7. Sydney funnel web spider

Most of Sydney's north shore suburbs are built on the main population area of the Sydney funnel web, according to Robinson. Since 1927, 14 deaths from the spider have been recorded. It's only the male bite that has proved fatal, however.

Direct UV light will kill a funnel web, so the spiders need somewhere to hide during the day and have been known to consider a shoe a perfectly adequate location. More commonly, the spiders builds burrows under something like a pile of bricks or a log.

Danger rating: 8/10

Scientific name: Atrax robustus

How to know if it's got you: The venom of a Sydney funnel web can cause death, as it contains a neurotoxin component that affects the nervous system. The bite is very painful, and symptoms include sweating, tingling and muscle spasms.