# Sydney Funnel-web Spider (*Atrax robustus*)

The Sydney Funnel-web Spider is a large, black spider with shiny body and strong legs. It builds its burrow with a funnel-shaped entrance. Be cautious around its habitat.

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 5/5 · Extreme
- **Habitat:** Forest

![Sydney Funnel-web Spider](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426859/objects/6455.jpg)

## Appearance

The Sydney Funnel-web Spider is a robust, shiny black or dark brown arachnid with a glossy, hairless carapace. It has powerful, downward-pointing fangs and prominent spinnerets, making it visually distinct from many other ground-dwelling spiders.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Arachnida
- **Order:** Araneae
- **Family:** Atracidae
- **Genus:** Atrax

## Interesting facts

- Its fangs are so strong they can pierce human fingernails!
- Male funnel-webs often wander into houses looking for mates.
- Scientists milk their venom to create life-saving antivenom.
- They often build their silk-lined burrows under rocks and logs.

## Special abilities

- **Potent Venom:** Sydney Funnel-web Spider can inject potent neurotoxic venom that helps them quickly subdue prey and deter predators.
- **Silk Fortress:** Sydney Funnel-web Spider can weave intricate funnel-shaped silk retreats that help them ambush unsuspecting prey.
- **Wall Walker:** Sydney Funnel-web Spider has specialized claw tufts that help them climb smooth surfaces like glass or concrete.
- **Underwater Breather:** Sydney Funnel-web Spider can trap an air bubble to breathe underwater, which helps them survive floods.

## Measurements & details

- **Size:** 10-35 mm
- **Lifespan:** 365-3650 days
- **Leg Count:** 8

## Diet & Feeding

Tiny insects and other small creatures beware, this spider is a fierce hunter!

- **Age differences:** Young spiders eat smaller insects, while adults can tackle larger prey like frogs.
- **Primary Foods:** insects, small lizards, frogs, snails, other spiders
- **Foraging Method:** Ambush

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [field cricket](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-cricket) (*Gryllus assimilis*) — a common insect prey
- **Eats:** green tree frog (*Litoria caerulea*) — predator to small frogs
- **Eaten by:** giant centipede (*Scolopendra morsitans*) — can prey on wandering spiders

## Traits

- [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
- [Web Builder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/web-builder): This trait characterizes organisms that construct elaborate silken webs for catching prey, shelter, or reproduction.
- [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.
- [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue.
- [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.
- [Venomous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/venomous): Venomous organisms produce toxins that are injected into another animal, typically through a bite or sting.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 5/5 · Extreme

Avoid touching or provoking this spider. If you see one, admire it from a safe distance.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Sydney Funnel-web Spider?

Compare body proportions, leg shape, abdomen markings and the web, if there is one. Eye arrangement can be decisive but rarely shows up in a casual phone photo. A web is a supporting clue, not proof of who built it. Spider Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How big is Sydney Funnel-web Spider?

10-35 mm

### How long does Sydney Funnel-web Spider live?

365-3650 days

### What does Sydney Funnel-web Spider eat?

Tiny insects and other small creatures beware, this spider is a fierce hunter!

### Where is Sydney Funnel-web Spider usually found?

Forest

### How does Sydney Funnel-web Spider hunt?

Ambush

### How many legs does Sydney Funnel-web Spider have?

8

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

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Source: [Sydney Funnel-web Spider: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sydney-funnel-web-spider)