Red Back Spiders - Micropest Pest Control

Red back spiders are Australias best known spider. Red back spiders are found all over Australia but are rarely found in Tasmanina because it is too cold. Micropest pest control is a prominent redback spider control company whice uses safe yet effective red back spider pest control treatments. For any red back spiders enquiries please don't hessitate to ring micropest on 1300 24 33 77 or likewise email us. The following links contain closely related information about redback spiders.

Red Back Spiders Price List

• Redback spider pestcontrol
• Redback spider pest control video
• Redback spiders first aid
  
• Redback identification
• Redback habitats

Identifying

Red back spiders are black to brown colour, pea shaped with a red strip on the back of its abdomen. Juvenile red backs have an elaborate pattern, including lateral stripes. The male Red back spider is tiny only about 3mm in body length. The males are not dangerous. Females are up to 12mm body length. Only female Red backs are dangerous, because the males are usually too small.

Habitats

Red back spiders will live almost anywhere. Their webs can be found in timber, logs, rocks, grass tussocks, under flower pots, garden furniture, in outside toilets, sheds and junk piles. Red back spiders are more common in spring and summer.

The female Red backs have relatively small jaws making many bites ineffective. However some bites have caused serious pain and illness, requiring antivenom.

First Aid

Pressure bandaging is not recommended, as this can aggravate the pain. Seek medical attention. Cold packs or cold water may help to relieve the pain.

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More Information on Red Back Spiders (Latrodectus mactans haseltii)

Red Back Spiders are widespread in rural and urban areas. lt is a retiring spider and prefers quiet, dark, undisturbed surroundings. Common places for it to occur are in rank grass, under piles of junk, in empty drums, tins, dark corners of uncared for buildings, petrol bowsers, pumps and other stationary machinery, grease traps, sometimes under dry stones, and especially in outdoor privies. Any such situations must have remained undisturbed for a period of months.

Red Back Spiders are a very common spider but as it seldom moves when it is disturbed attacks are comparatively infrequent when it is considered that it is highly adapted to the sheds, outhouses and rank vegetation in the proximity of dwellings and industrial premises. An apparent decline in its abundance in recent decades could possibly be due to the far reaching activities of motor mowers.

This spider is not aggressive and humans must make contact with it before it will bite. Bites may occur on the hands and arms, or occasionally on the head, but available Australian statistics give a frequency of 65 per cent of bites on the genitals or buttocks indicating that in the past at least the majority of bites took place while the victims were seated on earth closets.

Some deaths have occurred due to the bites of the Red Back Spiders (probably very few and probably only in children). Nevertheless the effects are often severe especially after the venom has entered the general circulation, from 30 minutes to 10 hours after the time of the bite. Immediate local reactions are minor; nothing may be detectable, or only a small red mark; or up to an aching pain at the site and localised sweating. Oedema of the penis or arm certainly occurs in some cases. Eventually there is always pain of varying intensity, sweating is common, weakness, pallor and nausea are likely to occur and symptoms of shock may appear. Medical treatment should be sought for bites from this spider. Restrictive bandages and arterial tourniquets are not recommended, nor is excision of the wound, but the patient should receive anti venom as soon as possible.

Control of Red Back Spiders depends on the removal of favoured breeding/resting sites, but if necessary the inside of containers could be treated with a residual insecticide. Chlordane has been successful (now not permitted), but more environmentally acceptable chemicals such as bendiocarb, permethrin or chlorpyrifos can be recommended.