Funnel-web spiders live in North and South America, but it is only in Australia where the arachnid is deadly to humans. There are two types of dangerous funnel-web spiders in Australia. The Northern funnel-web spider is perhaps the deadliest spider in the world. Luckily, they live in heavily wooded areas far from any urban centre.  Their venom contains a low molecular weight toxin called atraxtoxin, which attacks the nerves of the body sending thousands of electrical impulses through them. Muscles twitch violently and the victim experiences a profuse flow of sweat, tears and saliva. If left untreated, the victim can slip into a coma, suffer brain damage or die.  Sydney funnel-web spiders aren't as dangerous as their northern or southern cousins, but live in a more populated area. Their habitat-range is believed to be limited to an area with a radius of 160 kilometres around Sydney.  Male Sydney funnel-webs leave their webs as adults and wander aimlessly, sometimes into homes after a heavy downpour. Their bites cause similar symptoms as the Northern funnel-web's and several human deaths by the spider have been recorded in the Sydney area since the 1920s. Sydney funnel-webs, which are about 35 millimetres long, are very aggressive. When approached, they rear up into a ready-to-strike position. Their massive fangs are so strong that they can penetrate a child's fingernail.  In 1980, scientists developed an anti-venom to the Sydney funnel-web's bite which is also effective against the venom of the Northern funnel-web.

With a set of formidable jaws, and growing to around 25mm long, bull ants have the respect of most forest creatures.  Many bushwalkers know only too well the pain caused by an encounter with a defensive bull ant.  It is not the jaws however which inflict this pain. The weapon these ants use both to defend themselves and to subdue prey, is a venomous sting in their abdomen.  Any threat to the colony will result in a rush of large angry ants running towards the intruder. For such a small animal they have excellent eyesight, and will follow the antagonist some distance from the nest.  When the threat has subsided, the ants will slowly return to the nest or their foraging duties.  As ferocious as they may seem, the adult bull ants feed upon nectar and plant juices. The animal prey that is collected is taken back to the nest and fed to the larvae.  Much of their foraging is done during the day, on the ground or on low vegetation. They are most active during the warmer months of the year, becoming somewhat dormant during winter.  Bull ants generally nest deep within the soil, with usually only a few hundred workers rather than thousands like their smaller relatives. The colony protects the large queen, keeping her sheltered well below ground.

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Amongst the world fauna of spiders, it is rare to find species that live as a colony.  Sometimes hundreds of individuals of this species may be found living together under the loose bark of trees and within logs.  Communal huntsmans are venomous but not dangerous to humans. They use their venom to kill and aid the digestion of their prey, which mainly consists of other invertebrates such as moths, cockroaches, crickets and other species of spiders.  These spiders are mainly nocturnal and it is during this time that they do most of their hunting. They hunt by simply waiting until suitable prey ventures too close then rushing and grabbing it using their fangs.  This species sometimes share their catch, or co-operate in subduing a large insect. In this species it is not unusual to see large and small spiders feeding on the same prey side by side.  Being cold blooded, they are more active during the warmer months of the year when there is also a greater abundance of prey around.  During this period, males and females will mate. The female lays the eggs in an egg sac, which is disk shaped and is constructed of papery white silk.  Once the young hatch, they do not disperse as with other species of huntsmans, but remain and grow within the colony.  Communal Huntsmans usually live between one and two seasons.

Bioinformatics