Your opinion? Australian Redback Spider (Latrodectus hasselti) - A deadly pair

[Chavezshutter]

Hi Everyone,

More photos from my Grampians trip, I found what appears to be a redback "couple". I'm not sure if that's a thing as redback male spiders have a high chance of being eaten during mating (something which disturbingly some males help the female achieve) and they are solitary as far as I know. I found the lovely pair near the pool at the resort I was staying at, they were in an empty plant pot. I went back to take picture of them a few times but did not get a good composition, but one does not simply pose a redback spider unless you want a visit to the hospital. Redback spiders are amongst the most dangerous spiders in Australia, the only more dangerous would be the Sydney Funnel Web spider which is much more aggressive and larger. Thanks to antivenom a death has not been recorded from a redback bite since 1957.

I shot these at night, when the spiders were most active in the hope I would get to see one from the top but no luck. Hope you like them nonetheless

This was the male (at least i think so, its considerably smaller then the female that can be seen the background) - f/13, ISO 320, 1/160 sec, flash, handheld


Female redback spider - f/13, ISO 320, 1/160 sec, flash, handheld

 

[Greg Shchepanek]

Australia has the best spiders! I can't believe how big, small and beautiful they are ... Brilliant capture

 

[Chavezshutter]

Australia has the best spiders! I can't believe how big, small and beautiful they are ... Brilliant capture

Thanks mate, I got one coming up that is simply bizarre

 

[Greg Shchepanek]

Thanks mate, I got one coming up that is simply bizarre

If this spider was seen in North America. People would scream "Blackwidow!"

 

[nataliaflejszar&Photo]

be carful with the spiders . nice shots

 

[Chavezshutter]

If this spider was seen in North America. People would scream "Blackwidow!"

the other name for them is the Australian black widow, same family I believe, speaking of family if you look close you can see baby redbacks in my photos, only just noticed myself, i got a full redback family in these shots, how lovely

 

[Helix_2648]

Wow! It looks so dangerous and impressive. The mating ritual of spiders is really strange and the poor guys are just preys at the end of the day.

Are such kind of spider poisonous? Chavezshutter

 

[Chavezshutter]

Helix_2648 very poisonous but luckily not an aggressive spider, they live mostly outdoors and avoid humans for the most part, the two scenarios when they are likely to bite is when defending their eggs and young or if cornered in something like a shoe or clothing and an unlucky/careless human puts these items on unknowing the spider is in there. The Sydney funnel web spider is way more dangerous and aggressive but I don't need to worry about those as they live way further north then where I am.