White-tailed spider
Cylindrical dark grey/black body with a distinctive white tip on the abdomen. No web - they hunt by walking.
Behaviour
Nocturnal hunter. Feeds primarily on other spiders - particularly black house spiders. Walks across floors, under bedding, on hung towels at night.
How they get into Melbourne homes
Under bedding, behind curtains, in hung towels, and behind picture frames. Anywhere a black house spider lives, white-tails follow.
DIY options
Reduce black house spider population (the food source); shake out clothes left on the floor.
When to call a professional
Confirmed bite or recurring sightings - combined treatment for white-tails and black house spiders is the only durable answer.
Common questions about white-tailed spider
- Genuine bites cause sharp pain and a welt. Long-term necrosis attributed to white-tails has largely been traced to unrelated bacterial infections in the wound. Bites still warrant a doctor's visit if they ulcerate.
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