After removing the tick, wash your hands and disinfect the tweezers and the bite. The world's deadliest spider lives in parts of NSW including the Sydney suburbs, the Blue Mountains, and coastal areas as far north as Newcastle and as far south as Nowra. Although only a few people who are bitten become very ill or die, the bite can be fatal, especially to young children. Symptoms of funnelweb bite include pain, sweating, nausea, vomiting, difficulty in breathing and twitching. Funnelwebs are more likely to cause problems in summer and early autumn when they're looking for a mate, or if their burrows are flooded by rain or are disturbed by building, digging or pesticide.
People often spot holes in the earth of their garden and wonder if they are funnelweb burrows.
Here's an easy way to tell. If someone is bitten by a funnelweb, apply a firm, wide bandage to the bitten area, extending it as far up or down the limb as you can. Put a splint on the limb, keep the person as still as possible and get them to hospital immediately. Take the spider with you if you catch it. They're found all over Australia, often in and around houses where they like dry, dark places such as under floorboards or rafters.