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Dec 22, 2020 · Explore spider webs and their tensile strength — the ability to resist breaking under pressure — with your child in this experiment. Test different materials and find out which material is...
- Overview
- Looking at Physical Characteristics
- Recognizing the Redback Spider Habitat
- Treating a Bite
Australia is known for its large (and sometimes scary!) animals and insects, and the redback spider is one of them. Though highly venomous, the redback spider won’t bite unless its web is disturbed, and its venom can be treated with ice, a painkiller, and in intense cases, a trip to the hospital to get an anti-venom. Knowing the redback spider’s fa...
Assess the size of the spider.
Female redback spiders are the size of a large pea, about 1 centimeter (0.4 in) long, and have slender legs about twice that length. Males are quite a bit smaller, about 3-4 mm long, with legs about twice their size.
Look at the spider’s distinctive colorings.
Females are black or brownish and usually, but not always, have an orange or red stripe running lengthwise on top of their abdomen, from the back to about halfway. The mark is typically thick and shaped a bit like an arrow pointing towards the spider’s head. Female redbacks also have an hourglass-shaped orange- or red-colored marking on the underside of their abdomen. Males are light brown with white markings and a paler hourglass mark on their belly.
The redback spider is related to the black widow and looks similar, but is set apart by the dorsal red stripe on its back.
Differentiate between male and female to determine if the spider is dangerous.
Be careful around small, sheltered areas in populated regions of Australia.
Redback spiders like to hang around human-inhabited areas, and their webs are often found in dry, sheltered places like junk piles, sheds and toilets, or among logs, rocks and plants. Redback spiders are found across Australia, especially in hot regions.
Though most common in Australia, redbacks can also be found in the north and south islands of New Zealand, in southeast Asia up to India, and even in south central Japan.
Avoid the spider’s tangled, funnel-like webs.
if a child, elderly person or pregnant woman has been bitten.
You can call an ambulance in Australia by dialing 000. Redback spider bites can be fatal in children, the elderly, and pregnant people, and you should call an ambulance if the person bitten is experiencing severe pain or has collapsed, regardless of their age. Remain calm and explain that someone has been bitten by what you believe is a redback spider and will need medical attention. Most Australian hospitals will have an anti-venom on-hand.
Some healthy adults bitten by redback spiders experience little to no pain or other symptoms. It may not be necessary to go to the hospital in that case, although you should closely observe the bitten area and pay attention to how you feel overall. If the symptoms worsen, call for medical attention.
The effects of a redback spider bite differ between people, but you might experience sweating, weak muscles, vomiting, muscle spasms and pain around the bitten area. Stay calm and take deep breaths, as the symptoms should pass soon. If the symptoms are intense, painful, or show no signs of letting up, call for medical attention. while you wait for help to arrive.
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The redback spider is a carnivore. They feed mainly on insects which are captured in the females web. Their web is so strong that they may also capture small snakes , mice and lizards in it.
Carnivorous, eating mostly insects. Average lifespan. Females between two and three years, males between six and seven months. Size. Females measure 1cm, males measuring between 3mm and 4mm. The redback spider has been a well-known member of Australia’s most notorious species list for years, with very few locals unaware of its poisonous ...
- Redback spider
- Latrodectus hasselti
- Carnivorous, eating mostly insects
- Spider
Dec 10, 2020 · Redback Spider bites are the most common envenoming in Australia. Venom is from the latrodectus genus which is abundant in different countries around the world. Some of which use antivenom and some do not. This is a hotly debated topic in toxicology. Classically an intense pain develops 5-10 minutes after a bite, followed by sweating and ...
The redback spider is commonly found in close proximity to human residences. Webs are usually built in dry, dark, sheltered sites, such as among rocks, in logs, tree hollows, shrubs, old tyres, sheds, outhouses, empty tins and boxes, children's toys or under rubbish or litter. Letterboxes and the undersurface of toilet seats are common sites.
If you suspect a Redback Spider bite, it is essential to seek medical attention promptly. Apply a cold compress to the bite site to help alleviate pain and swelling, and keep the affected area below heart level to slow the spread of venom. Fortunately, an effective antivenom for Redback Spider bites has been available in Australia since 1956.
