Red Back Spider Bite Symptoms

The red back spider is related to the black widow spider and is similar in both appearance and potential for danger. It is the most common cause of serious spider bites in Australia. The venom is extremely dangerous and before anti-venom was created in 1956, many lives were lost.

About

• Female red back spiders are small, usually about the size of a pea. The males are even tinier with fangs too small to inflict any harm to humans. Females have spherical black abdomens decorated with an orangey red stripe. Young spiders have additional white markings on their undersides. The spider's web is sticky and messy looking. Egg sacks are visible in the web material. Often one will spot the web before identifying the actual spider.

Location

• Red back spiders are scattered across Australia and Tasmania. They dwell in locations with adequate food supplies, such as small bugs or even lizards. Warm and arid conditions are necessary for web building and mating. They prefer to build their homes near human habitats. We create safe hiding places for them and shelter them from the elements. It is not uncommon to find them hiding in houses, automobiles, mailboxes, shrubs and carports

Danger

• Only a small amount of red back spider venom is needed to cause series harm to humans, as the poison attacks the central nervous system. In series cases, that go untreated, it is possible for an individual to face paralysis and even death. Only the female red back spider bite is dangerous. More than 250 people each year receive the anti-venom for bites. These spiders are not aggressive and the likelihood of being bitten is not high unless you stick your hand into a web or step directly on a spider without wearing shoes.

Symptoms

• The bitten individual feels a small amount of pain at the initial bite site. This pain grows into severe discomfort. Nausea and pain in the abdomen follow. Profuse sweating is common and is coupled with excess saliva. Muscles will feel numb or weak. It can become difficult to breathe. Coughing typically occurs and the heart beats rapidly. Fortunately the venom spreads slowly and there is adequate time to reach the hospital. No deaths have occurred from red back spider bites since the anti-venom was created.

Treatment

• The patient should be kept as calm as possible and movement needs to be restricted. Anti-venom is available at the hospital so there is no cause for serious alarm, even if the hospital is far or conditions make it difficult to reach the hospital quickly. Since the venom travels slowly, it is not necessary to apply pressure or bandage the bite wound. In fact applying pressure will only intensify the effects of the pain. Place ice on the wound to control swelling and regulate pain with medication. If it is possible to take the spider with you to the hospital, do so for identification purposes. It is important to go to the hospital where they will administer the anti-venom and control pain and the symptoms associated with the bite.