This unidentified lizard didn't stand a chance when it was hunted down by this large redback spider.
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The struggle between the two was photographed by Diamond Beach resident, Sach Shakespeare-Collingan.
"It was the biggest redback I have ever seen in my life," Sach said.
Apologising for capturing just one shot of the arachnid, Sach said she thought it would jump on to her.
She estimated the spider's body was the size of a macadamia nut.
"It looked like it was sucking the blood out of the lizard's body."
Sach said she had noticed an increase in spider numbers over this summer season.
It looked like it was sucking the blood out of the lizard's body.
- Sach Shakespeare-Collingan
"We have had an invasion of spiders, especially redbacks," she said.
"Our back fence has been covered in spider webs."
Sach initially blamed her cat for the increasing number of dead lizards in the front and back yards.
But, on reflection, Sach believes it was the work of redback spiders which also have been congregating at her front door.
"I don't know if its because I have been watering the plants there."
Redback spiders have been known to prey on small lizards and even the occasional snake.
They catch meals by creating a structure that traps prey walking beneath it and then kill it with venom before securing it in silk.
To eat larger prey, the redback will inject digestive fluid to soften the insides in order to suck it up.
According to free, on-line encyclopedia, Wikipedia, this highly venomous spider can be extremely harmful to humans.
Females, easily identifiable by its distinctive red stripe, generally measure about 10mm, while the much smaller male is about 34mm.
Mainly nocturnal, the female lives in an untidy web in a warm sheltered location, commonly near or inside human residences.
It preys on insects, spiders and small vertebrates that become ensnared in its web.
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It kills its prey by injecting a complex venom through its two fangs when it bites, before wrapping them in silk and sucking out the liquefied insides.
Often, it first squirts its victim with what resembles 'superglue' from its spinnerets, immobilising the prey by sticking the victim's limbs and appendages to its own body.
The redback spider then trusses the victim with silk.
Once its prey is restrained, it is bitten repeatedly on the head, body and leg segments and is then hauled back to the redback spider's retreat.
Sometimes a potentially dangerous victim can be left to struggle for hours until it is exhausted enough to approach safely.
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Jeanene Duncan
Jeanene has more than 40 years experience as a regional and rural journalist starting at The Land Newspaper. She also worked for Stock Journal Newspaper (SA), McPherson, Fairfax newspapers and Rural Press, and contributed to various magazines.
Jeanene has more than 40 years experience as a regional and rural journalist starting at The Land Newspaper. She also worked for Stock Journal Newspaper (SA), McPherson, Fairfax newspapers and Rural Press, and contributed to various magazines.
