Spiders

Australia is home to thousands of species of Spiders, some of them are quite harmless but there are others that are extremely poisonous. Any spider bites should be treated seriously, if you have any concerns please contact the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 or dial 000 for medical assistance.

Some of the most common species of spiders on the Gold Coast are the Northern Rivers Funnelweb, Redback Spider, White-tailed Spider, Black House Spider, Huntsman and the Daddy Long Legs.

The White-tailed Spiders

The White-tailed spider is not often seen even though they can make their webs in our homes as well as outside, they generally prefer cool dark areas. They are at their most active at night in search of other spiders to eat, mostly the black house spiders. The white-tailed spider is distinguishable by their white tip at the end of their abdomen. They are light gray to brown in colour measuring about 15-18mm in length. They are considered poisonous and their bite can leave a red mark, cause swelling and itchiness, there have also been reports of their bite causing skin ulcerations.

The Redback Spiders

The Redback Spiders are all black except for the easily identifiable red stripe on the upper part of their abdomen (which looks like their back). Redbacks will make their home in any warm, dry area and you need to be careful leaving items lying around outside where they may hide like in garden gloves or shoes, they will also spin their webs under outdoor furniture. Redbacks are considered highly toxic and will give a nasty bite although they are not highly aggressive. The female is larger than the male at up to 15mm, the male only measures up to 4mm.

Black house Spiders

This non aggressive spider is generally found in sheds, trees but will also in habit corners of your home, around windows and under guttering. Their bites are not highly toxic but can be painful and can produce nausea and sweating. They are black or dark brown in colour, the female is larger than the male at up 18mm in length and the male up to 10mm

Huntsman Spiders

Anyone who has ever tried to catch a Huntsman spider knows how fast they can be. They also have 8 eyes, which makes them impossible to creep up on as they can see you coming from all directions. Huntsmen don’t build webs, rather they live under bark during they daytime coming out at night, often inside our houses to feed on insects. They are a flattened looking spider, rather hairy and the female can be up to 40mm in length, the male up25mm. They are not venomous although their bites can be painful, the female when she feels her eggs under threat but otherwise the are not at all aggressive

Daddy-Long-Leg Spiders

This species of spider is easily identified by their very long skinny legs and small body. They’re a pale brown colour and can be rather annoying as they build their webs behind doors, under furniture and around windows. They are not regarded as dangerous, they can bite but their sting is not very painful and only lasts a short time.

Northern Rivers Funnelweb Spiders

The Northern Rivers Funnel-web is a tree dwelling spider and worth a mention as they are highly poisonous. They generally live in holes in trees in dense bush land and are therefore not commonly found in suburbia however males will occasionally wander into gardens or buildings at night in search of a female mate.

Spider Treatments and Removal

CTS Termite & Pest Control provides effective spider treatment and can offer advice on how to protect yourself from being bitten. Our treatments are safe for your family and pets and comes with a 6 month service warranty.