Redback Spiders

Family Theridiidae

Female Redback Spider, from above. Photo: M Gray © Australian Museum.

Redbacks are Australia's best-known spider. They appear in songs and even have a beer named after them. Redbacks live all over Australia but are less common in colder regions like Tasmania. They thrive in populated areas. Hundreds of bites are reported each year but less than 30 percent require antivenom treatment. Before an antivenom was available, Redback bites caused about a dozen known deaths. Only female Redbacks usually bite people - the males are generally too small.

Find out more:

• Identifying Redback Spiders
• Suspects gallery
• Where Redbacks live
• Home is where the food is
• Suicide males
• Redbacks galore
• Seasoned travellers
• Redback Spider bites
• Antivenom and first aid
• Redback Spiders links

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Copyright © Australian Museum, 2002