All spiders can and will bite if in danger or accidentally touched e.g. in shoes or clothing etc. Any spider bite can cause a reaction in a person who is susceptible, ranging from the severity of a bee or wasp sting type bite to those requiring hospitalisation and even death. Different people react in different ways, similar to those who have an allergic reaction to bee stings, so it is best to be cautious around all spiders and look but do not handle any spider no matter how it is classified. There are over 30,000 species of spiders and new species are still being discovered, so it is impossible to list all of them.
I have listed below most of the common spiders that I have on this website according to their danger –
High Risk– dangerous bites that can be life threatening if not treated/antivenin administered.
Medium Risk – bites that can be necrotic and eventually life threatening if not treated.
Low Risk – bites that can give severe pain but are not usually necrotic or life threatening
Little Risk – bites that are not severe, similar to a bee sting.
Click on the name for some info on their bites and symptoms. Check out the Spider photos page for more information on these spiders.
Table of Contents
HIGH RISK SPIDERS
Brazilian Wandering Spider (Phoneutria)
Black Widow (Lactrodectus mactans & Latrodectus variolus)
Redback (Lactrodectus hasselti)
Brown Widow (Lactrodectus geometricus)
Funnel Web (AU) (Atrax robustus )
Mouse Spider (Missulena)
MEDIUM RISK SPIDERS
Brown Recluse Spider (Loxosceles reclusa)
Desert Recluse Spider (Loxosceles deserta)
False Widow Spider (Steadota nobilis)
Hobo Spider (Eratigena agrestis)
Yellow Sac Spider (Clubionidae)
LOW RISK SPIDERS
Black House Spider (Badumna insignis)
Bird Eating Spider (Theraphosa blondi)
Broad faced Sac Spider (Trachelas tranquilus)
Golden Silk Orbweaver (Nephila)
Huntsman (Sparassidae)
Parson Spider (Herpyllus)
Steadota (Theridiidae)
Tarantula (Aphonopelma)
Trapdoor Spiders (Ctenizidae)
White Tailed Spider (Lampona)
Wolf Spider (Lycosidae)
LITTLE TO NO RISK SPIDERS
Ant Mimicking Spider (Myrmarachn)
Black & Yellow Argiope (Argiope)
Camel Spider (Solfugid)
Crab Spider (Thomisidae)
Cyclosa Conica (No common Name)
Daddy Longlegs (Pholcidae)
Fishing Spider (Dolomedes)
Garden Orb Weavers (Araneidae)
Grass Spider (Agelenidae)
Hacklemesh Weaver (Callobius bennetti )
Jewelled Spider (Gasterocanthinae)
Jumping Spider (Salticidae)
Leaf Curling Spider (Phonognatha)
Long Jawed Orb Weavers (Tetragnathidae)
Lynx Spider (Oxyopidae)
Net Casting Spider (Deinopis)
Nursery Web Weaver (Pisaurina mirabilis)
Southern House Spider (Kukulcania)
Spined Micrathena (Micrathena gracilis)
Spitting Spider (Scytodes)
Venusta Orchard Spider (Leucauge venusta)
Woodlouse Hunter (Dysdera)