Australians warned over ‘killer web spiders’ invading homes after bushfires and floods

24 January 2020, 10:28

Australia could be hit by an influx of deadly spiders. Picture: Getty Images

Deadly spiders could invade Australian homes after being forced out of their natural habitat.

Experts are warning over ‘alien-looking spiders’ which are invading homes in Australia following heavy rain and scorching temperatures.

This comes after photographer Haley Bella Rouge revealed she had found the world's most venomous spider in her mum-in-law's swimming pool in Newcastle north of Sydney.

The mother-of-two told Daily Mail Australia she used a stick to poke the huge creepy crawly to make sure it was dead before taking photos of it. The spider is 10cm long and has large red and black fangs.

Speaking about the experience, Haley said: "I didn't know the spider was in there until I emptied the pool net, but I've heard people say before to make sure to check leaf litter on the bottom of pools."

Funnel web spiders are native to Australia. Picture: Getty Images

A spokesperson from the Australian Reptile Park in the state of New South Wales announced on Wednesday that the activity of the funnel spiders has increased recently.

In a video posted on Facebook, Daniel Rumsey warned citizens the increasing temperatures and humidity has “paved the way for the growth of funnel spiders.”

He said: “These spiders are one of the most dangerous spider species in the world. We must take this issue very seriously.”

Another spokesperson from the park previously told Daily Mail Australia that the funnel spiders like to hide out in shoes and in laundry “because they're cool, damp areas.”

This comes after 28 people are thought to have died in the Australian fires that couldn’t be extinguished for four months.

19.8 million acres of land across the country were affected and 3,000 homes were destroyed.

What is a funnel web spider?

The funnel web spider - native to Australia - is thought of as the world's most dangerous in the world and can kill a human in just 15 minutes and they can live in the water for 24 hours.

There are around 30 species and they live around Sydney, most likely to be found under houses, in crevices between rocks or in holes in trees.