Red-back Spider
(Lactrodectus m. hasselti)

This is probably Australia’s best known spider, having inspired song and poetry.

Red-backs adapt well to man-made environments: rubbish tips, under discarded iron sheets, cans and boxes. The female Red-back is dangerous, the male is harmless.

Red-back spider bites occur due to people leaving clothes lying about, the spider enters the clothing and bites when the clothing is put back on or people move rubbish, tins or timber sheets without wearing gloves, and the spider bites exposed skin.

Red-back spiders are small (10mm in body length). They may live for 10 years. They lay between 3 and 6 egg sacs between spring and autumn. Each sac may contain up to 300 eggs. The Red-back is known as the Katipo in N.Z. and the Black Widow in the U.S.A.

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