WHAT has eight legs and gets communities talking?

Debate erupted on Facebook last night when Scott Clubb found a spider in his bedroom and asked the community to help him identify the abominable arachnid.

Mr Clubb contacted the Darling Downs Zoo for advice, but in the mean time locals conducted their own detective work.

Many believed the intruder was a funnel-web spider, which is extremely venomous and capable of causing death.

Others said it could have been a trapdoor spider which can give a painful bite, but is not poisonous.

One respondent guessed it was a juvenile bush huntsman.

With so many different opinions, it was hard to know what to believe.

And with many spiders capable of causing serious illness and death, the stakes were high.

"This spider looked exactly like a funnel-web even down to the funnelled web," Mr Clubb said.

"I have two little girls, so I just wanted to be sure in case it laid any eggs."

The event certainly sparked an interesting issue among the community - how do you get to the bottom of a hairy situation like this?

There are a number of different organisations you can contact if you need to identify a spider or other potentially dangerous insect or animal.

Warwick Department of Agriculture and Fisheries - (07) 4660 3666

Warwick Amalgamated Pest Control - (07) 4526 7239

Australian Reptile Park - (02) 4340 1022

The spider in Mr Clubb's bedroom turned out to be a harmless Badumna insignis, more commonly known as a black house spider.

But the community wasn't alone in its confusion over the creepy creature. Spiders are commonly misidentified and the black house spiders are often mistaken for funnel-web spiders due to their similar appearance.

Mr Clubb can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing the spider can't cause him or his family any harm.

But if you're ever in doubt, it's always good to check.