Photo: Rosie Steinberg · CC BY 4.0
Atrax robustus group
How to Identify a Funnel-Web Spider in Australia
Glossy, robust, dark spider associated with silk-lined burrows around the Sydney region and nearby eastern NSW.
Medical emergency potentialFirst aid / what to do now
- Call 000 immediately for suspected funnel-web or mouse spider bite.
- Keep the person as still as possible and do not let them walk around.
- Apply a pressure immobilisation bandage to the bitten limb if trained and available.
- Splint the limb to reduce movement and wait for emergency help.
- Do not cut the wound, apply a tourniquet, or delay care while trying to identify the spider.
This site cannot diagnose a bite. In an emergency call 000. For poisoning advice in Australia call 13 11 26.
Quick identification
- Glossy dark body
- Robust build with strong front legs
- Often near a silk-lined burrow or damp sheltered area
- Most relevant in eastern NSW
Danger level
Medical emergency potential
What to check next
Check whether it was found near a burrow, in a pool filter, or in damp garden habitat. Do not handle it.
When to seek medical help
Suspected funnel-web bite should be treated as urgent. Call 000 for serious symptoms and seek emergency care immediately.
Where it is usually seen
Damp gardens, burrows, logs, rockeries, pool filters and sheltered eastern NSW habitats.
Similar spiders
Use the homepage identifier to compare this spider against other Australian spiders by size, colour, location and web clues.