Redback Spiders are found Australia-wide, but are most common in urban areas living under roof eaves, floorboards, shelves, flower pots or in garden sheds. Female Redback Spiders are black, sometimes brown, and can be identified by a red or orange stripe on top of their abdomen. The male Redback Spider is usually light brown with white or yellow markings instead of red or orange. The female generally grows to 1cm while the male is a modest 5mm.

Watch out for the female
The female is characteristically aggressive and is the only one capable of harming humans. The male’s fangs are incapable of penetrating human skin.

Symptoms

The bite of the Redback Spider is highly venomous. It is characterised by intense localised pain around the bite site. Other plavix 75 mg online common  symptoms of a Redback Spider bite include:

• Sweating
• Muscular weakness
• Loss of coordination
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Convulsions (in serious cases)

How Do I Treat a Redback Spider Bite?

A Redback Spider bite can be life-threatening to a child or pregnant women, but is rarely serious for an adult.

Management:

• Keep casualty under constant observation
• Apply an ice pack or a cold compress to lessen the pain
• If the casualty is a young child, a pregnant women or if collapse occurs and pain is severe, transport the casualty to emergency medical treatment. Anitvenom is available.

The bite site is likely to remain red and itchy for a few days after the bite occurs. If symptoms are still present after 7 days, revisit your doctor.

Read more on Australia Wide First Aid