Spiders

Effective Pest Control for Spiders in Canberra

Redbacks and huntsmans are just some of the spiders in Canberra to be wary of. You can also add wolf spiders, black house spiders, mouse spiders and white-tailed spiders to the list. Even the odd funnel-web spider is found in Canberra. At Canberra Pest Control Group, we specialise in helping customers to eradicate harmful spiders in Canberra.

Signs of a spider problem

It’s fair to say that not all spiders in Canberra are bad. Unobtrusive spiders and their webs can assist in the control of flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches and moths. Some spiders even eat other spiders. Generally speaking, you should be on the lookout for the following signs when it comes to spiders in Canberra:

  • Frequent indoor visitors – nothing gives most people a greater fright than coming face-to-face with a spider.
  • Nests and webs near play equipment – curious kids can sometimes put their hands in the wrong places.
  • Spider eggs in a silk sac – a sure sign that a spider likes your property (sacs can contain up to 100 eggs).
  • Holes or burrows in the ground covered by a web – likely to be the home of a funnel-web, mouse spider or trapdoor spider.
  • Badly situated webs – some spiders build webs that get in the way of human activity, eg. spiders near an external doorway.

Dangerous spiders found in Canberra

Canberra has its fair share of potentially harmful and aggressive spiders, including the notorious funnel-web. As local pest controllers, we encounter the following seriously dangerous spiders in Canberra.

Redback Spider (Latrodectus hasselti)

There are 250+ redback bites (requiring anti-venom) in Australia every year. Most people are bitten over the summer months after putting an unprotected hand into a wall cavity, rockery or rubbish pile. Redbacks tend to live in sheltered areas, which explains their proximity to humans. The female redback is the dangerous one, but rarely leaves its web. A redback anti-venom is available in Australia.

Funnel-web Spider(Atracidae spp.)

There are around 40 funnel-web species in Australia, including the deadly Sydney funnel-web (Atrax robustus) and the northern tree-dwelling funnel-web (Hadronyche formidabilis). Funnel-web spiders are native to Australia and can be found in bushland surrounding Canberra. Although funnel-web spiders aren’t prevalent in the Canberra suburbs, they can be “imported” in firewood and timber piles. A funnel-web anti-venom is available in Australia.

Eastern Mouse Spider(Missulena Bradleyi)

The eastern mouse spider resembles the funnel-web in appearance, though is generally less aggressive. Like the male funnel-web, the male eastern mouse spider wanders around in the warmer months seeking female company. The eastern mouse spider makes its home in silk-lined burrows (like the funnel-web) and possesses a highly toxic venom. The funnel-web anti-venom is used to treat eastern mouse spider bites.

Although many spiders in Canberra – such as the huntsman, wolf spider, black house spider and white-tailed spider – aren’t considered life-threatening to healthy adults, their bites can still cause nausea, swelling and allergic reactions (anaphylaxis).

For more detailed information on spiders in Canberra, or to book our general 7-in-1 pest treatment (which covers spiders), please call the professional team at Canberra Pest Control Group on 1300 022 122.