Common name Red-headed mouse spider
Scientific name Missulena occatoria
Type Spider
Diet Mostly large insects, occasionally small vertebrates such as frogs an lizards
Average lifespan At least four years
Size Body length up to 3.5cm long

When it comes to most of our native spiders Australian Geographic advises readers there’s not much to fear and that co-existing sustainably with arachnids wherever possible can bring you important benefits. But this is certainly not what we advocate for this native spider species.

In the same way that we recommend staying well away from funnel-web and redback species, all of which are potentially deadly, we strongly advise that you give mouse spiders, and particularly the red-headed species, a wide berth.

So far, the bite of this distinctive-looking species is not known to have killed anyone, but experts agree that its venom could certainly be potent enough to do so.

If you do get bitten apply emergency first aid and seek medical attention immediately. Funnel-web antivenom is known to be effective for this species.

All mouse spider species – of which Australia has eight – are readily recognisable by the bulbous appearance of the head and jaws.

And all are considered to potentially have very potent venom. The red-headed species is the one people are most likely to encounter.

It’s a large spider that’s found right across Australia, apart from Tasmania and the far north of the mainland but is most often encountered in New South Wales and Western Australia.

The reassuring news is that it’s not particularly aggressive, prefers undisturbed, non-urban habitats and is extremely reclusive.

The male of the species is particularly easy to recognise because of the bright red colouration on its head and dark-blue abdomen. The female in contrast is coloured dark brown all over.

The sexes, in fact, are so markedly different in appearance that they were at first thought to be two separate species.

One positive about this spider is that because it doesn’t particularly like areas that people do their paths rarely cross with those of humans.

Female mouse spiders live permanently in burrows up to a metre long that are often built into the banks of rivers and streams. They’re usually sees when they emerge from these subterranean homes during and after rain.

After males reach sexual maturity at about four years of age, they tend to wander in summer looking for mates. They die shortly after mating.

The reason the red-headed mouse spider has such a wide distribution is because it uses a method of dispersal known as ballooning.

This is uncommon in the spider group known as the mygalomorphs, to which mouse spiders belong. Relatives in this group include the funnel-webs, trapdoors, and the tarantulas.

During ballooning, spiderlings spin small parachutes of silk, which they use to travel on wind gusts, sometimes for many kilometres.