Poisonous spiders: How dangerous are they?
This article talks about poisonous spiders, what they are, the
different poisonous spiders and what you should do if you are bitten by
a poisonous spider. As kids grow up, they like to play with all kinds
of animals and different insects without ever giving a thought that they
could be poisonous or cause them harm. There are many different
poisonous spiders that we have come across throughout the years without
knowing if they were poisonous or not. First, we want to take a look at
what spiders are, what the most poisonous spiders are, and how to take
care of a bite from a poisonous spider.
Spiders come from arachnids. Arachnid is Greek for Arachne. They are
invertebrate, i.e., without a backbone and are called arthropods because
of their eight legs. They all have eight legs and mostly the front legs
are used as sensory organs. Spiders also have fangs. The spiders use
these fangs to capture their prey and to eat with. They also use their
fangs to inject their prey with the deadly venom.
The most poisonous spider is the Black Widow. Another poisonous
spider is the Brown Recluse. The Black Widow is found in the southern
most part of the United States and also in the Tropical Islands. The
female is the largest of the Black Widow and also the most poisonous. A
Black Widow’s venom is more lethal than a rattlesnake’s bite, and their
bite can be fatal if immediate medical attention is not sought.
The Brown Recluse is another very poisonous spider. The venom from
the Brown Recluse does damage to the tissue. The poison that is injected
kills the tissue cells at the site where the bite occurs. The bite is
very painful and when injected, the poison immediately starts attacking
and damaging the tissue cells. This is why ice should be applied and
immediate medical attention must be sought. The Brown Recluse may also
be called the “violin” spider. There is a marking on the back that
resembles a violin.
There are other poisonous spiders that we should be careful of,
although they are not as dangerous or poisonous as the Black Widow and
Brown Recluse.
The Hobo spider looks similar to the Brown Recluse, and the bite
symptoms and patterns are almost identical to each other. There have
been cases where the Recluse was blamed, but it was actually the bite of
the Hobo.
Other poisonous spiders are the Common House spider, Jumping spider, and
the Giant House spider. The Giant House spider’s bite is not as
poisonous as the others, but more of a nuisance.
The symptoms associated with a poisonous spider bite are redness to
the area; you may encounter aching joints, muscle spasms or cramps and
even may find it difficult to swallow. In the most severe cases, a
person could go into anaphylactic shock. This is when the eyes, tongue
and throat swell or close up, making it difficult to breathe. If this
should happen, 911 should be called immediately.
When a person is bitten by a poisonous spider, the area should be
washed thoroughly with soap and warm water. A Hydrocortisone ointment or
Benadryl may be applied to the area to help with the itching or
swelling. Tylenol can also be taken in order to alleviate the pain that
is associated with the poisonous spider bite. The area should be watched
for signs of infection, but most of all, medical attention should be
sought. The poisonous spider should also be taken with you if you are
able to capture it.
We all should be careful of our surroundings as we could encounter
poisonous spiders. You should always seek medical attention and if
possible, have your home and surrounding yard exterminated to keep these
poisonous spiders from becoming a nuisance. |
