Sydney funnel-web spider fact sheet | Field of Mars EEC

What are Sydney funnel-web spiders?

Sydney funnel-web spiders are large burrowing spiders from the Sydney region. They are arachnids, so they have eight legs and no antennae. They have a shiny dark brown to black body, strong downward-pointing fangs and long finger-like spinnerets at the end of the abdomen. Adult males also have a mating spur on the second pair of legs. This fact sheet focuses on Atrax robustus. Recent research split the former Sydney funnel-web group into three species, but Atrax robustus remains the accepted name for the Sydney species.

A Sydney funnel-web spider is a predator that spends much of its life hidden in a silk-lined burrow. Although it has a fearsome reputation, it is also an important part of bushland food webs. A female Sydney funnel-web spider.

Adult male Sydney funnel-web spider.

Where do Sydney funnel-web spiders live?

Sydney funnel-web spiders live in moist, sheltered places in and around Sydney. They are found in bushy suburban areas, open and closed sclerophyll forests and woodlands, often on south- or east-facing slopes or in shady gullies. Their burrows may be under logs, rocks and leaf litter, or in other protected places where the spider can stay cool and humid.

The main range of Atrax robustus is from the Central Coast south to the Georges River, with records extending west to Baulkham Hills and some records from the Blue Mountains and Wollongong. Around the burrow entrance, silk trip lines spread across the ground and help the spider detect movement nearby.

Silk trip lines around the entrance of a Sydney funnel-web spider burrow.

What do Sydney funnel-web spiders eat?

Sydney funnel-web spiders are predators. They wait inside the entrance of their burrow and rush out when an animal brushes against the silk trip lines. Their prey includes beetles, cockroaches, millipedes and sometimes other small animals such as lizards. After catching prey, they return to the burrow to feed.

Sydney funnel-web spiders prey on small ground-dwelling animals such as earwigs.

What is the life cycle of a Sydney funnel-web spider?

During summer and autumn, mature males leave their burrows and wander in search of females. After mating, the female lays a silk egg sac inside her burrow. A typical egg sac usually contains about 80 to 100 eggs, although some may contain more. She guards the egg sac until the spiderlings hatch. Young spiders remain with the mother briefly before dispersing and making their own burrows.

Female funnel-web spiders can live for many years, while adult males live for a much shorter time after maturity. Like other spiders, young funnel-web spiders grow by moulting their exoskeleton.

Female Sydney funnel-web spider beside its shed exoskeleton.

What adaptations do Sydney funnel-web spiders have to help them survive?

Sydney funnel-web spiders have several adaptations that help them survive. Their strong legs and large fangs help them dig burrows, catch prey and defend themselves. Their silk-lined burrows help keep the inside cool and moist, which protects them from drying out. Fine silk trip lines around the entrance act like an early warning system, helping the spider detect prey moving nearby.

They are mostly active at night, which helps them avoid heat and drying daytime conditions. Wandering males also seek dark, moist shelter at dawn after moving through the landscape at night. Their venom helps them quickly subdue prey and defend themselves if threatened.

Male Sydney funnel-web spider active at night while searching for a mate.

Why are Sydney funnel-web spiders important?

Sydney funnel-web spiders are an important part of bushland food webs. They help control populations of other small animals because they are predators, and they also become prey for other animals. They are one of many species that depend on healthy bushland with leaf litter, rocks, logs and moist shelter sites.

They also show why habitat matters. Recent Australian Museum research suggests the range of the true Sydney funnel-web has declined in parts of Sydney, which means protecting bushland and natural ground cover is important for the survival of this species and many other invertebrates.

Female Sydney funnel-web spider waiting inside its retreat.

How can people stay safe around Sydney funnel-web spiders?

Sydney funnel-web spiders should never be touched or handled. Wear gloves when gardening, wear enclosed shoes outside, and check shoes or objects left outdoors before using them. Learn to recognise a funnel-web burrow by its silk-lined entrance and irregular trip lines.

If someone may have been bitten by a funnel-web spider, or by any large black spider in the Sydney area, call 000 immediately. Keep the person still and apply a pressure immobilisation bandage. Funnel-web bites are a medical emergency, but there have been no recorded deaths since antivenom was introduced in 1981.

Sydney funnel-web spiders raise their front legs and fangs when threatened.

Related fact sheets

More invertebrate fact sheets

• Invertebrate fact sheets – Explore more insects, spiders and other small animals.
• Arachnids fact sheet – Learn how spiders fit into the arachnid group and how arachnids differ from insects.
• Spider fact sheet – Find out about spider features, safety and different spider groups.
• Trapdoor spiders fact sheet – Compare another ground-dwelling spider that lives in a silk-lined burrow.
• Huntsman spider fact sheet – Compare a large spider that hunts without making a prey-catching web.
• St Andrew’s Cross spider fact sheet – Compare a spider that catches prey in a large orb web.

Habitats and ecosystems

• Leaf litter habitats fact sheet – Explore the damp ground layer where funnel-web spiders and many prey animals shelter.
• Rock and log habitats fact sheet – Learn how rocks, logs and bark create cool hiding places for invertebrates.
• Ground cover habitats fact sheet – Discover how low plants and sheltered spaces protect small animals from heat and predators.
• Tree habitats fact sheet – Learn how bark, hollows and trunks provide shelter for spiders and other animals.
• Eucalypt forest fact sheet – Explore bushland habitat in the Sydney region where funnel-web spiders can live.
• Field of Mars Reserve fact sheet – Discover a local bushland area that supports native spiders and other invertebrates.

Food webs and ecological relationships

• Earwigs fact sheet – Learn about one kind of ground-dwelling invertebrate that can be part of a funnel-web spider’s diet.
• Bird fact sheets – Explore birds that feed on invertebrates and are part of bushland food webs.

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