Spider IdentifierAustralia

Use Spider Identifier to identify spiders in Australia by photo clues, location, size, colour, web type and where the spider was found. Compare likely matches, photos, danger level, first aid notes and what to check next.

Bitten or unwell? Call 000. Poisons advice: 13 11 26.

4-step spider ID

Spider Identifier

Use this spider identifier to compare Australian spiders by photo clues, location, size, colour, web type and hiding place.

1 Location2 Size3 Colours4 Where found
1 Location2 Size3 Colour4 Web or hiding place
Start nowAdd app
Sydney funnel-web spider field guide photo
Sydney funnel-web spiderBurrow clue
Redback spider field guide photo
Redback spiderRed marking
Garden orb-weaver field guide photo
Garden orb-weaverWeb clue
Compare shape, colour, markings and where it was found.

Home screen app

Use Spider Identifier like an app

Install it on your phone, tablet or desktop so it opens from your home screen or dock.

Available for iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac and desktop browsers.
  1. Open this page in your browser.
  2. Use the browser menu to add it to your home screen, dock or apps.
  3. Open Spider Identifier from the new icon.

Start here

Answer the clues, then compare likely matches.

Use state, size, markings and hiding place to narrow the guide before opening a full spider profile.

Start spider ID

Spider ID tool

Spider Identifier

Step 1 of 4
Before you answer

If it is safe, note the spider’s size, markings, web or hiding place, and where it was found. Do not touch or move it for a better look.

Where are you?
How big was it?

Choose the closest match. It does not need to be perfect, and legs can make a spider look much larger.

What colours or marks stood out?

Choose all that fit. If you are unsure, choose Not sure.

Where did you find it?

Choose all that fit. If you are unsure, choose Not sure.

IDSeen a spider and not sure what it is?

Use the photos and simple clues to narrow it down. If someone has been bitten, feels unwell, or you suspect a funnel-web or mouse spider, call 000 or the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.

AUBuilt as a growing Australian spider guide.

New spider profiles are added regularly with reviewed public image licences, practical identification notes and cautious safety wording. Corrections and image suggestions are welcome at team@spideridentifier.com.au.

Watch out for these

Spiders to treat with extra caution

If one of these looks possible and a bite has happened, do not wait for perfect identification. Call 000 for severe symptoms or 13 11 26 for poisons advice.

sydney funnel web spider spider photoMedical emergency potentialSydney funnel-web spiderGlossy, robust, dark NSW spider associated with silk-lined burrows around the Sydney region and nearby eastern NSW.australian funnel web spiders spider photoMedical emergency potentialAustralian funnel-web spidersA group of dark, mygalomorph spiders from eastern Australia, often linked with silk-lined retreats and burrows.redback spider spider photoMedically significantRedback spiderSmall black spider, usually female, with a red stripe or hourglass marking and a messy web in dry sheltered places.mouse spider spider photoMedically significantMouse spiderStocky ground spider; males may have a red head or pale patch depending on species, and can be confused with funnel-webs.Victorian funnel-web spider Hadronyche modesta specimen photoMedical emergency potentialVictorian funnel-web spiderDark Victorian funnel-web spider from silk-lined burrows, with trip-line silk and a defensive rearing posture when threatened.blue mountains funnel web spider spider photoMedical emergency potentialBlue Mountains funnel-web spiderDark funnel-web spider from the Blue Mountains region, associated with moist retreats and silk-lined burrows.northern tree funnel web spider spider photoMedical emergency potentialNorthern tree funnel-web spiderLarge tree-associated funnel-web from eastern Australia, linked with retreats in trunks, logs and forest habitat.southern tree funnel web spider spider photoMedical emergency potentialSouthern tree funnel-web spiderTree-dwelling funnel-web from eastern NSW, often associated with timber, hollows and moist forest retreats.darling downs funnel web spider spider photoMedical emergency potentialDarling Downs funnel-web spiderQueensland funnel-web spider associated with the Darling Downs and nearby regions, often dark and burrow-linked.port macquarie funnel web spider spider photoMedical emergency potentialPort Macquarie funnel-web spiderMedically important funnel-web from the NSW mid-north coast region, with dark robust funnel-web features.red headed mouse spider spider photoMedically significantRed-headed mouse spiderStocky mouse spider where males may show a reddish head or jaws, often found wandering on open ground.eastern mouse spider spider photoMedically significantEastern mouse spiderDark stocky mouse spider from eastern Australia, usually ground-associated and sometimes confused with funnel-webs.

Compare spiders

Australian spider identifying chart

Browse common Australian spiders by appearance, danger level and where they are usually found.

sydney funnel web spider spider photoMedical emergency potentialSydney funnel-web spiderGlossy, robust, dark NSW spider associated with silk-lined burrows around the Sydney region and nearby eastern NSW.australian funnel web spiders spider photoMedical emergency potentialAustralian funnel-web spidersA group of dark, mygalomorph spiders from eastern Australia, often linked with silk-lined retreats and burrows.redback spider spider photoMedically significantRedback spiderSmall black spider, usually female, with a red stripe or hourglass marking and a messy web in dry sheltered places.mouse spider spider photoMedically significantMouse spiderStocky ground spider; males may have a red head or pale patch depending on species, and can be confused with funnel-webs.white tailed spider spider photoPainful but usually not life-threateningWhite-tailed spiderDark, cigar-shaped wandering spider with a pale spot at the tip of the abdomen, often seen indoors at night.black house spider spider photoUsually low riskBlack house spiderDark, sturdy house spider that builds messy lace-like webs around windows, walls, fences and crevices.brown house spider cupboard spider spider photoUsually low riskBrown house spider / cupboard spiderSmall brown comb-footed spider in messy indoor webs, sometimes confused with redbacks or false widows.huntsman spider spider photoUsually low riskHuntsman spiderLarge, flat, long-legged spider often seen on walls, ceilings, tree bark and inside cars.badge huntsman spider spider photoPainful but usually not life-threateningBadge huntsman spiderHuntsman-type spider with more distinct underside markings and a defensive colour display.wolf spider spider photoPainful but usually not life-threateningWolf spiderFast ground-running hunter, often mottled brown or grey, sometimes carrying an egg sac or spiderlings.trapdoor spider spider photoPainful but usually not life-threateningTrapdoor spiderStocky ground spider associated with burrows, often mistaken for funnel-webs when wandering.sydney brown trapdoor spider photoPainful but usually not life-threateningSydney brown trapdoor spiderBrown NSW trapdoor spider with a dusty-looking body, pale abdominal bars and open burrows, often confused with funnel-webs.

Questions people ask

Spider identifier Australia FAQ

How does the spider identifier work?

The identifier asks four simple questions: where you are in Australia, how big the spider looked, what colours or markings stood out, and where you found it. It then compares those clues with Australian spider profiles and shows likely matches.

Can this identify a spider by picture?

The site includes a limited photo clue beta that can scan a compressed image to narrow likely matches, but it does not confirm a species or diagnose a bite. A picture is still most useful when you also answer the location, size, colour and web or hiding-place questions.

What should I do first if I found a spider in my house?

Keep a safe distance, do not handle the spider, and note where it was found. If nobody has been bitten, use the identifier to compare likely matches. If someone has been bitten or feels unwell, prioritise medical or poisons advice.

How do I identify a funnel-web spider?

Funnel-web spiders are often dark, glossy and robust, and are commonly linked with silk-lined burrows or retreats in eastern Australia. If a funnel-web or mouse spider bite is possible, call 000 and do not wait for a perfect identification.

How do I identify a spider by web?

Web shape is a useful clue. Messy sheltered webs can point toward house spiders or redbacks, round orb webs toward orb-weavers, and silk-lined burrows or retreats toward funnel-web or trapdoor-style spiders. Use web clues together with size, colour and location.

Can you identify a spider bite from the mark?

Usually not. Bite marks can look similar and may be caused by other conditions. The useful clues are the spider you saw, where it happened, symptoms, and whether a dangerous spider could be involved. Call 000 for severe symptoms or suspected funnel-web or mouse spider bite.

Are brown recluse spiders in Australia?

Brown recluse spiders are a common online search, but most brown spiders found in Australia are local Australian species. Use the identifier to compare brown house spiders, huntsmans, wolf spiders, trapdoor spiders and other local possibilities.

When should I call 13 11 26 or 000?

Call 000 for severe symptoms, breathing trouble, collapse, or suspected funnel-web or mouse spider bite. Call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 for poisons advice from anywhere in Australia.

Photo clue beta

Identify spider by photo

A clear photo can help narrow likely Australian spider matches when it shows the body shape, markings, legs, web or hiding place. It cannot confirm a species by itself, and it should not be used to diagnose a bite.

Photos are compressed in your browser before checking. This site does not save uploads.

Photo credits