Spider Drop Off

There are five spiders that regularly cause concern to members of the public in this area. Of these only the funnel-web spiders and red back spiders are currently considered dangerous though there are others, such as mouse spiders, which are rarely encountered but potentially dangerous. Any spider larger in size than a dollar coin should be treated with respect, as all spiders have venom glands, though only the large species have fangs able to puncture human skin. The following safety rules apply to all spiders:

1. Do not leave clothes, shoes, towels, etc. on the floor

2. Check shoes before putting them on

3. Do not walk about at night without footwear

4. Do not handle spiders that appear to have drowned in pools, buckets, etc.

5. Wear gloves when gardening or working outside

6. Never touch a spider with your bare hands

7. Funnel-web spiders cannot climb up smooth pored surfaces (plastic, glass)

8. Funnel web spiders cannot jump