Dangerous Spiders in Sydney: Funnel-Web, Redback and White-Tail
27 October 2026By Jashlin Pest AdminSpiders
Three Sydney spiders can make you properly sick: the funnel-web, the redback and the white-tail. Here is how to tell them apart, what to do after a bite, and how to keep them out.
Sydney has three spiders that can make you genuinely unwell: the Sydney funnel-web, the redback and the white-tail. Only the funnel-web is life-threatening, and there have been no deaths since antivenom became available. The rest of the spiders you meet at home, including huntsmen and wolf spiders, are startling rather than dangerous. In our work across Sydney, redbacks turn up in letterboxes, sheds and outdoor furniture, while funnel-webs turn up in garages, pools and shoes left outside.
Which spiders in Sydney are actually dangerous?
Thousands of spider species live in Australia, and a handful turn up in Sydney homes. Three matter for safety.
- Sydney funnel-web
- Highly venomous. A bite is a medical emergency.
- Burrows in shady gullies. Males wander into garages, pools and shoes in summer and autumn.
- First aid: call 000, apply a pressure bandage, keep the person still.
- Redback
- Only the female is dangerous.
- Builds messy webs in dry, sheltered spots such as sheds and letterboxes.
- First aid: ice pack, no pressure bandage, medical attention.
- White-tail
- A painful, itchy bite. No evidence it causes ulcers.
- Hunts other spiders indoors in summer and autumn.
- Clean the bite and use a cold pack.
- Huntsman, wolf and black house spiders
- Not considered dangerous to people.
Sydney funnel-web spider
The Sydney funnel-web (Atrax robustus) has a reputation that is mostly deserved. It is one of the world's most venomous spiders, and it lives in the bushland suburbs that make up much of Sydney.
What it looks like
Shiny, dark brown to black, with a body 2 to 4 cm long and finger-like spinnerets at the back. Males have a spur on the middle of their second pair of legs. If threatened, a funnel-web rears up and shows its fangs.
Where you will find it
Burrows under rocks and logs in shady gullies, often on south or east-facing slopes. Its main range runs from the Central Coast to the Georges River, west to Baulkham Hills, with records in the Blue Mountains and Wollongong. Males leave their burrows in summer and autumn to find mates, which is when they turn up in garages, swimming pools and shoes left outside.
If a funnel-web bites someone
Treat every funnel-web bite as an emergency.
- Call 000 and say a funnel-web may have bitten someone.
- Keep the person still and calm. Apply a pressure immobilisation bandage over the bite and up the limb, the same technique used for snake bite.
- Do not cut the bite, suck out venom or use a tourniquet.
- Get to hospital. Antivenom is given if needed, and there have been no deaths since it became available.
If you can, trap the spider under a container for identification. Do not handle it.
Redback spider
Redbacks (Latrodectus hasselti) are common in Sydney and live close to people. Bites are frequent in summer, and more than 250 people receive antivenom each year.
What it looks like
The female is black, sometimes brownish, with an orange to red stripe on her back and an hourglass mark underneath. Her body is about the size of a large pea. Males are tiny, pale brown and not dangerous.
Where you will find it
Dry, sheltered spots: sheds, letterboxes, under outdoor furniture, in rock walls, log piles and garden clutter. Redbacks build messy, tangled webs and rarely leave them, so bites usually happen when a hand goes into a web. They are less common in winter.
If a redback bites someone
Redback first aid is different from funnel-web first aid.
- Apply an ice pack to ease the pain.
- Do not use a pressure bandage. Venom moves slowly and pressure makes the pain worse.
- Seek medical attention. Symptoms include severe pain, sweating at the bite, nausea, vomiting and weakness.
- Antivenom is available and effective. No deaths have occurred since it was introduced.
Collect the spider for identification if it is safe to do so.
White-tail spider
White-tails (Lampona species) are hunters that roam at night looking for other spiders, including black house spiders and redbacks. They come inside in summer and autumn.
What it looks like
Dark reddish-grey, cigar-shaped, 12 to 18 mm long, with a white spot at the tip of the abdomen and banded legs.
What a bite does
A white-tail bite usually causes burning pain, swelling and itchiness. The idea that white-tails cause necrotic ulcers is not supported by the evidence: a study of 130 confirmed bites found no cases of ulceration. Clean the bite, use a cold pack, and see a doctor if symptoms get worse.
Funnel-web or redback? Remember the first aid
The two dangerous spiders need different first aid, and it is worth knowing before you need it.
- Funnel-web: pressure bandage, keep still, call 000, hospital.
- Redback: ice pack, no pressure bandage, medical attention.
If you cannot identify the spider and the person feels unwell, call 000 and follow the operator's advice.
How to keep spiders out of your Sydney home
You cannot make a Sydney yard spider-free, and most spiders are doing useful work eating insects. You can make your home less inviting.
- Seal gaps around doors, windows, vents and weep holes.
- Clear webs from eaves, window frames and outdoor furniture.
- Shake out shoes, gloves and gardening gear before putting them on.
- Move woodpiles, compost and clutter away from the house.
- Reduce outdoor lighting that attracts insects, which in turn attracts spiders.
- Treat sheds, garages and roof voids where redbacks and funnel-webs shelter.
When to call a pest controller
If redbacks keep turning up near the kids' play area, or funnel-webs appear in the pool or garage, a treatment can reduce the numbers around your home. A general pest control treatment covers spiders along with cockroaches, ants and other common pests. It will not make the yard spider-free, and anyone who promises that is overselling.
Frequently asked questions
How common are funnel-webs in Sydney?
They are common in bushland suburbs within their range, especially near creeks, gullies and retained bush. Most people never see one, but summer and autumn are when males wander.
Do white-tail spiders cause ulcers?
The evidence does not support it. Studies of confirmed white-tail bites have not found a link to necrotising ulcers.
Are huntsman spiders dangerous?
No. Huntsmans are large and fast, but they are not considered dangerous. They do not build webs, and they eat cockroaches and other insects.
What should I do if I find a redback?
Leave it alone and keep children and pets away. If it is in a high-traffic spot, call a pest controller rather than handling it.
Do spider treatments work?
A professional treatment reduces the spiders and the insects they feed on around treated areas. It lowers the chance of an encounter. Spiders will return over time, especially in bushland suburbs, so retreatment is usually needed.
Where this information comes from
Australian Museum: Sydney Funnel-web Spider
Australian Museum: Redback Spider
Australian Museum: White-tailed Spider
Isbister & Gray (2003): White-tail spider bite, a prospective study of 130 definite bites
This article is general information, not medical advice. If someone has been bitten, call 000 or seek urgent medical care.
