How to Keep Redback Spiders Out of Your Gold Coast Backyard
Dark, dry, undisturbed spots close to the ground are what they are looking for. Here is how to spot them safely, and when it is time for a professional treatment.
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Short answer: redback spiders look for dark, dry, undisturbed spots close to the ground, under outdoor furniture, in sheds, shoes left outside and around pot plants. Look for a shiny black body with a red or orange stripe. Keep kids and pets away from any spider you find, and if you are seeing them regularly in the same spots, that usually means a nest nearby and a professional treatment is the better option over one-off removal.
Written by Phil, CPH Services Gold Coast. Carpet cleaning technician and licensed pest control technician, working Gold Coast properties since 2011. IICRC accredited. Three Best Rated Best Business, 2016 to 2026.
Where they actually hide
Redbacks favour dark, dry, undisturbed spots that stay close to the ground. That means the underside of outdoor furniture, inside shoes and gardening gloves left outside, sheds, letterboxes, and the gaps around pot plants and garden edging. Anywhere that does not get moved or disturbed regularly is a candidate.
How to tell it is a redback
A shiny black body with a distinctive red or orange stripe running along the back of the abdomen is the giveaway. The web is another clue, redbacks build messy, tangled webs low to the ground, quite different to the neat, circular webs other common spiders spin higher up.
What to do if you find one
Keep children and pets well away from the area, and avoid handling it directly. A single spider found once is often manageable on your own with care. Finding them repeatedly in the same spot, or in multiple spots around the property, usually points to a nest nearby, and that is a job for a proper treatment rather than repeated one-off removal.
Keeping them from coming back
Check and clear dark, undisturbed areas regularly, under furniture, in sheds, behind pot plants
Shake out shoes and gardening gloves left outside before putting them on
Keep clutter away from the base of external walls
A redback bite can cause significant pain and other symptoms and should always be treated as a medical issue, seek medical attention if bitten. This is general pest information, not medical advice.
Finding redbacks in the same spots again and again? Call 1300 85 48 28. General pest control targets where they are actually nesting, not just the spiders you happen to see.
Got questions? Straight answers below. Or skip ahead:
Where do redback spiders usually hide on the Gold Coast?
Dark, dry, undisturbed spots close to the ground. Under outdoor furniture, inside shoes and gloves left outside, in sheds, letterboxes, and gaps around pot plants are the most common spots.
How do I know if a spider is a redback?
Look for a shiny black body with a distinctive red or orange stripe along the back of the abdomen. The web is also a clue, redbacks build messy, tangled webs close to the ground rather than the neat circular webs of many other spiders.
What should I do if I find a redback spider?
Keep children and pets away from the area and avoid handling it directly. A single spider can often be dealt with carefully yourself, but if you are finding them regularly around the same areas, that usually means a nest nearby, which is a job for a professional treatment rather than one-off removal.
Is a redback spider bite dangerous?
Redback bites can cause significant pain and other symptoms and should always be treated as a medical issue, seek medical attention if bitten. This is general pest information, not medical advice.
How do I stop redback spiders coming back?
Regularly check and clear dark, undisturbed spots like under furniture and in sheds, shake out shoes and gloves left outside, and keep clutter away from the base of walls. For an established problem, a professional treatment targets the areas they are actually nesting, not just the spiders you can see.
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