Which Spiders Bite? How Dangerous Are They?
For most people the fear of spiders is psychological. But some species of spiders bite and that bite can be lethal.
Spiders are generally venomous, and their venom is toxic enough to kill their prey. However, they lack sharp fangs to pierce the human skin to inject that venom into us.
Only a few spider species among the known 40,000 have the fangs and venom dangerous enough for humans. A spiders bite from those species can be lethal to humans. In some extreme cases, even fatal. Read on to learn more about the deadly spiders you should be cautious of.
Spider Bites Chart
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Brown Recluse Spider
These spiders love to live in dark and secluded corners of the house. They prefer warm and dry climate, so they’re usually found in central and southern areas of U.S. They are non-aggressive spiders, but if by chance they get trapped against human skin they may attack.
In the case of a bite, there are no initial symptoms, but rather they start appearing after nearly 8 hours of the bite.
Common symptoms of a Brown Recluse Spiders bites include:
- red or purple ring around the wound
- burning pain
- itching
- fever
- blisters
- chills
- headache
Brown Recluse Spider
If the spider’s bite remains untreated, it can be lethal, and result in severe health problems such as:
- seizures
- coma
- kidney failure
- jaundice
- blood in the urine
No treatment is currently available for a Brown Recluse spiders bite, but as soon as you notice symptoms, consult a doctor immediately. In extreme scenarios, surgery or hospitalization may be inevitable.
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Black Widow Spiders
Black Widow spiders prefer dark and sheltered places. They are usually found in sheds, barns, and in woodpiles. They are shiny black in color and bear a distinct red colored hourglass mark on their abdomen.
Black Widow Spider
Only female Black Widows are toxic. Initially, it feels like a pinprick, but signs of the bite start appearing instantly. The symptoms you may experience from a Black Widow spiders bite include:
- Restlessness
- Muscle cramps
- Nausea
- High blood pressure
- Burning sensation
- Pain around the wound
- Headache
- Numbness
- Increased sweating and saliva
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Hobo Spider
These spiders live both indoors and outdoors and can be found in cracks and holes. They possess long legs and have a brown-colored thorax and a grey-colored abdomen with yellow markings on the lower body. Their bites mostly go unnoticed, and the initial symptoms begin to appear after 15 minutes of the initial bite.
Hobo Spider By Judgeking [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons
- joint pain
- nausea
- headache
- sweating
- blisters
- low blood cell count
- aural disruption
- visual disruption
Immediate medical treatment should be sought following Hobo spiders bite to avoid further complications.
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Wolf Spiders
Wolf spiders are widely found all across the United States. Their bites are quite painful and will result in redness and swelling of the sting spot. Despite the pain, the bites aren’t lethal, and their treatment requires only basic cleansing. Cleaning the surface, applying ice to the bite site will help in reducing the swelling and redness.
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Sometimes the large fangs of the wolf spider tear the skin as they bite and could result in swelling of the lymph nodes and infection.
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Pain and swelling will subside within a week, and usually, their bites don’t require emergency medical treatment unless the person suffers from severe allergic reaction towards the bite.
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Banana Spiders
As the name implies these spiders have a long body resembling a banana, and females bear yellow spots on their tan body. Banana spiders are found in warmer regions of the U.S. like North Carolina and the Gulf States.
Banana Spider
These spiders are not venomous, and they don’t usually bite humans, but could if they are held or provoked. However, the Banana spiders bite won’t produce any dangerous symptoms. At most the victim will feel a mild stinging sensation and some redness. It is similar to that of a bee sting.
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Tarantulas
These big, hairy, and intimidating spiders are common in the Southwest U. S. They have fine barbed hairs on their abdomen that they sometimes flick at people when they come across them. These hairs stick to the human body causing itching, swelling, and irritation.
Tarantulas are also known for biting people when provoked or if they feel threatened. Their bites are painful and could take up to a week to subside. Symptoms of a tarantula’s bite include redness of the bite area, and it may feel hot.
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A bite from a tarantula is not toxic, and won’t cause any serious health problems, but could be extremely painful.
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Funnel Web Spiders
These long-tailed spiders are extremely aggressive, and the venom they inject in their prey is so toxic that it kills them within moments. They don’t typically attack humans, but if they are disturbed or provoked, they won’t hesitate to attack a human. They hide in deep and hidden places like in gardens, burrows, under wood piles, and a house’s corners.
Funnel Spider
In the case of an unfortunate encounter with a funnel web spider, victims will feel symptoms such as:
- local pain
- abdominal pain
- nausea
- vomiting
- numbness in the mouth
- salivation
- sweating
In the case of such symptoms, emergency medical treatment should be taken immediately. Bites from a funnel web spider can be lethal.***
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