Deadly spider of record size found in Australia (2 photos + 1 video)
Hercules, a funnel-web spider measuring 7.9 cm, became the largest member of its species. The arachnid was found 80 km north of Sydney and taken to the Australian Reptile Park, where an antidote will be produced based on its venom. 
The Australian Reptile Park, a zoo in New South Wales, has a program to collect spider and snake venom to produce antivenom.
"Male funnel-web spiders only live in the wild for about a year when they reach maturity," said Emma Teney, a park ranger. "So we have to keep getting them from the public because we need them to produce life-saving antivenom." 
Male funnel-web spiders (Atrax robustus) have one of the most toxic venoms to humans. It contains a neurotoxin that affects the nervous system of primates, including humans. Females are also dangerous, but they do not have this neurotoxin. Only bites from males resulted in death.
Since the Australian Reptile Park began its program in 1981, not a single person has died from a funnel-web spider bite. Each week, staff use glass pipettes to encourage spiders to bite them and collect droplets of venom. The substance is then frozen and used by CSL supplier Seqirus to make an antidote.
Spiders of this species weave trapping webs in the shape of funnels. They like moist, vegetated areas and are found in the wooded suburbs of Sydney. People most often encounter deadly arthropods during the summer months, when they leave their webs in search of females.
Hercules is larger than the previous record holder, a male funnel-web spider nicknamed Colossus, who lived in the park in 2018. Females are usually an inch larger than males. The largest in the park was Megaspider measuring 8 cm.
Sensing danger, representatives of the species stand on their hind legs and display fangs 2 cm long.
Surprisingly, they can live up to 30 hours underwater by holding air bubbles on their abdomen.
