Adelaide Trapdoor Spider

Because Adelaide trapdoor spiders prey on beetles, cockroaches, crickets and other soil-dwelling insects, and old burrows are reused as shelter by the endangered pygmy bluetongue lizard, the South Australian Museum notes that these lizards live in holes they take over from trapdoor spiders rather than dig themselves — a reason to leave burrows undisturbed on rural or bushland-adjacent properties where possible. In most suburban settings, the simplest response is to leave outdoor burrows alone, since this spider rarely causes problems. A spider found inside a house can usually be captured with a container and released back into the garden, or removed with a vacuum cleaner hose attachment. For a burrow that does need to be cleared, Victoria's Department of Health advises that boiling water poured directly down the burrow is an effective non-chemical option, and that insecticide sprays should be avoided, as they can make ground-dwelling spiders more active rather than eliminating them. Where numbers are a genuine problem, such as persistent burrows close to entry points, a licensed pest management technician can inspect the property and apply a targeted, registered treatment. Adelaide trapdoor spiders are not considered dangerous to humans: bites typically cause only localised pain and swelling, unlike the medically significant bites of funnel-web or redback spiders.