Millions of Australians are warned to pay attention to the world's most poisonous spider when the season of wet weather starts.
Funnel-web spiders are a regular reason for concern in NSW, but the Australian Reptile Park on the central coast warned on Tuesday meetings with people is expected to increase in the coming months.
“The larger Sydney region is expected to experience higher than average rainfall and humidity – circumstances that cause funnel -web spiders to become more active,” said it.
“This combination creates the perfect storm for male funnel webs to be on the road, which increases the opportunities for encounters with people.”
The Reptile Park said that moist air and mild temperatures are the preferred conditions for funnel webs and in combination with an abundance of insects for food, they will roam and often venture indoors in wet weather.
The park has made an urgent plea for the public after fewer funnel webs have been returned during the breeding season.
Without a stock of the spiders, it said that there could be 'fatal consequences'.
The Australian Reptile Park is the only supplier of Funnel-Web Spider Venom for the production of life-saving AntIndenom and needs the spiders for the program.
Funnel-Web Spider Bites can cause death if it is not treated with AntiVenom
The Australian Reptile Park says that Australians should not kill a funnel-web when they see one
“Every spider received can be the one who saves a life,” said Spider Keeper Emma Teni.
“The Venom program is entirely dependent on public donations of these spiders, and without them the production of AntIvenom – who saved countless Australians – would not be possible.”
Beten of funnel web spiders can cause muscle spasms, sweating abundantly and death is still possible if it is not treated.
AntIVENT of Funnel webs was first developed in the 1980s and since then there have been no dead by Funnel Web Spider Bites included in Australia.
The species thrives in cool, moist places such as back garden with dense leaf waste, bushland, garden beds and indoor houses in areas such as laundries, garages and shoes left outside.
If a funnel-web spider is found, the park said it should not be killed.
Instead, Australians urge to bring the spider to the park or one of the drop-off locations in the Sydney region.
