Evrim Yazgin
Cosmos science journalist
The largest male funnel-web spider on record has been donated to a lifesaving antivenene program at the Australian Reptile Park (ARP).
Nicknamed ‘Hercules’, the spider measures 7.9 cm from toe to toe. In 2021, the park received an 8-cm female funnel-web spider dubbed ‘Megaspider’.
Funnel-webs typically reach 1-5 cm. According to the Australian Museum, there are currently 36 described species of funnel-web which are found in the eastern part of the continent. Males are typically more lightly built than females.
Not all are dangerous, but several funnel-web species are known for their highly toxic and fast acting venom.
Hercules was bravely scooped up and delivered to an ARP drop-off point at the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle, regional New South Wales.
Most people would not be thrilled to receive a gigantic, venomous spider. For ARP keepers, it’s a different story.
“We’re used to having pretty big funnel-web spiders donated to the park; however, receiving a male funnel-web this big is like hitting the jackpot,” says ARP’s Emma Teni.
“While female funnel-web spiders are venomous, males have proven to be more lethal. With having a male funnel-web this size in our collection, his venom output could be enormous, proving incredibly valuable for the park’s venom program.”
“Every summer when the rains come out, the ground is wet, and it’s breeding season, males leave their burrows and they go wandering on a search for a female,” Olivia Christmas from Taronga Zoo in New South Wales told Cosmos in 2022. “So that’s why [you’re] more likely to get bitten by a male, because they’re the ones that are leaving the safety of their borrows.”
ARP’s Spider Venom Program was established in 1981. It assists in developing and producing funnel-web antivenom by “milking” its spiders. Since the program’s inception, zero deaths have been recorded due to funnel-web spiders.
