West Ryde Library and its after-hours chutes are closed until further notice for essential safety repairs following a water leak from a nearby property. Our other libraries are still open.
Although there are many different species of spiders in Australia, most are not regarded as dangerous to humans. Only the funnel-web spider and redback spider are known to have caused fatalities in humans.
Funnel-web spiders live in burrows in the ground or rock crevices in sheltered locations. The entrance is lined with a tube of web with a number of trip lines radiating out from the opening. During the warmer months of the year (November - April) male funnel-web spiders wander at night looking for mates. Wet weather can also flush out spiders at any time of the year. Wandering spiders can enter houses and hide in articles left on the ground. Funnel-web spiders are very aggressive and will usually rear up into a striking position if disturbed. Avoiding funnel-web spider bites:
Redback spiders live in dark undisturbed areas in buildings, amongst junk piles and stacked materials. Redback spiders are not aggressive and bites usually occur when the spider is trapped against the skin (eg. when picking up materials).
Avoiding redback spider bites: