lllawarra residents are being warned to be on the lookout for funnel-web spiders flushed out by recent heavy rains following some terrifying encounters inside homes, including a bedroom and a baby's nursery.
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Funnel-web spiders are known to flourish in summer and early autumn and are particularly active in wet, humid weather and after heavy rains.
Kiama-based pest control expert Dylan Cope said the coming days and weeks will likely see an increase in funnel-web spider sightings as they get flushed out of their underground burrows. He shared details of some terrifying incidents he said would 'scare anyone'.
"All this rain has flushed the funnel-web spiders out of the burrows, looking for dry ground and they are ending up inside people's homes," Mr Cope said.
"I have had a lot of calls in recent weeks regarding funnel-webs and they have all been inside homes. I have had a lot in Wombarra, a couple in Bulli, and others in Stanwell Park and Coledale."
Mr Cope, who operates Dylan Cope Pest Control, is often called on to identify suspicious-looking spiders.
"I actually had a client in Wombarra have a male funnel-web crawl over their face in bed. They felt something on their face, brushed it off and turned the light on and the funnel-web was on their pillow," he said.
"I had another where someone found a funnel-web in their baby's room. The mum was putting the baby down in the dark and had just put the night-light on and was walking out of the room when they saw something in the dark on the floor and it was a funnel-web just looking at them."
In both cases, the residents caught the funnel-webs and took a photo, which they sent to Mr Cope so he could positively identify them.
Mr Cope said residents should take special care in the yard, and warned that gardening gloves were no match for a funnel-web.
"Some of them have fangs longer than an eastern brown snake," he said.
"They love anywhere with clutter, so people who have a lot of things around outside should take care. They love to hide under pot plants," he said, adding not even the washing line was safe.
"I had someone in Coledale who brought in some clean washing off the line recently. They actually carried it in their arms and put it down on a bed and the funnel-web came out."
Mr Cope encourages anyone who encounters a live funnel-web not to kill it but catch it and take it to Symbio Wildlife Park at Helensburgh, which is one of only a handful of collection points for the Australian Reptile Park's Venom Program, which sees venom collected for the manufacture of antivenoms to treat spider-bite victims.
Highly trained Australian Reptile Park staff regularly 'milk' spiders, before the venom is sent off to the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories in Victoria.
The Australian Reptile Park needs 300 to 400 spiders a year to collect the 600ml of venom needed to keep up with demand for antivenom, which has doubled in recent years due to an increase in funnel-web spider bites.
Since Australia's funnel-web spider antivenom program began in 1981, there have been no recorded deaths from a bite.
Spiders are best captured using a wide-mouthed jar, preferably with a screw-top lid, placed directly in front of the spider so it can walk in. Cheaper-style takeaway containers are not ideal as the lid can come off and the container can be brittle.
If possible, place damp cotton wool, soil or potting mix in the bottom of the jar, which should be taken to collection point as soon as possible. Do not leave it in direct sunlight or a hot car or it will die.
FUNNEL-WEB SPIDER FACTS
Funnel-web spiders traditionally come out of hiding in summer and early autumn as they thrive in warm, humid and wet conditions, and are particularly active at night.
Four types of funnel-web spiders are found in the Illawarra - the Sydney funnel-web, Illawarra funnel-web, southern tree-dwelling funnel web and Blue Mountains funnel-web.
While female funnel-webs mostly stay hidden in burrows, the much more venomous male leaves its burrow in summer to look for a mate as it nears maturity. They are often found in the garden, in or around pools, under towels or hidden in clothing or shoes.
Funnel-web spiders love bushy, sloping areas, creeks and gullies. Backyard pools or anywhere wet or damp are also favourite hiding spots, with funnel-web spiders able to survive underwater for long periods.
Retaining walls, sleepers and garden beds may also harbour funnel-webs, which are a type of colonising spider. A 10-metre retaining wall could house as many as 20 to 30 funnel-webs.
Tips to protect yourself from funnel-web or other spider bites:
Do not leave clothes, shoes, towels, etc. on the floor
Check shoes before putting them on
Do not walk about outside at night without footwear
Do not handle spiders that appear to have drowned in pools, buckets, etc.
First-aid if bitten:
Keep the bite victim calm and immobile
Apply a pressure-immobilization bandage to the bite site and the adjacent limb. For example, a bite on the finger should be treated by bandaging the entire arm. Further restrict movement by applying a splint
Seek emergency medical assistance immediately
For safety guidelines and more information click here
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Merryn Porter
Journalist with more than 25 years' experience in print and digital media who has covered most news rounds, including health, education, politics (local, state and federal), police and courts, with a special interest in women's and family matters. Highly-skilled interviewer and storyteller.
Journalist with more than 25 years' experience in print and digital media who has covered most news rounds, including health, education, politics (local, state and federal), police and courts, with a special interest in women's and family matters. Highly-skilled interviewer and storyteller.
