Funnel-Web Spiders Around Sydney Homes: What to Know and What to Do

By Nick, Active Termite Control, licensed pest controller (NSW licence 5074559), Earlwood. Updated 21 October 2026.

The short answer: Sydney funnel-webs are shiny, dark brown to black spiders that live in bushy suburbs and gardens. Males wander mostly over summer and autumn, and can end up in houses, shoes and pools. Don't handle one. If anyone is bitten, call 000 straight away. The NSW Poisons Information Centre lists funnel-web bites as needing a pressure bandage.

Safety first

Don't handle spiders. Some Sydney spiders are dangerous, including funnel-webs. If there's any chance it's one, keep away, keep kids and pets clear, and call 000 straight away if anyone is bitten.

For first aid, follow the NSW Poisons Information Centre's pressure immobilisation guide. For advice, call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.

I'm a pest controller, not a doctor. Everything about the spider itself and about bites on this page comes from the sources at the bottom.

What does a Sydney funnel-web spider look like?

Sydney funnel-webs are "shiny, dark brown to black spiders with finger-like spinnerets", with a body 2 to 4 cm long, according to the Australian Museum. Males have a large spur sticking out from the middle of their second pair of legs.

The Australian Museum also says this species can't easily be told apart from the Southern Sydney funnel-web by eye. If you're not sure, treat it as a funnel-web and keep away.

Where do funnel-webs live around Sydney?

Sydney funnel-webs live in bushy suburban areas, forests and woodlands, often on south- or east-facing slopes or in shady gullies (Australian Museum). Their main range runs from the Central Coast south to the Georges River.

Around the house, the Australian Reptile Park says they like the shaded parts of well-planted gardens, and cool, damp places like the laundry, the garage, or shoes left out on the ground.

When is funnel-web season in Sydney?

Male Sydney funnel-webs leave their burrows and wander mostly over summer and autumn, looking for females (Australian Museum). The Australian Reptile Park links activity to wet weather followed by hot days, saying funnel-webs thrive in the humid conditions after rain.

Why do funnel-webs come into the house?

A wandering male needs shelter by dawn. The Australian Museum says males that have spent the night searching for females take refuge in any dark, moist, cool spot, including an outdoor shoe, because dry daytime conditions can dry them out and expose them to birds and lizards. They "sometimes enter and become trapped in houses."

Can funnel-webs survive in a swimming pool?

Yes. The Australian Museum says males sometimes fall into suburban swimming pools, "where they can survive many hours." Don't scoop one out by hand. The Australian Reptile Park says to check and clean pool filters regularly.

How can you reduce the risk around the house?

These come from the Australian Reptile Park's advice:

• Tap your shoes on the ground before you put your foot in, especially shoes left outside.
• Don't leave washing or clothes on the floor.
• Check and clean pool filters regularly.

To those I'd add general household sense: wear gloves when gardening or moving things in the shed, and keep gaps under doors and torn screens fixed.

Does pest control get rid of funnel-webs?

I can't promise a spray will stop funnel-webs, and I won't. What I can tell you is what my general pest treatment covers. It covers spiders, along with large cockroaches and ants.

On the day, I spray the eaves, around the windows and doors, along the exterior walls and the fence line, garages and sheds, clotheslines and under outdoor furniture, and along all the skirting boards inside. I dust the subfloor and the roof space.

More on my spider control page, and on why spring brings spiders and flying termites together in spider season and termite swarmers.

What should I do if I find a funnel-web?

Keep away from it, keep kids and pets clear, and don't try to catch or kill it by hand. If anyone is bitten, call 000 straight away and follow the NSW Poisons Information Centre's pressure immobilisation guide.

If you're unsure what a spider is, you can send me a photo, taken from a safe distance. If there's any chance it's a funnel-web, don't go near it to take one. Mouse spiders are often mistaken for funnel-webs; my Sydney spider identification page covers the common house and garden spiders.

Common questions

What should I do if someone is bitten by a funnel-web?
Call 000 straight away. The NSW Poisons Information Centre lists funnel-web bites as needing a pressure bandage; follow its pressure immobilisation guide. For advice, call 13 11 26.

What does a Sydney funnel-web look like?
A shiny, dark brown to black spider with finger-like spinnerets and a body 2 to 4 cm long, according to the Australian Museum. Males have a large spur on the second pair of legs.

When are funnel-webs most active in Sydney?
The Australian Museum says males wander mostly over summer and autumn. The Australian Reptile Park says activity picks up with wet weather followed by hot days.

Why do funnel-webs come inside?
Wandering males need a dark, moist, cool spot by dawn, like a shoe or a laundry, and sometimes end up trapped in houses.

Can funnel-webs survive in a pool?
Yes. The Australian Museum says males that fall into pools can survive many hours. Don't scoop one out by hand.

Does a general pest treatment cover spiders?
Yes. My general treatment covers spiders, large cockroaches and ants, from $270 within 7 km of Earlwood. I don't claim it stops funnel-webs.

Sources

• Australian Museum, "Sydney Funnel-web Spider, Atrax robustus" (updated 13 January 2025)
• NSW Poisons Information Centre, "Pressure Immobilisation"
• Australian Reptile Park, "Warning: funnel web spider season begins after wet weather" (22 October 2020)