Family: Theridiidae
Genus: Latrodectus
A member of the family known as Widow Spiders. Redbacks are considered
one of the most dangerous species of spider in Australia.
They produce a Neurotoxic venom, which can cause severe pain, which in
some cases can last for some time, often for over 24 hours. Very few
deaths as a result of a Redback's bite have been recorded and no deaths have
been recorded since 1956 when an Antivenom was produced.
Females are usually a deep black colour, often with an obvious red stripe on
the upper abdomen. On the underside of the abdomen there is an 'hourglass'
shaped red spot. They usually prey on insects but they can capture larger
animals that become entangled in their web, including large Crickets, large
Spiders, small Lizards, even small Snakes.
The Redback spider is one of few Arachnids which display sexual
cannibalism while mating. (Wikipedia)
My good friend Luc Stefan recently sent me this video of a Female Redback
Spider tending to her Egg Sac. The remains of a Huntsman Spider
(Sparassidae) can be seen in the Redbacks web.
Filmed by Luc Stefan in early January 2012 in a cellar in the Barossa Valley,
South Australia.
Gordon Grice, Author of 'The Red Hourglass' and 'The Book of Deadly
Animals' commented on this video and very kindly allowed me to reproduce
his words : "She's a beauty. I've spent many hours watching her American
cousins at their egg cases. The redback has been known to snare and siphon
some rather large tarantulas as well. I seem to recall one arachnologist
mentioning that he secured a nice specimen for his collection by stealing it
from a redback's web".
Genus: Latrodectus
A member of the family known as Widow Spiders. Redbacks are considered
one of the most dangerous species of spider in Australia.
They produce a Neurotoxic venom, which can cause severe pain, which in
some cases can last for some time, often for over 24 hours. Very few
deaths as a result of a Redback's bite have been recorded and no deaths have
been recorded since 1956 when an Antivenom was produced.
Females are usually a deep black colour, often with an obvious red stripe on
the upper abdomen. On the underside of the abdomen there is an 'hourglass'
shaped red spot. They usually prey on insects but they can capture larger
animals that become entangled in their web, including large Crickets, large
Spiders, small Lizards, even small Snakes.
The Redback spider is one of few Arachnids which display sexual
cannibalism while mating. (Wikipedia)
My good friend Luc Stefan recently sent me this video of a Female Redback
Spider tending to her Egg Sac. The remains of a Huntsman Spider
(Sparassidae) can be seen in the Redbacks web.
Filmed by Luc Stefan in early January 2012 in a cellar in the Barossa Valley,
South Australia.
Gordon Grice, Author of 'The Red Hourglass' and 'The Book of Deadly
Animals' commented on this video and very kindly allowed me to reproduce
his words : "She's a beauty. I've spent many hours watching her American
cousins at their egg cases. The redback has been known to snare and siphon
some rather large tarantulas as well. I seem to recall one arachnologist
mentioning that he secured a nice specimen for his collection by stealing it
from a redback's web".
Excellent, thanks...really enjoyed that.
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