Redback spider bite
A redback spider bite usually shows up as often little to see — a pinprick, sometimes two punctures with a red mark, red, sometimes with local sweating, appearing immediate sharp pain that intensifies over the first hour. It peaks around 1 to 12 hours and generally lasts pain can persist for a day or more. Single site is the usual arrangement.
| Looks like | often little to see — a pinprick, sometimes two punctures with a red mark |
|---|---|
| Pattern | single site |
| Size | 2–20 mm |
| Appears | immediate sharp pain that intensifies over the first hour |
| Worst at | 1 to 12 hours |
| Lasts | pain can persist for a day or more |
| Itch | ●○○○○ 1/5 |
| Pain | ●●●●● 5/5 |
| Usually on | hands, buttocks, feet — often from reaching into or sitting on something stored outdoors |
| Active | September, October, November, December, January, February, March, April, the spider is nocturnal but bites whenever trapped against skin |
How to tell it apart
A glossy black spider with a red or orange stripe along the back of the abdomen, found across Australia including in cities. The bite itself may show almost nothing — what identifies it is pain that builds rather than fades, often with sweating at the site.
Where and when you meet it
Habitat: dry sheltered spots across Australia — under outdoor furniture, in letterboxes, sheds, pot plants and the underside of outdoor toilet seats.
Where it is recorded
| Country | Records | Peak months there |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 7,169 | January, April |
| Germany | 2 | — |
Verified records from the GBIF biodiversity database across the seven countries we cover. A country missing from this table means we have no records for it, not that the species is absent.
What it means for you
There has been no confirmed death from a redback bite in Australia since antivenom became available in the 1950s, and many bites cause only local pain. The reason to be seen is not mortality but that the pain can be severe and prolonged, and it is treatable.
Seek medical care if
- pain that spreads from the bite up the limb
- sweating, nausea, vomiting or muscle weakness
- any suspected bite in a child, an older adult or during pregnancy
Care at home
- apply a cold pack and take simple pain relief
- do NOT apply a pressure immobilisation bandage — the venom moves slowly and bandaging increases pain
- seek medical care if pain spreads or worsens; antivenom exists and pain relief matters
Preventing the next one
- gloves when moving pots, boxes and outdoor furniture
- shake out shoes and gloves stored outside
- check under garden seats and around letterboxes
Common questions
How do I know it was a redback spider?
A glossy black spider with a red or orange stripe along the back of the abdomen, found across Australia including in cities. The bite itself may show almost nothing — what identifies it is pain that builds rather than fades, often with sweating at the site.
How long does a redback spider bite last?
Typically pain can persist for a day or more, peaking around 1 to 12 hours.
When is it a problem?
Seek care for: pain that spreads from the bite up the limb; sweating, nausea, vomiting or muscle weakness; any suspected bite in a child, an older adult or during pregnancy.
Can it transmit disease?
No human disease is known to be transmitted by this species in the United States. The practical risk is infection from scratching.
Get a photo assessment in the app
Everything above is free to read. The app adds what a page cannot: point your camera at the bite and get an assessment of the most likely cause, a severity read, and a day-by-day care plan — including the specific signs that mean you should be seen.
iPhone and iPad. Free to download.