Common and Unusual Identifications - Spiders

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The Sydney Brown Trapdoor Spider lives in silk-lined burrows, which are commonly found in the lawns, gardens and bushland of Sydney.The Sydney Brown Trapdoor plays an important role in controlling ground-dwelling insects and other arthropods such as beetles, cockroaches, crickets, slaters, spiders and even moths that stray too near the burrow entrance.

Unlike funnel-web spider burrows, the burrows of the Sydney Brown Trapdoor Spider have no silk trip-lines extending out from the rim and they are found in more open ground. Despite their common name, most Misgolas species do not make trapdoors but have an open burrow with a silken rim attached to the surrounding grass or leaf litter. The exception is another Sydney species, M. gracilis, which makes a light, wafer-like trapdoor.

Although often mistaken for funnel-web spiders, the bite of a trapdoor spider is not dangerous, but may be painful and cause some local swelling. Apply a cold pack to relieve pain and seek medical attention if symptoms persist.