- Risk level
- Medium
- Peak season
- Spring through autumn
- Where you’ll find them
- Eaves, fences, letterboxes, sheds, sub-floors
- DIY?
- Partial — webs return quickly
Overview
Melbourne has plenty of spiders that are more nuisance than danger, but redbacks are common in backyards and sheds and their bite can need antivenom. A seasonal spider treatment knocks back numbers around the outside of your home and the places kids play.
How to identify spiders
Redback (Latrodectus hasselti)
Glossy black female with a red stripe on the abdomen. Found in dry, sheltered spots: under outdoor furniture, in letterboxes, play equipment, fence palings and sheds. Bites are painful and can need medical treatment.
Black house spider (Badumna insignis)
Dark, robust spider that builds messy, funnel-shaped lacy webs in window frames, eaves and brick crevices.
White-tailed spider (Lampona spp.)
Slim, dark, cigar-shaped body with a white tip. Wanders indoors at night and hunts other spiders. Bites can be painful.
Huntsman (Sparassidae)
Large, flat and fast. Lives under bark and in roof spaces and occasionally inside cars. Generally harmless but alarming.
Wolf spiders (Lycosidae)
Ground-hunting spiders found in lawns and garden beds, often with burrows.
Signs you have a problem
- Webs reappearing around windows, eaves and outdoor lights
- Redbacks in letterboxes, under BBQs, in pot plant rims or play equipment
- Spiders inside at night, especially white-tails in bedding or clothing on the floor
Why it matters
- Redback bites can cause severe pain, sweating and nausea — seek medical advice
- Spider bites and webs around children’s play areas and outdoor seating
How we treat spiders
- 1
Web removal
Existing webs are brushed down from eaves, windows and outdoor living areas.
- 2
Residual exterior treatment
Eaves, window frames, door frames, fences, sheds and outdoor furniture are treated with a residual product that keeps working for weeks.
- 3
Sub-floor & roof void
Where accessible, sub-floor areas and roof voids are dusted to reduce spiders and the insects they feed on.
Prevention tips you can do today
- Wear gloves when gardening, moving pot plants or reaching under outdoor furniture
- Shake out shoes, gloves and clothing left outside
- Reduce outdoor lights at night — they attract insects, which attract spiders
- Keep clutter, timber and rubbish away from the house