There are a number of deadly creatures in Australia, and most of them are quite obvious. The spiders of Australia, however, are not always so obvious. While the deadly Sydney funnel web spider is rather obvious with it’s size and ominous behavior, it is not the only dangerous spider in Australia. In dark, hidden, dry spaces throughout Australia lurks the red back spider.
The red back spider is not nearly as deadly as the funnel web, but it still is capable of harming humans. With advanced medicine and treatment, the red back spider is rarely fatal. The elderly, children, and people that are in poor health are primarily the ones at risk of dying. Learning about the red back spider of Australia will help you to avoid a nasty spider bite, and the sickness that ensues.
Red Back Spider Relation to the Black Widow
The black widow and the red back spider of Australia are very similar in appearance and are actually of the same spider family. A distant cousin of the black widow spider found in America, the red back spider is generally bright black in color. The red back can also be various shades of brown. True to the spider’s name, the red back spider has the same hourglass symbol on its abdomen as the black widow. It also has a reddish orange stripe as well. The female is much larger than the male, and their is a good reason for this.
Male/Female Red Back Spider Behavior
The female red back spider rarely leaves her web. The male will go wandering during his short life span. The males do not live long because they are often eaten by the female after mating. They willingly will allow the female to feast after providing her with a mating partner. This behavior is seen in the black widow, but is more common among red back spiders. The bite of the male is potentially dangerous, but rare due to the smaller size. The female is the real danger.
Red Back Spider Habitat and Webbing
The red back spider is found throughout Australia in the areas where their is sustainable life. Commonly found in very close proximity to humans, this contributes to the number of red back spider bites in Australia. The red back spider builds an irregular shaped webbing, and leaves a little tunnel at the back of the web. She will then back into the tunnel, and wait for dinner, a mating red back, or both. Red back spiders prefer private places, and the darker the better. They do not like moisture, and tend to be found in close proximity to one another. They do not share webs, however. The red back can be seen hiding in rock piles, wood piles, and even the occasional garden shoe.
Red Back Spider Aggressiveness
The red back spider is not at all aggressive, though it will bite if you mess with it. The Sydney funnel web is much more likely to be proactive,and is much more aggressive with human intruders on its space. The red back will always try to avoid contact with human beings, as we are much to large to be a meal. The venom that red back spiders produce is precious to them because they need it to hunt and for protection. The last thing the red back spider wishes to do is to bite a human. Yet, it happens. Usually it happens because human beings accidentally step on, sit on, or otherwise muck with them.
The red back spider is a beautiful arachnid that has no evil intentions towards human beings. They fear us far more than we fear them, and if we are careful we can avoid a very unpleasant experience. Red back spiders should be respected, but not feared.
Sources:
http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/redback.htm
http://www.australianfauna.com/redbackspider.php
