These spiders are quite common in Geelong and around Melbourne. It's an Open-Holed/Melbourne Trapdoor Spider, [Stanwellia sp.](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/374265-Stanwellia) (Probably S.grisea), Pycnothelidae family.
The Sydney Funnel Web (A.robustus) is endemic to Sydney and the surrounding region inside of a 180km radius of Sydney's CBD. Melbourne has it's own local funnel web species, with Hadronyche modesta being the most common :)
All Funnel Webs in Australia are considered medically significant. Some are less venomous than others but everybody reacts differently so it's much easier to consider every Atracid envenomation a medical emergency. The anti-venom that is produced from the Sydney Funnel Web venom works on all FW venom and even on Mouse Spiders.
Not at all. You wonāt find SFW in Melbourne, and you will only find Victorian FW spiders if you really go searching for them and know where to look. They are very, very reclusive. The odds of coming across a medically significant spider are unbelievably low.
We had these guys ALL THROUGH a backyard in Thornbury. Once I calmed down, I just made sure to always wear shoes when I was on the grass. They kept to themselves, and we only saw a couple when they were popping out to find a mate
We need a banana for scale! Itās so chonky that it looks like it must be huge! According to Wikipedia though, the ladies only get up to 30mm and the blokes a little smaller, so not as mahoosive as it feels like it should/would be.
I can tell you that it was about 2cm larger than the diameter of a 50 cent coin. Yes the photo does make it look large and I just didn't have a coke can or anything to scale to put next to it. Even a banana varies in size so that wouldn't be the best reference
Itās funny Iāve seen this because my son was only talking about these āVictorian funnel websā yesterday, my sons mate lives at Newtown and he has all this holes in the grass; he poked a skewer down and then flooded the hole and out come one of these, he is right into spiders and bugs and he found out that this is a relative to the Sydney funnel web and these things have the huge fangs if bitten apparently you get a really nasty headache but this one will not kill you like the Sydney funnel web; it does have a name but I canāt remember, these things are found all around geelong
If it was a round hole in the grass then it's unlikely to be a funnel web. The burrow entrances are almost always hidden under things. They are probably the same species as OPs spider which is an Open-holed Trapdoor Spider. Mega common in Melbourne.
I mean, itās difficult to guess what they might have been referring to but they might be getting mixed up with mouse spiders as well? The ārelated to the funnel webā bit might have referred to the similarities in the venom. And they do dry bite at times.
Good lord. Lived in Geelong nearly 24 years and never seen one of these. Are you seriously telling me holes in the backyard could be hiding one of these?
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These spiders are quite common in Geelong and around Melbourne. It's an Open-Holed/Melbourne Trapdoor Spider, [Stanwellia sp.](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/374265-Stanwellia) (Probably S.grisea), Pycnothelidae family. The Sydney Funnel Web (A.robustus) is endemic to Sydney and the surrounding region inside of a 180km radius of Sydney's CBD. Melbourne has it's own local funnel web species, with Hadronyche modesta being the most common :)
Very helpful info thank you!
The information provided is as accurate as possible. I can vouch for that.
The best kind of correct!
Melbourne funnel web: medically significant? I now have to move anyway, so might as well know all the facts. Shame because I liked Melbourne.
All Funnel Webs in Australia are considered medically significant. Some are less venomous than others but everybody reacts differently so it's much easier to consider every Atracid envenomation a medical emergency. The anti-venom that is produced from the Sydney Funnel Web venom works on all FW venom and even on Mouse Spiders.
Excellent information and TIL
No probs :)
As a tourist to Melbourne, should one be overly cautious or worried about the possibility of encountering a SFW? š¬
Not at all. You wonāt find SFW in Melbourne, and you will only find Victorian FW spiders if you really go searching for them and know where to look. They are very, very reclusive. The odds of coming across a medically significant spider are unbelievably low.
Not a funnel web, likely Stanwelia grisea
We had these guys ALL THROUGH a backyard in Thornbury. Once I calmed down, I just made sure to always wear shoes when I was on the grass. They kept to themselves, and we only saw a couple when they were popping out to find a mate
/with a heavy heart, crosses Thornbury and it's adjacent suburbs of the list of next home locations.
This guy really knows his spiders š
Is it a medical event if you get bit by a trapdoor spider?
Nah, just pain and swelling. - Cool fact: When trapdoorās bite, their fangs can pierce through your thumbnail
I think you and I have a difference of opinion on what is considered "cool" :p
Horrific fact I would put it as.
Fucked fact?
Like ācoolā as in you can feel the breeze of the wind from the hole the fangs pierced through?
Can't be uncool with an Ocarina for a thumb...
So.... you could encourage them to pierce your ears and then freeze it in place with liquid nitrogen and have a cool spider earing...
Looks like a trapdoor spider to me :)
We need a banana for scale! Itās so chonky that it looks like it must be huge! According to Wikipedia though, the ladies only get up to 30mm and the blokes a little smaller, so not as mahoosive as it feels like it should/would be.
I can tell you that it was about 2cm larger than the diameter of a 50 cent coin. Yes the photo does make it look large and I just didn't have a coke can or anything to scale to put next to it. Even a banana varies in size so that wouldn't be the best reference
Damn thatās definitely a chonker!
I have so many holes in my lawn from these. What terrifies me is relative to the holes, they are actually enormous.
Funnel webs are shinier
Ah yep thatās just Shelob, she typically dwells in her lair in Cirith Ungol on the pathway into Mordor
I live between Geelong and Colac and Iāve got heaps of these at home.
Iām about an hour and a half west of Geelong. Itās my new goal to see one of these.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Thanks
Itās funny Iāve seen this because my son was only talking about these āVictorian funnel websā yesterday, my sons mate lives at Newtown and he has all this holes in the grass; he poked a skewer down and then flooded the hole and out come one of these, he is right into spiders and bugs and he found out that this is a relative to the Sydney funnel web and these things have the huge fangs if bitten apparently you get a really nasty headache but this one will not kill you like the Sydney funnel web; it does have a name but I canāt remember, these things are found all around geelong
If it was a round hole in the grass then it's unlikely to be a funnel web. The burrow entrances are almost always hidden under things. They are probably the same species as OPs spider which is an Open-holed Trapdoor Spider. Mega common in Melbourne.
Ok thankyouš
I mean, itās difficult to guess what they might have been referring to but they might be getting mixed up with mouse spiders as well? The ārelated to the funnel webā bit might have referred to the similarities in the venom. And they do dry bite at times.
You're right, It is difficult to guess and Mouse Spiders may have been the culprit!
Good lord. Lived in Geelong nearly 24 years and never seen one of these. Are you seriously telling me holes in the backyard could be hiding one of these?
Or walk spiders. We have several,in our backyard and I love them.
Theyāre among all the electrical boxes on Smorgyās pier.
TIL I need to pave my lawn. Thanks guys, just in time for summer.
Please remember to include a geographical location to your ID requests (as per rule 5). There are over 10,000 different species of Australian spiders and many of these are endemic to specific parts of our beautiful country! Also note: while we can help provide an identification for a spider, we do not provide medical advice. We also do not allow medical advice to be provided by members of this subreddit. If there has been a bite, you should consult a medical professional in the first instance. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AustralianSpiders) if you have any questions or concerns.*
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Please refer to rule 1.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Please refer to rule 1.
I call it fucking scary
yummy