In Oz we call Black Widow spiders Redbacks (or, by some oldsters, Jockey Spiders)- they're the same apecies as the North American one. They seem to share a similar preference for where they live in both continents. Thanks for that export America!

MAny years ago there was a song called "Redback On The Toilet Seat" that went really well on the charts. Don't remember all the words, but it started something like:

There was a redback on the toilet seat
when I was there last night,
I didn't see it in the dark,
But Christ I felt its bite!

stales