First fires, then floods. Now Australians need to watch out for deadly funnel-web spiders, experts say

Australia has already dealt with extreme fires, flooding and hail this year. Now experts are warning people to watch out for deadly funnel-web spiders due to “perfect conditions” for the arachnid to thrive.

Native to the moist forest regions of eastern Australia, several funnel-web species are known for their highly toxic and fast-acting venom. On Wednesday, the Australian Reptile Park – based in Somersby, in New South Wales state – said spider activity had increased in recent days.

“Because of the recent rain and now the hot days we are now experiencing, funnel-web spiders will start to move around,” park spokesman Daniel Rumsey said in a video posted on Facebook.

“Funnel-web spiders are potentially one of the most dangerous spiders on the planet, in terms of a bite towards humans, and we have to treat it very seriously.”

Experts say the Australian funnel-web is one of the most dangerous spiders on Earth.

Australia has been ravaged by the worst wildfires seen in decades, with large swaths of the country devastated since the fire season began in late July. At least 28 people have died nationwide – and in the state of New South Wales alone, more than 3,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged.

Severe thunderstorms delivered relief to some areas late last week, although flash flooding created new risks. Parts of southeastern Australia were also pelted by hailstones the size of golf balls, big enough to smash car windows and injure birds, less than 24 hours after the region was hit by massive dust storms.

Stay away from the brown recluse spider, one of the most dangerous arachnids on Earth. It can be found outdoors near rocks or in the woods -- or, chillingly, indoors in dark places, including corners and furniture. Its bite can cause lesions that lead to gangrene.

Click through the gallery to learn about more of the world's most dangerous spiders.

The black widow spider is found all over the globe. Its bite can produce vomiting and achiness, although it's not usually fatal. The black widow is usually identified by a black body with red hourglass marking.

A brown widow spider, which also has an hourglass-shaped marking on its abdomen, is slightly less venomous than the black widow. It's thought to live in most of the world's most tropical locations as well as in the southern United States. These nocturnal creatures have painful bites that can result in serious swelling and redness.

Although they resemble the harmless tarantula, Brazilian wandering spiders, known for building webs in bananas, are considerably more dangerous. The South American specimen may well be the most venomous spider on the planet. Its bite could be life-threatening.

The Sydney funnel-web spider, generally found in Australia, also gives a painful bite. The funnel-web spider's venom, which attacks the central nervous system, has caused the deaths of more than a dozen people over the past 100 years.

This wolf spider, seen here with baby spiders on her back, is a type of spider that usually lives on the ground. It will bite humans, but its venom usually just causes swelling.

Some of the world's most dangerous spiders

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Warren Bailey, owner of ABC Pest Control Sydney, told CNN that funnel-webs are normally active during the summer, but the spider season arrived later than usual this year because the weather has been “very dry” in the past few months.

“Their venom is pretty toxic and can kill someone,” he said. “The funnel-webs are now out with the recent rains, (and) they can go into people’s houses on the ground or from the roof.”