Redback Spiders

pgc hunter · #1 19-02-2010, 08:44 AM

Anyone else get these in their backyard?

I was out last night with a flashlight, and there are dozens around my pool, under the pool fence, in the rolled up pool cover, in the drains and even in the base of the basketball hoop. Found a few of these crawling away from their webs, I'm thinking if someone would've been walking around in bare feet or something they'd could easily get bitten.

Ofocourse, my backyard also contains orb weavers, huntsmen , black house spiders, daddy long legs, etc.

While observing last night, I walked into a spider web suspended across the entire backyard!!! YUCK! Not to mention getting rid of strands across the aperture of the scope!

DavidU (Dave) · #2 19-02-2010, 08:49 AM

Yeh, I found one in the garage last night. Yuck

Liz · #3 19-02-2010, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgc hunter

Anyone else get these in their backyard?

I was out last night with a flashlight, and there are dozens around my pool, under the pool fence, in the rolled up pool cover, in the drains and even in the base of the basketball hoop. Found a few of these pr1cks crawling away from their webs, I'm thinking if someone would've been walking around in bare feet or something they'd could easily get bitten.

Ofocourse, my backyard also contains orb weavers, huntsmen , black house spiders, daddy long legs, etc.

While observing last night, I walked into a spider web suspended across the entire backyard!!! YUCK! Not to mention getting rid of strands across the aperture of the scope!

Yikes

... remind me never to swim in your pool!
Saw on the Qld news last night that spiders are becoming prolific in Brisbane ..... they are everywhere

casstony · #4 19-02-2010, 09:33 AM

Our place is infested with redbacks too. Everything on the shed floor has redbacks under it and they are all through the rock garden - 100's of 'em. I have to keep drilling it into the kids to watch out. I suppose it's still better than living in the African bush - nothing here will jump on you and tear your throat out.

I think you treat the bite with an icepack? .....until you get to the hospital.

AstralTraveller (David) · #5 19-02-2010, 09:41 AM

AH HA!!!

You've been sprung Sab. This is an admission that, contrary to your assertions, you can _sometimes_ see the sky from Melbourne.

I hope you had fun.

Omaroo (Chris Malikoff) · #6 19-02-2010, 09:46 AM

I've seen 3 in the past few days at my place in Sydney - under trailer wheel chocks and in the dog kennel, which the dogs don't use, thank goodness. I haven't seen any at all before that - in nearly 10 years in this house.

erick (Eric) · #7 19-02-2010, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgc hunter

Anyone else get these in their backyard?

Yep, cleaned the piles of garden waste from the backyard in SE suburbs of Melbourne a few weeks ago. Found some small ones.

pgc hunter · #8 19-02-2010, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liz

Yikes

... remind me never to swim in your pool!
Saw on the Qld news last night that spiders are becoming prolific in Brisbane ..... they are everywhere

I rarely actually use my pool, (due to it being cold most of the time)... all you see around the entire things are Redback webs and the spiders that inhabit it are BIG! The abdomens are atleast pea-sized, and they are accompanied by many juveniles. Last night I actually found a Redback egg sack in the coiled pool cover.. and several juveniles inhabiting the web. Even under the decking beside the pool, at the entrance gate live 5 Redbacks that I found so far...and I've been using this gate in barefeet!

Last night I counted about 20 in my backyard.... some of them wondering outside of their webs...

Ric · #9 19-02-2010, 10:22 AM

Hi Tony, you are right the reccomended treatment for spider bites is to elevate the bite and and treat with an icepack.

Generally only the young and the elderly are seriously affected by Redback bites as their immune systems are either weak or still developing but it's always a wise move to go to the hospital or your doctor.

We don't seem to get many Redbacks around our place, but we do seem to get every other spider species.

One thing we do have a lot of are Scorpions, fascinating little critters. I think they are harmless.

kustard (Simon) · #10 19-02-2010, 10:25 AM

Yeah, we've noticed a mini-explosion of redbacks at our house and at my wife's workplace. They like to nest in the garage door edges where it's dark and warm. I'll have to clean them out as a precaution.

pgc hunter · #11 19-02-2010, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric

One thing we do have a lot of are Scorpions, fascinating little critters. I think they are harmless.

NEVER assume a Scorpion is harmless.

Ric · #12 19-02-2010, 10:38 AM

Hi SAB, I always have that vision of the old James Bond movie where the scorpion is dropped down the back of the diamond smuggler and he dies instantly.

I didn't think the Australian ones were like that. could be time for a bit of research.

kustard (Simon) · #13 19-02-2010, 10:39 AM

I've heard that smaller scorpions are worse than larger ones if you get stung. Dunno if it's myth though. I could Wiki but that involved effort

Ric · #14 19-02-2010, 10:54 AM

I've done a quick search. Apparently they are mostly harmless but can give a nasty sting.

You treat the same as spider bites, ice and elevation.

http://australianmuseum.net.au/Scorpions

http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/fac.../Scorpions/659

It's interesting that they are flourescent under UV light.

Cheers

jjjnettie (Jeanette) · #15 19-02-2010, 12:17 PM

Careful where you put your fingers!!!

Paddy (Patrick) · #16 19-02-2010, 12:48 PM

We don't usually get redbacks at our place, but the biggest one I've ever seen recently took up residence in the battery box for our solar power system. And she'd laid quite a few eggs.

I heard on the Science Show a few years ago that there is some evidence that they are not native to Australia but are a naturalised form of Black Widow that migrated here on cargo ships in the 19th century. The boffins on the show said that this is why they are mostly found amongst human artifacts and not very much in the bush. I found this quite interesting.

telecasterguru (Frank) · #17 19-02-2010, 03:07 PM

I haven't seen one around here for many years but funnel webs, that's another story.

Frank

AdrianF (Adrian) · #18 19-02-2010, 03:33 PM

I think I must have imported 1/2 the redback population from Marooka to Roma recently. I bought a VW IRS from a wrecker who strapped it to a pallet and sent it out to me on a truck the truckie complain about the amount of spiders on the IRS. When I checked there was about 50-60 redbacks in every nook and cranny. I just grabbed the oxy set and had a quick BBQ. Easiest way to get rid of them

Adrian

JimmyH155 · #19 19-02-2010, 04:40 PM

Never seen one in our home at Burpengary.
I think it is either the awful name of our suburb or the two killer chooks we have that keeps them away - they even scare the cat off her food

tlgerdes (Trevor) · #20 19-02-2010, 05:07 PM

I had an infestation of Redbacks about 2 years ago....... 2 cans of Mortein Spider Control later and I havent seen any since.

Just spayed all the nooks and crannies i could find (anywhere i saw a web without a spider) and low and behold, they came out in droves. I reckon i would have had at least 30 dead ones around the house an hour later.