, male 5-10mm.	Orb-web; hides on foliage during day and constructs orb-web at night. Not aggressive.	Non-toxic. Seldom bites
Golden Orb-Weavers	Small cephalothorax and large bulbous abdomen. Male — brown and very small. Yellow cephalothorax. Purplish abdomen covered with fine hairs; velvety. Female 35-40mm, male 5-6mm.	Orb-web; very strong strands often having a yellow sheen in sunlight. Not aggressive	Non-toxic.
Hairy Imperial	Bulbous body with 2 prominent tubercles on dorsal surface of abdomen. Dull brown with light brown wavy lines. Female 10mm, male 2-3mm.	Loose web on leaves, etc. Produces a thread with globule on end for catching prey. Called spider anglers.	Non-toxic
Huntsman	First 2 pairs of legs are longer than rear two. Flattened & hairy. Male — slightly smaller with enlarged palps. Buff; dark patches on cephalothorax & abdomen. Female 35-40mm, male 15-25mm.	Lives under bark during daytime & emerges at night; often enters houses. Very useful in that it feeds on insects. Not aggressive.	Non-toxic. Bites may be painful but are very rare.
Jumping	Well-developed front legs and very large cephalothorax. Variable from brown to black. Female up to 10mm, male variable.	Characteristic jumping habit. Hunts during the day; no fixed abode.	Non-toxic
Leaf-Curling	Long legs, small cephalothorax, large abdomen. Brown with yellow markings; variability in colour. Female 6-8mm, male 4mm.	Orb-web; hides in curled-up leaf or paper at the centre of the web. Not aggressive.	Non-toxic
Magnificent	Bulbous abdomen with yellow tubercles. Cephalothorax is produced into a crown-like structure. Brown with yellow markings; variability in colour. Female 6-8mm, male 4mm.	Orb-web; hides in curled-up leaf or paper at the centre of the web. Not aggressive.	Non-toxic
Mouse Spiders	Enlarged cephalothorax. Base of fangs enlarged. Eyes on front of cephalothorax. Male — long legs; palps only slightly swollen. Female — short legs. Black with reddish hairs. Female 20-25mm, male 12-18mm.	Females live in holes (with double door) in the ground. Holes may be quite extensive. Adult male roams in search of female. Not aggressive.	Toxic. Fangs are strong and bite may be painful.
Net-Casting	Stick-like, having long legs and flattened cephalothorax. Grey to brown. Often mottled. Female up to 20mm, male variable.	Makes a net that it holds between four front legs to capture insects	Non-toxic
Redback	Long legs and large bulbous abdomen. Small cephalothorax. Male — much smaller and insignificant. Black, velvety; red stripe on dorsal surface. This may be missing on some. Pale area on ventral surface. Female 12-15mm, male 3-4mm.	Makes a loose web in rubbish; unsewered toilets; under houses. Most bites on male genitals. Not aggressive.	Very toxic. Female bites; male does not. Very painful.
St Andrews Cross	Long legs, small cephalothorax. Male — small and paler than female. Brown. Cephalothorax. Abdomen striped yellow and brown.	Orb-web; hangs in web with legs in shape of cross. Not aggressive.	Non-toxic
Sydney Brown Trapdoor	Cephalothorax dull. Spinnerets short, terminal segment shortest. Male — boxing gloves palps: 2 spines on inner surface of front legs. Brown to dark brown. Heavily covered with fine hairs. Female 25-30mm, male 20mm.	Inhabits drier situations in exposed areas. Lid not usually over the hole but leaves or litter may cover it. Not aggressive.	Not toxic. Bites usually only painful.
Tailed	Long tail with star-shaped structure on its end. Male — smaller, without the tail. Cream coloured. Reddish tip on tail. Female 20mm, male 5mm.	Orb-web without some supporting radii. Not aggressive.	Non-toxic
Two-Spined	2 dorsal protuberance on abdomen. Brown and cream body with reddish legs. Female 6-8mm, male 3mm.	Orb-web; hangs in web. Makes sac larger than its own body. Not aggressive.	Non-toxic
Whitetailed Spider	Cigar-shaped body, cephalothorax oval. Grey to black. White mark on end of abdomen. Female 12-15mm, male 5-8mm.	Found under bark of trees; often inside bathrooms. Not aggressive.	Bites cause local pain & blistering, also tissue necrosis.
Wolf Spiders	Posterior eyes large and mounted in square on front of cephalothorax. Male is leggy. Mottled grey and brown. Union jack appearance on cephalothorax. Round egg sac. Carries young on its back. Female 20-25mm, male 15-20mm.	Inhabits garden, making holes in ground; covered by litter. Moves very rapidly when disturbed. Not aggressive.	Some may be toxic. Bite may be painful for a short while.