If you think the black widow or the brown recluse are the only types of spiders you should be worried about, and you’re in Australia, think again. The black widow’s relative, the redback spider, is just as lethal. They’re also in New Zealand and Southeast Asia.
This spider got its name from the red stripe found on its back (imagine that). It occasionally gets mistaken for a black widow, however, due to a red hourglass shaped mark on the underside of its abdomen. A bite from a redback, whose venom contains a neurotoxin, can cause a sever reaction with symptoms up to and including death.
This is the redback spider.
It has a bright red stripe on its back and an hourglass shaped red spot on its abdomen.
It’s found mostly in Australia but is also present in New Zealand and Southeast Asia.
It’s commonly found in places like mailboxes, sheds, decks, and even under your toilet seat.
Female redbacks are more dominant than males.
Females are responsible for spinning the web. They only mate with those they want but the male often gets eaten.
Once they catch their prey, they inject venom into its body which turns its insides into liquid.
They then suck the insides out of their prey and eat them.
Their venom can cause headaches, vomiting, chest pain, and severe discomfort that can last for 24+ hours while severe cases can lead to seizures and death.
Luckily, during the 1950s, an anti-venom for their bite was discovered which prevents death from a redback’s bite.
(via ViralNova)
Watch out for this critter if you live in or visit one of the locations where it thrives!
