Qld braces for redback spider influx

The number of redback spiders scuttling across Queensland has surged to its highest for 15 years, an expert warns.

Arachnologist Dr Robert Raven has been studying the species in locations throughout the state for two decades and has noticed a marked increase in recent times.

"It's extremely likely that people are going to be seeing them - it's the largest increase in around 15 years," the spider curator at Queensland Museum told AAP.

The poisonous critters, which have proved fatal in the past, are mostly likely to be spotted along the coast in busy locations such as car parks, sports arenas and under chairs at bus stops.

Dr Raven said repeated droughts between 2000 and 2010 have kept spider numbers down but recent wet weather has allowed them to breed in large numbers across Australia.

He said no one has died from a redback spider bite - which causes a crescendo of pain up to four hours later - since anti-venom was introduced.

But fatal nips are "still on the cards", he warned.

The deadly funnel-web is also rising in number but the public are less likely to come in to contact with the forest spider which can kill in 15 minutes without treatment.

Queensland Ambulance Service has treated 41 people for spider bites since the beginning of October, compared to 16 people in July.