As reported on Nine News this week, Brisbane is in the midst of a Redback spider invasion. Homes all over Brisbane are suffering with an influx of Redback spiders and experts are urging home owners to be vigilant about these deadly pests.
The hot and dry weather is ideal for Redback spiders and we have been experiencing an overwhelming number of calls from home owners looking for some relief from their Redback spider problem.
On the whole, spiders carry out an essential roll in our eco-system and are natural pest controllers themselves and many species we see around the home like the huntsman spider or golden orb spider are relatively harmless. Other species like the Redbback spider however, are considered dangerous and pack a very painful and potentially deadly bite. Females are aggressive and are easily spotted by their black bodies with red stripe on the abdomen, whereas males are much smaller and are brown and white in colour and do not carry a red stripe.
A Redback spider web is usually fairly easy to spot as the webs are messy and they capture a lot of loose leaf litter and debris because of how they are constructed and where they are usually constructed. They do not weave an orb shaped web suspended between two anchors but rather a gum-footed tangle web which is irregular in shape and created between two flat objects, which is why you will normally find them between the floor and a pot plant or the floor and outdoor furniture or underneath barbecues. The strands are incredibly strong, strong enough to support the Redback spider and strong enough to trap prey.
Common places to check around the home for Redbacks
Dry , sheltered areas such as:
Barbecues (check underneath)
Shake out any clothes that are left outside or in the she such as shoes and gloves bike helmets
Children's cubby houses and sandpits and play equipment
Outdoor toilets and wood piles.
Outdoor furniture
Redback spiders are known to put people in the hospital after a bite and have even been known to kill. Young children and elderly people are particularly vulnerable to Redback spider venom and medical attention should be sought if they are ever bitten. A Redback spider bite is extremely painful with the pain radiating away from the bite site. A Redback spider bite can cause nausea, excessive sweating and vomiting hours after the initial bite. If you or you suspect a family member has been bitten, please seek medical attention immediately.
Don’t let Redback’s move in, have your pest control brought up to date so Redback spider can’t make your home their home. Our general pest control services is designed with Redback spiders in mind, which is why we include a ceiling dust with every general pest control treatment as we know Redback spiders tend to dwell in the roof void area. We also spray under your eaves and around your weep holes so we can target where they live and dwell.
Contact us
So if you have started to see Redback spiders around the home or want to be preemptive in preventing them from becoming a pest. Call Results Home Services now for a quick quote and don’t forget to ask us about our amazing pest control and termite inspection packages. We service all of Brisbane.