The spiders may be removed by pushing a stick into the back of the web and twisting the web, spider and any egg sacs around it. Such insecticides will also affect many non-target species.Īn effective way of controlling Redbacks is to carry out regular inspections of suitable Redback habitats, searching for spiders and their webs. However treatment must be repeated often to deal with spiders which are carried in on the wind. Surface sprays applied directly will kill Redback Spiders. The lower part of the web consists of a forest of mostly vertical, sticky catching threads. The spider hides in a funnel-shaped retreat at the top of the web. They build webs in dry, sheltered sites, often with the upper part of the web hidden from sunlight. Redbacks are common in urban habitats such as garden sheds, under steps or logs and around swimming pools or piles of rubbish. Funnel-webs have been known to survive 24-30 hours under water. Spiders can trap a small bubble of air in hairs around the abdomen which aids both breathing and floating, so it should not be assumed that a spider on a pool bottom has drowned. The same goes for any shoes or clothing left outdoors or around camp-sites in Funnel-web areas.įunnel-web Spiders often fall into swimming pools. Consequently it's important to check clothing, shoes or bedding close to, or on the floor, for spiders. Inside a house, Funnel-web spiders will seek shelter to avoid drying out. A cleared area around the house will discourage Funnel-webs from making burrows there. Fitting weather strips or using draft excluders can block this entry route. Wandering spiders can enter houses at ground level, often under a door. In areas known to have Funnel-web populations, there are a number of precautions that can be taken to reduce the risk of bites. It is sensible to wear gloves and shoes while doing this, as spiders not killed may quickly run out of the burrow. Funnel-webs in burrows close to houses can be attacked individually, by pouring boiling water down the burrows. Sprays are also unlikely to give any lasting protection against Funnel-web Spiders. Instead, the chemical may actually make them more active (and therefore more likely to enter homes). The target spiders often are not killed by the spray. Insecticide spraying is not recommended for ground-dwelling spiders. Wandering spiders are frequently encountered after a period of wet weather. Male Funnel-webs leave their burrows to search for females in summer and autumn, and are normally active at night. The female Funnel-web does not normally leave her burrow, but may be unearthed by excavations, rubbish removal or gardening, or be driven out by heavy rain. Other possible hole owners include mouse spiders, wolf spiders or insects (most commonly cicadas or ants). A small, neat hole lined with a collar of silk which does not extend more than a centimetre from the rim could belong to a trapdoor spider (the common Brown Trapdoor Spider does not build a 'door' for its burrow). Holes are normally found in moist, shaded areas like rockeries, dense shrubs, logs and leaf litter. It is sensible to be respectful of spiders, rather than frightened of them.įunnel-web burrows are distinguished from other holes in the ground by the presence of a series of irregular silk 'trip-lines' radiating out from the entrance. It is a good idea to educate children to 'look but don't touch' when they find any spiders, and for adults to obey the same rule. A cleared area around the house will discourage burrowing spiders from making burrows there. Fitting fly-screens to windows and wall ventilators will prevent any climbing spiders from obtaining access. When gardening, wear shoes, long trousers and thick gloves to guard against any spiders, scorpions, centipedes or stinging insects. Avoid walking outside with bare feet, especially at night. They spin silk strands that are taken by the wind, carrying the spiders over potentially long distances.Īlthough keeping an area free of spiders is difficult, there are many precautions that can be taken to avoid bites. In many species, young spiders (or 'spiderlings') disperse by 'ballooning'. New spiders will quickly recolonise an area if the inhabitants are killed off. Spiders do not congregate in a single large nest, so the population cannot be destroyed by targeting one site. Eliminating spiders from an area for a long period of time is almost impossible.
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