Deadly Australian arachnid proves a more docile variety

A DEADLY Australian Redback spider found in Leixlip, Co Kildare turned out to be a little less dangerous when named at Dublin Zoo as, in fact, a common European spider.

Australian Mike Carter discovered what he believed to be the deadly spider while carrying out work on a pillar outside a house in Leixlip. Mr Carter, who has seen Redbacks back home, said he saw what he thought was a Redback’s web before capturing the spider in a crack in the pillar. He took it in a jar to the zoo yesterday because he feared people would not recognise it as potentially deadly. The Redback is closely related to the notorious Black Widow spider, and only differs in appearance by the absence of a red dorsal stripe. Only the female’s bite is dangerous, and the venom acts directly on the nerves, causing illness and in rare cases death.

Director of Dublin Zoo, Leo Oosterweghel, said while the arachnid in question does resemble a Redback, it is a harmless European spider. The precise species has yet to be identified.

“I can understand why he mistook it for an Australian red-backed spider, but it’s not, it’s a European species,” he told The Irish Times. “There are European spiders that can still be quite painful and unpleasant, but nothing like what you see in Australia – especially for people with sensitivity and allergy – they can kill you.”

Mr Oosterweghel thanked Mr Carter for bringing the spider to the zoo’s attention and encouraged the public to send in photographs when coming across unidentified creatures.