Spiders in Victoria

Like the rest of the country, Victoria is home to a vast number of species of spiders. This includes some deadly species like the redback spider, which has earned the nickname of the “Australian Black Widow”. Most species are shy, however, and avoid human contact if possible.

After the rainy season in Victoria, sheets of webs created by spiders are often observed all over trees and fields. This plague results from them having to take to higher ground after flooding, using their webs to hook themselves to tall vegetation and ballooning away with the help of the wind.

Common Spiders: Black House Spider, Garden Wolf Spider, Long Bodied Cellar Spider

Biggest Spiders: Flat Huntsman Spider, Lichen Huntsman Spider

Most Dangerous Spiders: Redback Spider, White-tailed Spider, Black House Spider

Most Venomous

Comb-Footed Spiders

• Redback Spider (Latrodectus hasselti)

Huntsman Spiders

• Flat Huntsman Spider (Delena cancerides)
• Lichen Huntsman Spider (Pandercetes gracilis)

House Spiders

• Black House Spider (Badumna insignis)

Wolf Spiders

• Garden Wolf Spider (Tasmanicosa godeffroyi)
• Little Striped Wolf Spider (Venatrix furcillata)

White‐Tailed Spiders

• White-tailedSpider (Lampona cylindrata)

Orb-weaver Spiders

• Australian Garden Orb-weaver Spider (Eriophora transmarina)
• Golden Orb-weaver Spider (Nephila edulis)

Australian Funnel-web Spiders

• Victorian Funnel-web Spider (Hadronyche modesta)

Mouse Spiders

• Red-headed Mouse Spider (Missulena occatoria)
• Eastern Mouse Spider (Missulena bradleyi)

Less Venomous

Cellar Spiders

• Long Bodied Cellar Spider (Pholcus phalangioides)

House Spiders

• Brown House Spider (Badumna longinqua)

Wishbone Spiders

• Melbourne Trapdoor Spider (Stanwellia grisea)

Orb-weaver Spiders

• St Andrew’s Cross Spider (Argiope keyserlingi)

Jumping Spiders

• Green Jumping Spider (Mopsus mormon)

Red and Black Spiders

• Red and Black Spider (Nicodamus peregrinus)

Woodlouse Hunter Spiders

• Woodlouse Spider (Dysdera crocata)