Sydney Residents Warned of Upcoming Spider Invasion

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: March 24, 2021 7:59 pm

A Sydney funnel web spider

Photo Credit: Australian Reptile Park

Residents of New South Wales in Australia have been put on alert as a 1-in-100 year flood followed by warm weather and increasing humidity have created the perfect conditions for Sydney funnel-web spiders to be on the move.

The warning was issued today by the Australian Reptile Park who milk these spiders to produce anti-venom in the only program of its kind in Australia.

A Sydney funnel web spider

Photo Credit: Australian Reptile Park

Already footage of other spider species fleeing flood waters for higher ground has gone viral online. Clusters with thousands of spiders have been spotted across the state climbing fences, building and even people's pants.

As weather conditions create the perfect conditions they expect the potentially deadly Sydney funnel-web will join this trend.

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Australian Reptile Park Director, Tim Faulkner, says “We’re already seeing increased movements from funnel-web spiders. The upcoming warm weather and high levels of humidity is the perfect storm for a funnel-web spider BOOM in coming days."

“Under normal circumstances, the humidity that is generated from warm weather after a rain event would see an increase in activity amongst funnel-webs. This situation is completely different! Not only are we seeing increased movement due to humidity, but we’re already seeing a plague of ground-dwelling spiders searching for higher ground, out of the floodwaters."

“Usually, funnel-webs are found in damp, wooded areas, generally near a water source. With the incredible flooding that we’ve experienced across the Greater Sydney area, they have been forced out of their habitat and are seeking refuge in dryer areas. Unfortunately, this could mean that they’ll be finding their way into residential homes very shortly.

Spiders flee to higher ground in a now viral image taken at Kinchela Creek

Photo Credit: Matt Lovenfosse

In a release the park warned residents to be alert not alarmed. Brave residents can even contribute to the park's life-saving venom program.

Responsible adults can collect a funnel-web spider and drop it at one of the park's collection points where they will become part of the sole funnel-web spider milking program in Australia.

Since the inception of the program in the 1980s there has not been a single loss of life due to a funnel-web spider bite in Australia.