Editing Redback spider (section)

===Introductions===
The redback spider's affinity for human-modified habitat has enabled it to spread to several countries via international shipping and trade. Furthermore, its tolerance to cold means that it has the ability to colonise many temperate countries with a winter climate cooler than Australia. This is concerning due to the risks to people being bitten who are unaware of its venomous nature, and also to the conservation of local threatened insect species that the redback might prey upon.<ref name="distributions paper"/>

Redback spiders are also found in small colonies in areas of New Zealand. They are frequently intercepted by quarantine authorities, often among steel or car shipments.<ref name="distributions paper">{{Cite journal | last1 = Vink | first1 = C. J. | last2 = Derraik | first2 = J. G. B. | last3 = Phillips | first3 = C. B. | last4 = Sirvid | first4 = P. J. | title = The Invasive Australian Redback Spider, ''Latrodectus hasseltii'' Thorell 1870 (Araneae: Theridiidae): Current and Potential Distributions, and Likely Impacts | doi = 10.1007/s10530-010-9885-6 | journal = Biological Invasions | volume = 13 | issue = 4 | pages = 1003–19 | year = 2010 | s2cid = 1887942 }}</ref> They were introduced into New Zealand in the early 1980s,<ref>{{citeQ|Q130183406}}</ref> and now are found around Central [[Otago]] (including [[Alexandra, New Zealand|Alexandra]], [[Bannockburn, New Zealand|Bannockburn]] and near [[Wānaka]]) in the South Island and [[New Plymouth]] in the North Island.<ref name="distributions paper"/><ref name="Slaughter"/><ref name="MAF">{{cite report |author1=Reed, C. |author2=Newland, S. |author3=Downs, J. |author4=Forbes, V. |author5=Gilbert, S. |title=MAF Biosecurity Pest Risk Assessment: Spiders Associated With Table Grapes From United States of America (State of California), Australia, Mexico and Chile |publisher=MAF Biosecurity |date=September 2002 |url=http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/regs/imports/risk/spiders-grapes-ra.pdf |access-date=18 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523183538/http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/regs/imports/risk/spiders-grapes-ra.pdf |archive-date=23 May 2010 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> Authorities in the United Arab Emirates warn residents and visitors of redback spiders, which have been present since 1990.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/environment/redback-spiders-are-back-don-t-panic-urges-dubai-municipality-1.1155440|title=Redback Spiders are Back: Don't Panic, urges Dubai Municipality|first=Mariam M.|last=Al Serkal|date=7 March 2013|access-date=1 September 2013|archive-date=27 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927121939/http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/environment/redback-spiders-are-back-don-t-panic-urges-dubai-municipality-1.1155440|url-status=live}}</ref> Colonies have also been established in greenhouses in Belgium{{cn|date=April 2025}}, and isolated observations indicate possible presence in [[New Guinea]], the Philippines, and India.<ref name="distributions paper"/> Some redbacks were found in [[Preston, Lancashire]], England, after a container of parts<!--what kind of parts?--> arrived from Australia; some may have escaped into the countryside before pest controllers could destroy them.<ref name="Metro">{{cite web | publisher= Metro | title= Deadly Australian Spiders 'invading' the UK, one Field at a Time | url= http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/832600-deadly-australian-spiders-invading-the-uk-one-step-at-a-time | date= 24 June 2010 | access-date= 24 June 2010 | archive-date= 26 June 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100626002010/http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/832600-deadly-australian-spiders-invading-the-uk-one-step-at-a-time | url-status= live }}</ref> One redback was found in a back garden in [[Borough of Dartford|Dartford]] in [[Kent]].<ref name='Kent"2014"'>{{cite news|last1=Clarke-Billings|first1=Lucy|title=Deadly spider that can kill with one bite found in a back garden in KENT|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/deadly-spider-can-kill-one-4715326|access-date=28 November 2014|work=Daily Mirror|date=28 November 2014|archive-date=28 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141128231625/http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/deadly-spider-can-kill-one-4715326|url-status=live}}</ref> Two females were discovered in the Iranian port city of [[Bandar Abbas]] in 2010.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Shahi, M. |author2=Hosseini, A. |author3=Shemshad, K. |author4=Rafinejad, J. |year=2011|title=The Occurrence of Red-Back Spider Latrodectus hasselti (Araneae: Theridiidae) in Bandar Abbas, Southern Part of Iran|journal= Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases |volume=5|issue=1|pages=63–68|pmid=22808411 |pmc=3385565 |url=http://journals.tums.ac.ir/full_text.aspx?org_id=59&culture_var=en&journal_id=20&issue_id=2289&manuscript_id=18843&segment=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019130429/http://journals.tums.ac.ir/full_text.aspx?org_id=59&culture_var=en&journal_id=20&issue_id=2289&manuscript_id=18843&segment=en|archive-date=19 October 2013 }}</ref>

There is an established population of redback spiders in [[Osaka]], Japan,<ref name="distributions paper"/><ref>{{cite journal|last=Ori|first=Masahisa|author2=Shinkai, Eiichi|author3=Ikeda, Hiroyoshi|title=Introduction of Widow Spiders into Japan|journal=Medical Entomology and Zoology|year=1996|volume=47|issue=2|pages=111–19|language=ja|doi=10.7601/mez.47.111|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name=nihei>{{Cite journal | last1 = Nihei | first1 = N. | last2 = Yoshida | first2 = M. | last3 = Kaneta | first3 = H. | last4 = Shimamura | first4 = R. | last5 = Kobayashi | first5 = M. | title = Analysis on the Dispersal Pattern of Newly Introduced ''Latrodectus hasseltii'' (Araneae: Theridiadae) in Japan by Spider Diagram | doi = 10.1603/0022-2585-41.3.269 | journal = Journal of Medical Entomology | volume = 41 | issue = 3 | pages = 269–76 | year = 2004 | pmid =  15185925| s2cid = 6939079 | doi-access = free }}</ref> thought to have arrived in cargoes of wood chips.<ref name="Vic">{{cite web | author= Victoria Museum | title= Redback Spider | url= http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/spidersparlour/spider13.htm | access-date= 18 February 2007 | archive-date= 27 January 2007 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070127012926/http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/spidersparlour/spider13.htm | url-status= live }}</ref>
In 2008, redback spiders were found in [[Fukuoka]], Japan. Over 700 have been found near the container terminal in [[Hakata Bay]], Fukuoka City.<ref name="xinhuanet1">{{cite web |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2012-12/26/c_132065195.htm |title=Japan's Fukuoka Wipes Out over 4,600 Poisonous Red-back Spiders |website=News.xinhuanet.com |date=26 December 2012 |access-date=4 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925195744/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/health/2012-12/26/c_132065195.htm |archive-date=25 September 2013  }}</ref> Dispersal mechanisms within Japan are unclear, but redbacks are thought to have spread by walking or by being carried on vehicles.<ref name=nihei/> In September 2012, after being bitten a woman was hospitalised in the Higashi Ward of Fukuoka City.<ref name="FukuokaNow">{{cite web | work= Fukuoka Now | title= Woman Bitten by Deadly Redback Spider | url= http://fukuoka-now.com/news/woman-bitten-by-deadly-redback-spider/ | access-date= 6 September 2012 | archive-date= 9 September 2012 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120909181756/http://fukuoka-now.com/news/woman-bitten-by-deadly-redback-spider/ | url-status= live }}</ref> Signs warning about redback spiders have been posted in parks around the city.<ref name="xinhuanet1"/>