The number of funnel webs caught to produce vital anti-venom has been declining over the past few years, prompting specialists to remind everyday Australians to lend a hand.

Since 1981 the anti-venom program at the Australian Reptile Park has been collecting the venom of funnel web spiders, which is sent annually to CSL Bio, a biopharmaceutical company which creates anti-venom for critical hospital vaccines.

Each year the aim to is to collect 300 male funnel webs to provide 3000 milkings, but in the last few years that number has been declining, with the park only able to milk around 200 funnel webs last year.

But the key to the program's success is the collection of the spiders, largely assisted by people capturing the spiders and delivering them to drop off zones around NSW.