Funnel-web spiders eat mostly beetles, cockroaches, millipedes, snails, and other ground-dwelling invertebrates. Larger species also take small lizards and frogs. They are ambush hunters that live in silk-lined burrows in Australia, and the Sydney funnel-web is among the most dangerous spiders in the world to people.
How Funnel-Web Spiders Hunt
A funnel-web does not chase prey across open ground. It builds a silk-lined burrow with silk trip-lines running out from the entrance. When a beetle, cockroach, or millipede crosses a line, the spider feels the vibration, rushes out, bites, and drags the prey back into the burrow to eat. Pulling food underground keeps the spider hidden from birds and other predators.
What They Eat
- Beetles and cockroaches: the main food for most species.
- Millipedes and slaters: common in the leaf litter near the burrow.
- Snails: eaten when they wander close to the burrow.
- Small lizards and frogs: taken by the larger species.
Where They Live
Funnel-web spiders live in moist, sheltered ground: under logs, rocks, and garden debris, in shady gullies, and in bushy suburban gardens. The Sydney funnel-web is found around Sydney and the nearby coast. Male spiders wander on warm, humid nights in summer and early autumn looking for a mate, which is when most people meet them, often in a shoe, pool, or garage.
How Dangerous Is the Bite?
The Sydney funnel-web is the one to take seriously. Its venom affects the nervous system, and bites from wandering males are the most dangerous. Antivenom has been available since the early 1980s, and no deaths have been recorded in Australia since it was introduced. Not every bite injects venom, but any suspected funnel-web bite is an emergency.
- Keep the person calm and as still as possible.
- Apply a firm pressure bandage over the bite and wrap the whole limb, the same way as for a snake bite.
- Call emergency services (000 in Australia) right away and get to a hospital.
- Do not wash the bite, cut it, or use a tourniquet.
Staying Safe at Home
- Shake out shoes, boots, and clothing left outdoors or on the floor.
- Wear gloves and sturdy shoes when gardening or moving rocks and logs.
- Check towels and toys near the ground before bringing them in.
- Do not try to catch a funnel-web yourself. Call a pest professional or a wildlife rescue group.
For milder spiders, see what redback spiders eat and what white-tail spiders eat.
Bottom Line
Funnel-web spiders eat beetles, cockroaches, millipedes, snails, and small lizards and frogs, which they ambush from a burrow. Treat any suspected bite from a Sydney funnel-web as an emergency: bandage the limb firmly and call for help.
This is general information, not medical advice. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
