topic Re: Nasty Redback surprise in Community Spirit

Nasty Redback surprise

jean2579 — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 12:50:45 GMT

I was just about to pick up plastic garden hands today and spotted a female Redback.
I was plain stupid, gardening in the heat without gloves.
I was lucky today, I will certainly take more precautions in future. Red backs and pacemakers are apparently a bad mix.
Has anyone seen one of these spiders lately in their area?

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

amber-eyed-girl — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 13:00:04 GMT

Yes.

I have seen two in the garden in the past week. I am in Melbourne.

I don't mind spiders but redbacks are different, I know that now. A while ago one was living in the corner of the kitchen. It was behaving itself so I didn't let hubby kill it.

then, she had babies...

the redback that subsequently set up home in the garage wasn't treated so leniently.

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

fourandsixpants — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 13:08:53 GMT

No. But have seen a lot of white-tail spiders, an increase in numbers?

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

jean2579 — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 13:30:09 GMT

Paints, I was bitten by white tail a few years ago. It took about 2 years for the effects to go.
We are in the mid coast of NSW, I didn't know they were so far south.

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

fourandsixpants — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 13:34:35 GMT

As found with redbacks the markings on white tails varies. But from my experience the abdomen is dark and elongated. There is a white tip on the end of the abdomen or a white stripe or blotchy stripe down the middle of the abdomen towards the end of abdomen.

The result of a bite from a white tail can be nasty.

The characteristics of the white tailed spider include:

having a cylindrical body
being from 1 cm to 2 cm in length
being dirty grey to brown colour
having glossy legs
a characteristic light coloured grey or white spot at the ‘tail’
that two similar spots near the front of the body may also be present.

The white tailed spider is found in homes throughout Australia. It tends to be more active during summer. Favourite hiding spots include:

bedding
towels or clothes left on the floor
nooks and crannies
beneath mulch, leaves and rocks
beneath tree bark.

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/White_tailed_spider

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

fourandsixpants — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 13:39:05 GMT

Yes I am south of you. In the south west of WA, Bunbury.

My sis-in-law is a regstd nurse......she had a bite a few years back on her foot. After 3 days she went to Dr and was given an injection to relieve the effects of suspected Necrotising arachnidism is a type of skin inflammation and ulceration that is caused by the bite of some spiders.

Took many months for the 'tingling' and itching to subside.

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

j*oono — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 13:46:41 GMT

We have found quite a few white tails inside the house lately and they are quite large. The boys have been told to not drop there clothes on the floor anymore.

Not so many redbacks lately here.

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

dskracing — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 15:43:18 GMT

Bloody redbacks love me unfortunately. I have been bitten now eight times first when I was young and the last time in November when I slipped on a pair of jeans. It was inside and I have never got undressed so quickly in my life.
Two bites that hurt like hell and took ages to disappear

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

this-one-time-at-bandcamp — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 17:11:08 GMT

In the US, we enjoy the redback's close cousin, the Black Widow. Here in Oregon they are prevalent.............it is the Brown Recluse that most worry about though............its bite causes the blood to clot at the wound, resulting in necrosis of the flesh. Google "brown recluse bites pictures".........

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

lionrose.7 — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 21:02:26 GMT

Had heaps of red backs in QLD, as much as i hate killing any thing we used to put a insect bomb thought the house once a year, mainly before the grand children came over for Christmas.

The biggest Red Back I ever saw was in Southport in a web under some leaves, she must have been the mother of all red backs.

The only Spider I ever got bitten by in QLD was one of those little hoppy spiders, gave me a bad itchy rash, bit me three times, was in the waist band of my skirt.

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

amber-eyed-girl — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 03:02:20 GMT

Any spider bite can cause a reaction from rash to necrosis, depends on the person. As bidies bite for a reason, food or defense. There can be a little venom.

Necrosis can also be purely the body's response to a wound, too. You can get it with a cut.

I get a reaction from mosquito bites. The bite site swells up like an egg and gets red and itchy. If I take an antihistamine straight away it stops that.

Spiders have venom, if anything looks funny or gets hot can be a good idea to see a GP in case necrosis or infection is on the way.

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

channys_mum — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 05:51:24 GMT

We have reddies everywhere here.

When I lived in Melbourne late 80's I had a too close encounter with a white tail. Just a tad sore and ugly.

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

bright.ton42 — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 05:59:23 GMT

@amber-eyed-girl wrote:
Any spider bite can cause a reaction from rash to necrosis, depends on the person. As bidies bite for a reason, food or defense. There can be a little venom.

Necrosis can also be purely the body's response to a wound, too. You can get it with a cut.

I get a reaction from mosquito bites. The bite site swells up like an egg and gets red and itchy. If I take an antihistamine straight away it stops that.

Spiders have venom, if anything looks funny or gets hot can be a good idea to see a GP in case necrosis or infection is on the way.

Yes a friend of mine got bitten by a spider when she went to do some gardening and put on her gardening gloves which were outside. What followed was severe infection and/or necrosis for 2 years..... operations, thick bandages, she was in a mess. She doesn't know what the spider was.

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

b3llag1na — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 07:24:09 GMT

I was mowing yesterday and decided to break up a piece of timber that had been laying next to the veggie patch for the last few years.. picked it up and dropped it just as fast 'cause I felt something squishy.. the biggest redback I have ever seen ran out - her body was at least the size of my pointer fingernail! I know it was female because the squishy was her egg sack.... both got promptly taken care of. (And no I wasn't wearing gloves. I rarely do)

Looks like we will be spraying around the back yard again....

I have also had them hiding under the lip of the dogs water bucket, in the letterbox, between pot plants, in the rocks on the edge of the fish pond, and just recently found one in the ensuite - a tiny one. I think it came down through the ceiling fan.

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

lionrose.7 — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 07:29:34 GMT

I always thought red back were little till I saw that one in Southport, it was like the big black widow ones in America.

I used to shine the torch in the pantry at night to see if we had any left there, the red spot on their backs really stands out in torch light.

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

cmcoins2000 — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 07:30:37 GMT

@lionrose.7 wrote:
I always thought red back were little till I saw that one in Southport, it was like the big black widow ones in America.

I used to shine the torch in the pantry at night to see if we had any left there, the red spot on their backs really stands out in torch light.

I would never have eaten again.

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

lloydslights — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 07:57:06 GMT

B3. be mindful of insecticide near fish

DEB

Re: Nasty Redback surprise

b3llag1na — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 08:01:40 GMT

@lloydslights wrote:
B3. be mindful of insecticide near fish

DEB

Yeah Deb, it's a problem.... can't spray so I tend to "go hunting"and squish them instead!