Identify a Redback Spider

If you live in Australia, you probably know that venomous Redback spiders live in almost every area of the country. If you plan to visit Australia, you need to know that the female Redback spider bite is extremely poisonous, and sometimes fatal. Most hospitals and emergency vehicles in Australia have the anti-venom for the Redback spider bite on hand.

Steps

  1. Know what a Redback spider is. Here are some key characteristics.
    • Physical features: The female is about the size of a small marble. The male is smaller than the female. Redback spiders do not always have the tell-tale red marking.
    • venomous: Yes
    • Lives in: Australia
    • Eats: This spider eats the male after mating, and goes after much bigger prey than most spiders, including mice and small vertebrates.

Identifying a Redback Spider

The bite of a female Redback is extremely venomous, and the red marking isn’t always apparent, so you may want to take a photograph of the spider you want to identify and ask an expert to help you. Definitely, you shouldn’t get too close or try to capture it by putting it in a jar or other container.

  1. Look for the distinctive red stripe that is located on the back of their abdomen. But don’t assume it is not a Redback if you don’t see the mark.
  2. Notice the coloration of the spider.
    • An adult females is jet black with a variable red stripe on the back of its abdomen.
    • An immature female is usually brown and smaller with whitish markings.
    • A male Redback spider (rarely seen) is small and brown with red and white markings.[1]

Recognizing Redback Spider Habitats

Both male and female Redback spiders are not aggressive and the venomous female will rarely leave her web. However, you should be aware of the more common areas where a Redback web can be found.

  1. Be careful around building foundations, outside buildings--including outhouses, piles of outdoor storage materials and furniture.
  2. Wear thick gloves if you are going to lift rocks or logs; they like to nest under those objects.
  3. Always wear gloves and long sleeves when gardening.
  4. Look before you reach into your mailbox.
  5. Keep in mind that if you illuminate your porch, the light will attract insects that the Redback likes to eat, and will provide an ideal location for a web.

Treating a Bite

A bite from a female Redback spider is extremely venomous and can be fatal to children and elderly people.

  1. Apply ice to the bite. If you don’t have ice, use the coldest water you can find, but do not bandage the area where you were bitten—the venom does not move fast and a tight bandage will only increase the pain you will feel.
  2. Take a non-prescription painkiller until you can get medical help. The pain for the first 5 to 10 minutes after a bite will be tolerable; after that, the pain is intensified.
  3. Prepare yourself for the primary symptoms; profuse sweating, vomiting, abdominal pain, muscle spasms and severe pain.

Tips

  • Redback spiders are preyed on by daddy-long-legs spiders and white-tailed spiders.
  • Females typically live for about 3 years and males live for about 7 months.
  • Although an anti-venom for a Redback spider bite is available and very effective, (no one has died from a Redback bite if they have taken the anti-venom) you should still seek medical attention immediately if you are bitten.

Warnings

  • Spraying a Redback’s web and egg sacs with pesticides will also destroy the Redback’s predators. The best offense is defense; learn how to recognize their webs and stay away!

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

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