has a round body about the size of a large pea (1 centimetre long), with long, slender legs. The body is a
, Often containing an obvious orange to red longitudinal stripe on the upper abdomen. Juvenile spiders have additional white markings on the abdomen. In the process of mating, the much smaller male somersaults to place his abdomen over the female's
. In about 2 out of 3 cases, the female consumes the male while fully Continues mating. WHO males are not eaten die of
The eating process allows for a longer period of copulation and fertilization of more eggs Thus Spake.
WHO Females have eaten a male are more Likely to reject subsequent males Although this prohibits the possibility of future mating for the males, this is not a serious disadvantage Because the spiders are sufficiently sparse That only
20% of males ever find a Their potential mate during
lifetime. Males will bite through the exoskeleton and deliver sperm to the organs without performing the somersault seen in adult males mating with Females. The Females then moult within a few days and deliver a normal
clutch of eggs.
A
female spider may lay eggs every
25 to 30 days. A single female normally lays Between 40 and 300 eggs in each sac but can lay up to
5000 eggs. Young
Redback spiders leave the maternal web by being Carried on the wind. The spider extends its abdomen high in the air and Produces a droplet of silk. The liquid silk is drawn out into a long Gossamer thread that, when long enough, carries the spider away. The
Redback spider is commonly found in close proximity to human residences.