Thread: redbacks

Originally Posted by 5teve

Hi guys

Been talking to the guys at work about a few redbacks we keep getting around the house, they are insisting that they may look like redbacks but arent due to the size, researching i would be inclined to agree... but what else could they be?

i dont have pictures.. but the body length is around 20 - 23mm with the rear end being about the size of my finger end. (about 15mm - 18mm dia)

i will see if i can get a pick later if the one i disposed of is still around..

do you guys see any this big? this is about the 3rd or 4th of this size?

Thanks

Steve

There are smaller black spiders that look like red-backs, without the red stripe.

Red-back Spiders always have filthy nests, full of grass and dead carcasses.

If you also have Daddy-long-leg spiders near by, they tend to be territorial and kill Red-backs.
Believe it or not the DLL is more poisonous but unable to bit us

Cheers,
Ron

Redbacks (female only) have a red dot on the back end as in my avatar, where abouts in the house are these spiders.

Baz.

We get them that big here. Definitely redbacks!

Easier to stomp on when they're that size! (not that I'm into wanton killing of insects)

they generally live around the house under windowsills etc... have had one under the pool waterfall lip too...


yes its a messy web too..

they are black (or very dark brown) with a jaggedy edged red or orangy red patch on the rear running up the middle of it, as though someone has daubed it on roughly with a paintbrush.

im pretty sure its a redback, im just concerned by the size... they are too big for redbacks appraently!

we have plenty of black house spiders (or window spiders as they are known) which can bite but rarely so i leave them be as they are shy and hide most of the time. we have plenty of DLL's around too... which is why i think we only get a few redbacks and why they are this size... the DLL wont dare touch them

Thanks

Steve

For spider identification the Australian Museum site is worth a look. Spiders - Australia's spider fauna

Or First Aid from the Australian Venom Research Unit. AVRU - First Aid

For those with a medical bent one worth having loaded into the computer for First Aid purposes http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/policie...GL2007_006.pdf

Diana

thanks Diana i looked at those sites which is where it states about the size being 12mm ish.. 15 i could understand but near on twice that size.. seems a bit rare..

Jamo..

maybe its the WA breed of redbacks... as the mining companies are getting fat over here maybe the insects are doing the same we have a huge amount of mole crickets too which are only a recent discovery apparently... especially the ones we have...

i'll get a photo later if i can

Thanks guys

Steve

There seem to be a few around here too ...
Here's my pet at work, she lives behind the ashtray outside (gotta be careful when I empty it)


Not quite as big as your spider 5teve, but fairly big for what I usually see around here ... I've seen some quiet big ones like what you describe in my travels ... I always just thought they were redbacks anyway

Stevo

I've got some in my compost bin at home too...

We point them out to our German visitors, 'cos they love the excitement of actually seeing something they've seen on TV ..... then when they're in the way in the kitchen trying to be helpful, we send them out with some compost for the bin ... a couple of mnutes later you go out to find them trying to get it open with a big stick or throwing the compost at it from a distance .... great for laughs

My 'pet' redback got rather large and yeaterday I noticed it was alot smaller but with a large egg sack next to it. I decided in the interests of self preservation to commit arachnocide. Maybe your females all have a few buns in the oven, so-to-speak.