Are green spiders poisonous or not? Spiders
Only a few people like spiders. These little creatures are often described as "disgusting", "nasty" or "creepy", but in reality they do not deserve such a bad reputation. Most spiders are completely harmless to people. Moreover, many of them are beneficial to humans because they destroy pests in our homes and gardens. If we still can't convince you to stop hating these tiny creatures, then the twenty-five adorable spiders we'll tell you about below will convince you that even spiders can be cute, or at least entertaining.
25. Elegant Golden jumping spider
Found in Southeast Asia, this species of jumping spider is known for its long abdomen, long first pair of legs, and unique coloring. Males typically reach only about 0.76 centimeters in length, females are slightly larger.
24. Bird dung crab spider masquerading as bird droppings)
This spider is notable for its unique method of camouflage. Its body is covered with growths and warts that give it the appearance of a piece of fresh bird droppings. The spider enhances its imitation of bird droppings by drawing its legs closer to its body and lying motionless on a leaf for many hours.
23. Spiny orb weaver
This spider gets its name from the noticeably prominent spines on its abdomen. These spiders, which reach more than 2.5 centimeters in diameter (measured from spine to spine), are generally harmless to humans.
22. Smiling spider
The body length of this spider is only 0.5 centimeters. It is notable for the fact that on its yellow body there is a clearly visible pattern resembling a smiling emoticon. The "smiling" spider is endemic to Oahu, Molokai, Maui and the island of Hawaii, where it lives in tropical forests at an altitude of 304 - 1981 meters.
21. Diving bell spider
This species of spider, best known as the water spider, is the only spider currently known to spend its entire life underwater. Like other spiders, it breathes air, which it collects in a bladder held by hairs on its abdomen and legs. Males of this species are approximately 30 percent larger than females, which is quite unusual for spiders.
20. Himalayan jumping spider
The Himalayan jumping spider is a tiny spider that lives high in the Himalayas. These spiders have been found at altitudes exceeding 6,705 meters above sea level. Its only source of food at such extreme altitudes is random insects blown onto the mountain slopes by the wind.
19. Arrowhead spider
This spider is a brightly colored arachnid whose legspan is only 2.5 centimeters. These tiny creatures, completely harmless to humans, can be found in spring, summer and autumn. They hide in low shrubs about 60 to 90 centimeters above the ground in woodlands, wetlands, gardens and grassy marshes.
18. Argiope Brunnich or wasp spider (Wasp spider)
Like all orb-weaving spiders, this spider is not poisonous. Wasp spiders weave their webs between grass at a height of up to 30 centimeters. Adult females are much larger than males.
17. Blond's theraphosis or Goliath bird eating spider
The Goliath tarantula is the second largest spider in size (after the giant huntsman spider), based on its leg span, but based on body mass, it is the largest in the world. Despite its name, the spider does not usually eat birds; it feeds on insects. It is poisonous, but its venom is relatively harmless and its effects are comparable to a wasp sting.
16. Green jumping spider
Found in Queensland, New Guinea, New South Wales, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, this species is one of the largest jumping spiders. Males are strikingly brightly colored and adorned with long white whiskers.
15. Golden orb-weaving spider (Writing spider)
Commonly found in most Central American countries and the Antilles regions (from Mexico to Panama), this species is distinguished by its bright, rich belly colors. Females are three to four times larger than males. Their leg span can reach more than 12 centimeters.
14. Ladybug mimic spider
These spiders are thought to mimic ladybugs because ladybugs are not palatable to birds and other predators, and predators usually avoid them. Despite its adorable appearance, this little creature actually belongs to a group that includes tarantulas and black widows.
13. Red-backed jumping spider
Found in relatively dry environments such as coastal dunes or oak woodlands of western North America, the red-backed jumping spider is one of the largest and most commonly found jumping spiders. This species builds conspicuous tubular silk nests on the ground under rocks and pieces of wood and sometimes on vines.
12. Mason spider or trapdoor spider
Mason spiders are notable for their unique hunting technique. These medium-sized spiders build burrows with a trapdoor-like door, which they usually make from soil, vegetation and silk, and then wait halfway out of the burrow for their prey.
11. Hyllus Diardi jumping spider (Heavy jumping spider)
Like other jumping spiders, this species does not build webs. Instead, it hunts on the move, attaching a silk thread to some support before "bungee jumping" onto a suitable prey. The body length of this spider reaches 1.27 centimeters.
10. Peacock spider
This species of spider, whose habitat is limited to certain areas of Australia, is one of the most colorful and vibrant. Males, colored in bright shades of red, blue and black, have a trap-like appendage on their abdomen with white hairs that they can lower down. They use it to attract females during mating season.
9. Ogre-faced spider
These spiders, found throughout much of the world in the tropics, got their name due to the supposed resemblance of their appearance to that of the mythological creature, the ogre. Spiders make a web that they suspend between their front legs and when prey approaches, they stretch the web to two or three times its original size and throw it over the prey.
8. Tree stump spider
This species of spider, native to South America, is known for its unusually shaped abdomen that looks like a growing branch. This feature is probably used either as a hunting method or as cover from predators.
7. Ant – mimic jumping spider
Ant-mimicking spiders are primarily found in the tropics from Africa to Australia, and some species are also found in the New World. Their color varies from black to yellow, depending on what type of ant they imitate. One African species of spider imitates one species of ant when immature and a completely different species as an adult.
6. Long-horned orb-weaver
Orb-weaving spiders are three-clawed, flat web builders with a sticky spiral of silk to capture prey. As a rule, in the evening, the spider eats the old web, rests for about an hour, and then spins a new web in the same place.
5. Australian garden orb weaver
These spiders, which can be found throughout the coastal regions of Australia's eastern states, are notable for their ability to change their color with each molt to better match the background in which they rest during the day.
4. Wide – jawed viciria
This spider lives in garden foliage and in the wastelands of Singapore and Indonesia. Both sexes reach approximately 0.76 - 1.27 centimeters in length. Vitsiriya is a colorful member of the jumping spider family.
3. Sequined spider
This spider, also known as the Australian stained glass spider, is found in all Australian states. These spiders are one of the smallest species. The body length of males is approximately 0.3 centimeters, and females - 0.4 centimeters.
2. Eight-spotted crab spider
Discovered in Singapore in 1924, this spider species is one of the most colorful. Its body length is approximately 2.5 centimeters, and it is also one of the largest species of sidewalk spiders.
1. Regal jumping spider
The royal jumping spider is the largest species of jumping spider in North America. The male's body length is 1.27 centimeters, and the female's is 1.52 centimeters. Males and females are easy to distinguish. Males are always black with a pattern of white spots and stripes. Females often have a similar pattern. However, they vary in color and range from shades of gray to bright orange.
Spiders were among the earliest animals to live on earth. Despite the fact that the life span of spiders on the planet is quite significant, spider fossils are rare. According to historians, biologists and archaeologists, the first spiders on our planet appeared approximately four hundred million years ago. The ancestors of modern spiders were arachnid insects, quite thick and large in size. For a long period of time, this arachnid insect lived in water.
Tarantulas belong to the genus of higher spiders of the wolf spider family. This species is distinguished by its large body size (tarantulas can reach 3.5–7 cm in length), as well as the presence of poisonous glands. Most often, all large spiders are called tarantulas. This is a very common misconception. For example, the same tarantula spider, despite its large size, has nothing to do with tarantulas. The habitat of tarantulas is an area devoid of moisture. Most often, representatives of this species can be found in the desert sands and steppes. Tarantulas feed on small insects and animals, attacking them and killing them with poison. Another very common misconception is that a tarantula can pose a threat to humans. Yes, there can be a threat, but only for those who are terrified of spiders. Tarantula venom cannot kill humans. The bite of this spider can be compared to the bite of a wasp or hornet; it can cause swelling or severe pain shock, but does not poison a person.
There are several types of spiders in the world that people should be wary of. There are only two such individuals in the United States. These are the “brown recluse” (Loxosceles reclusa) and the “black widow” (Latrodectus mactans). The bites of these spiders are fatal due to their venom.
Brown recluses can be found in homes throughout the American West, hiding in cracks in the floors. The bites of these spiders never heal. Anyone who wants to look at these terrible wounds is welcome here. So to know. But I warned you!
"Black Widow" is black with scarlet spots. This type of spider never attacks a person itself, only if people try to touch it. A distinctive feature of these spiders is an unusually clear hourglass-shaped pattern on their body:
Photo from here
The female is a very poisonous spider. Males are less common and are harmless. Males have four pairs of red dots located along the sides of the abdomen. After mating, the female devours the male, hence the name “black widow”. But even among black widows, cannibalism does not occur in 100% of cases - it is rather a deviation from the norm. The female's bite is poisonous to humans; such a bite is accompanied by local pain, swelling, nausea, difficulty breathing and is sometimes fatal.
Another dangerous spider is the karakurt (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus). It is quite common in the steppe zone of Central Asia, as well as in the Caucasus and Crimea. Karakurt is a small spider, its length usually does not exceed twenty millimeters. The habitat for karakurts is virgin lands, wastelands, banks of irrigation canals, and so on. People are susceptible to karakurt bites during the migration period of females (this is approximately June-July). The most poisonous are sexually mature females; the karakurt venom is fifteen times stronger than the venom of a rattlesnake. After a bite, a small spot remains on the body, which quickly disappears. Within fifteen minutes, sharp pain begins in the abdomen, lower back and chest, then the legs go numb. The patient becomes lethargic and cannot sleep due to severe pain. Recovery occurs in about three weeks, or even more. In severe cases and in the absence of medical care, death occurs already on the second day.
The words “spider” and “web” are quite familiar to all of us. We know well that the spider hunts with the help of its web. But this is not always the case. Some spiders do not use webs at all. A striking representative of a spider that does not use a web is the sidewalker. The spider simply camouflages itself in a flower and waits for prey. Due to its abilities, the spider can move not only forward and backward, but sideways, so it does not waste time turning around. And it is precisely these fractions of a second that are not enough for the victim to escape.
Synema globosum:
Photo from here
Jumping spiders have eight eyes, with two of them located at the back. The spider got its name from its ability to jump over a distance several times greater than its body length. And the point here is not in the legs, but in the circulatory system. Before jumping, the spider's pressure increases several times, due to which the hind legs sharply straighten and the spider flies towards the victim, not forgetting to protect itself with the web.
Photo from here
The wolf spider uses its web as a rope to tie and hang its prey. His feet feed him. The wolf spider can walk on water and even dive for small tadpoles or fry.
The pirate spider uses its web as a signal. He stretches it in front of the mink and ties the ends to his legs.
Some of the flower spiders are able to change their color for more than a few days, usually between white and yellow, depending on the color of the flower on which they are resting.
Another interesting spider is Argyroneta aquatica. This is a water spider. If you translate the name literally, you get “the one who has the silver thread.” The spider, or rather the spider, is very small in size, only up to one and a half centimeters in length. However, the bite of this insect is very painful. Spiders live in water, or rather, under water. Habitat: Central and Northern Europe. Underwater, each spider has a bag woven from a web. Previously, it was believed that this bag was used to store food and to hide in times of danger. It was only recently that scientists discovered that the primary task of underwater bags is to store air. Spiders catch air bubbles underwater and carefully carry them into their bag on their paws, and the spiders react very strongly to the composition of the air inside the bag.
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The male peacock spider Maratus volans uses dancing and colorful “outfit” to attract females:
Photo from here
The pattern on the abdomen of the spider Cyclocosmia truncata resembles an ancient seal. The spider uses its disk as one of the methods of protection in cases of danger. They lead a sedentary lifestyle, so they do not stray far from their burrows. When threatened, it crawls into its hole head first and closes the entrance to the shelter with its hard disk.
Taken from here
Photo from here
Spiny spiders look unusual. These spiders are common in tropical and subtropical zones. There are six spines along the edge of their abdomen. They give the spider a more intimidating appearance, which helps scare away potential enemies:
Photo from here
They feed on small insects that they catch in their nets. The spider trap is a fairly strong net, reaching a diameter of 30 centimeters. They have an almost perfect circle shape, in the middle of which there is a thin network. It serves as a base for the spider.
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The web resembles computer disks:
Photo from here
And now just a selection of interesting and bright spiders by color.
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Red with yellow:
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Red with black:
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Red with white:
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Orange:
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(Araneus marmoreus - Marble cross):
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(Brachypelma boehmei):
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Yellow:
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(Gasteracantha arcuata):
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Green, from emerald to lemon:
(Araneus cingulatus and Mopsus mormon):
Photos from here and here
(Grammostola pulchra):
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(Poecilotheria ornata):
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(Nigma walckenaeri):
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(Colaranea viriditas):
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(Peucetia viridans):
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(Avicularia purpurea):
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Spiders are arthropods that belong to the class of arachnids. Representatives of this class, today, there are about 40 thousand species. They differ from each other in their way of life, appearance, and type of nutrition. A wide variety of spider species are found in nature: the smallest and most harmless spiders (0.37 mm), as well as the most dangerous spiders and even the most poisonous spiders in the world (up to 25 cm). And in this article we will tell you about several amazing and interesting species.
Tarantula spider – Theraphosidae
The tarantula spider is perhaps the largest spider in the world, or rather the family of tarantula spiders (Theraphosidae). Some members of this family can reach 30.5 cm in leg span, such as the king baboon, black tarantula and purple tarantula. The body of tarantulas is always densely covered with long and short hairs. Body color can be either gray-brown or bright colors (red, blue, red). Tarantulas live in countries with hot climates (Africa, South America, Oceania, Australia). These spiders inhabit abandoned nests of birds and rodents or dig holes near tree trunks. They are active mainly in the evening. Then they go hunting or catch a prey running nearby. Tarantulas feed on insects, small birds and rodents. These spiders breed in late summer. The female lays eggs in a cobweb cocoon, which she carries with her and does not lose sight of. They protect the offspring, so that the spiderlings that emerge from the cocoon continue to sit on the mother’s abdomen for some time. But soon they begin to lead an independent life. The tarantula's venom paralyzes the victim and decomposes its entrails, then the spider sucks out the contents of the victim's body. For humans, the tarantula's venom is not dangerous, but quite painful. The bite site bakes, hurts and swells, sometimes turning yellow. But these symptoms go away after a few weeks.
Cross spider – Araneus
Crossworts are members of the orb weaver family (Araneidae). They belong to the contract web spiders. They have an egg-shaped convex abdomen, on which there is a pattern in the form of a cross. Body color ranges from gray to red. They are covered with long bristles, sparsely distributed throughout the body and densely covered with short, thin hairs. Body length in males is 10-11 mm, in females – 17-40 mm. About 30 species of crosses live in the CIS and Russia. These spiders are active in the evening. They deftly weave webs that catch many small insects. Mating and egg laying occurs in the fall. The female lays eggs in a web cocoon and hides it under the bark or other secluded place. In the spring, spiderlings emerge from the cocoon. By the end of summer, a new generation of spiders grows up, and their mother dies. The cross spider is poisonous, but it is not dangerous to humans. Its bite is painful, but the burning and swelling at the site of the bite goes away after a few hours.
Karakurt spider - Latrodectus tredecimguttatus
This is not a large black spider at all. The body of the female (10-20 mm) is completely black, which is why she is also called a black widow, the body of the male (4-7 mm) is also black, but with bright red spots on the abdomen (usually 13 spots ). The karakurt spider lives in Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, North Africa, Southern Europe, Kazakhstan, southern Russia and Ukraine. They prefer the slopes of ravines, virgin wormwood, wastelands, and the banks of irrigation ditches. Karakurts inhabit abandoned rodent burrows and ventilation systems, entwining the entrance with cobwebs. In such dens, females and males mate at the end of summer. The female lays her eggs in a cocoon of cobwebs and hangs it in her den. In spring, spiderlings emerge from cocoons. Karakurts feed on small insects. Their venom is toxic to large animals and people. There is a burning sensation and swelling at the site of the bite. After 10-15 minutes, the poison spreads throughout the body and the person experiences pain in the chest and abdominal area. Dizziness, nausea, sweating, rapid heartbeat, and delirium also occur. And if medical assistance is not provided in time, death is possible (in most cases). Karakurt bites through the skin only 0.5 mm, so it is recommended to cauterize the bite site with a lit match within 2 minutes after the bite.
White karakurt - Latrodectus pallidus
Image of white karakurt
This is a white spider, with long legs and a round abdomen. The abdomen is white or milky in color, with 4 indentations. The legs and cephalothorax are yellow or light brown. The white spider has a body 10-20 mm long. Females are larger than males. White spiders weave a web in the shape of a cone, which is connected to a trapping net. They live in North Africa, the Middle East, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. The white karakurt spider is not aggressive, but its poison is toxic and can cause complications. Children and the elderly are most susceptible to the effects of the poison. Toxicological studies have shown that the poison of the white karakurt is similar to the poison of the karakurt (Latrodectus tredecimtugattus). If you are bitten by this spider, you should consult a doctor.
Camel spider - Camel spider
The camel spider has many names: phalanges, bihors, salpugs, barbers, barbers, wind scorpion. The body (5-7 cm) is slightly oblong, light and dark red, densely covered with long, thin hairs. The camel spider's body shape is similar to a scorpion, especially with its chelicerae (claws). With them he is able to bite through a human nail and even small bird bones. He also uses his chelicerae to trim hairs and feathers from his victims and place them in his home. The camel spider lives in the desert regions of Asia, Africa, America, and Europe. Phalanx spider is a nocturnal predator. It is practically omnivorous and carnivorous, feeding on various insects, rodents, and lizards. Camel spiders have eyes like scorpions: 2 compound eyes in the middle and one on each side of the cephalothorax. Compound eyes are highly responsive to movement, so these spiders are incredibly fast, up to 53 cm/s (1.9 km/h).
The camel spider is not poisonous, but it does have an incredibly painful bite. And also on its chelicerae the remains of the tissues of the previous victim can rot, which can cause serious inflammation.
Jumping spiders – Salticidae
Jumping spiders or jumping spiders are a family of araneomorphic spiders that includes 610 genera and 5,800 species. They live in tropical forests, deserts, semi-deserts, temperate forests and mountains. These are small spiders, up to 2 cm long. The body is pubescent. These spiders have well-developed vision. They have 8 eyes, thanks to which they see 360º degrees. Jumping spiders differ from each other in body shape, color and range. There are the following types of jumping spiders:
- the golden jumping spider lives in the south-east of Asian countries, and is characterized by a long abdominal part and a large first pair of legs. The body has a very peculiar golden color. The length of the male rarely exceeds 76 mm, and the females are larger;
- Himalayan jumping spiders are the smallest spiders. They live high above sea level, in the Himalayas, where their only prey is the occasional small insect that is blown onto mountain slopes by strong winds;
- The green jumping spider lives in New Guinea, New South Wales and Queensland. Often found in Western Australia. The male has a very bright color, and his body is decorated with long white “whiskers”;
- The red-backed species of jumping spider settles in relatively dry areas. The red spider is often found on coastal dunes or oak woodlands in North America. These red spiders are unique in that they are able to build tube-like silken nests under rocks and on the surface of vines;
- the species Hyllus Diardi has a body up to 1.3 cm long. Compared to other types of jumping spiders, it does not weave a web, therefore, to catch prey, it attaches a silk thread to some support, and then jumps from such a peculiar “bungee” onto its victim;
- the ant jumping spider looks very similar to an ant and is most often found in tropical zones from Africa to central Australia. Body color can vary from light yellow to black.
Jumping spiders are unique in that they can jump long distances (up to 20 times their body size). Before jumping, they cling to the substrate with a web (thus securing their jump), then push their body out with their hind legs. Jumping spiders are absolutely harmless to humans. They have poison, but it has no effect on humans, and their bite is almost painless.
Argiope bruennichi or spider wasp - Argiope bruennichi
Argiope has the second name of the wasp spider, since the color of the body and the shape of the abdomen resemble a wasp. Body length 2-3 cm (leg span). The abdomen is elongated with bright stripes, the predominant colors are yellow, white, and black. The legs are long, thin, and mostly in an X-shaped position. The spider wasp lives in Kazakhstan, Asia Minor, Central Asia, China, Korea, India and Japan, North Africa, Southern and Central Europe, Crimea, and the Caucasus. These spiders are also found quite often in Russia. Argiope belongs to the spiders of the orb-weaving spider family (Araneidae). It is typical for these spiders to weave a wheel-shaped web, and have a stabilimentum (zigzag pattern) in the center. This is a forest spider. It very often settles on lawns, forests, gardens, in tall grass, between tree branches. The wasp spider feeds on various insects. Mating occurs after the female has moulted, while her body remains soft. The female lays eggs in a large cocoon (outwardly resembling a plant seed pod) and places it next to the hunting web. Spiderlings emerge from the cocoon at the beginning of autumn and settle downwind on cobwebs. The wasp spider is not dangerous to humans. Its venom may only cause slight redness, swelling and pain, but these symptoms go away very quickly.
Wolf spiders – Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are a family of araneomorph spiders that number 2,367 species. The body color is usually gray-brown. The body is covered with small short hairs. Some species reach more than 3 cm (leg span). The wolf spider lives almost everywhere except Antarctica. He prefers damp forests, meadows, hiding under fallen leaves, stones, and wood. They don't weave webs. These are earth spiders, so they live in a hole, which is only covered with cobwebs inside. If this is the private sector, you can easily stumble upon it in the basement. If there is a vegetable garden nearby, he can easily get into your cellar. Active at night. The wolf spider hunts insects or catches those who run near its burrow. This spider is a good jumper. He can jump on the victim, securing himself with a web. Mating occurs in the summer. After mating, the female lays eggs in a cocoon that she carries at the end of her abdomen. After 2-3 weeks, the spiderlings emerge from the cocoon and climb onto their mother’s abdomen. They sit like this until they learn to get their own food. The wolf spider is not dangerous to humans. Its bite is equivalent to a bee sting, which causes itching, swelling and redness, which disappears fairly quickly.
Harvesting spiders – Pholcidae
This family has about 1000 species of spiders. Harvesting spiders have a small body and long thin legs. Body size 2-10 mm. The length of the legs reaches 50 mm. Body color is grayish or reddish. Harvesting spiders are ubiquitous. Some species live in people's homes. There they find warm and dry places, mainly near windows. They feed on small insects. These spiders weave large webs in a chaotic manner. The web is not sticky, but when the victim tries to get out of it, it becomes even more entangled. After mating, females lay eggs in a web cocoon, which they attach to the side of the trapping nets. For humans, harvest spiders are absolutely harmless. Their venom is safe, and the bite cannot be felt.
Goliath tarantula - Theraphosa blondi
This giant spider is considered the largest in the world. The span of its legs reaches 30 cm. In Venezuela (1965), one of the representatives of this species was listed in the Guinness Book of Records. The span of its legs was 28 cm. It is believed that the leg span of Heteropoda maxima is even longer, up to 35 cm. But this species has a small body and long thin legs. So he is small compared to the massive goliath.
The body of the goliath is light or dark brown, densely covered with short hairs. They live in burrows, the entrance of which is covered with cobwebs. This huge spider lives in the tropical forests of Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, and northern Brazil. It feeds on various insects, rodents, frogs, lizards and even snakes. The life expectancy of females is 15-25 years, males - 3-6. These spiders are amazing in that they are able to make a hissing sound by rubbing their chelicerae; the ability to shake hairs from the abdomen into the enemy’s face, which cause swelling of the mucous membrane. The goliath tarantula also has large and sharp chelicerae (claws), with which it can bite very painfully. Their venom is not dangerous to humans; the symptoms are the same as after a bee sting.
Runner spider (soldier spider, banana spider, wandering spider) – Phoneutria
The Brazilian spider is the most poisonous spider in the world. The length of its body reaches 15 cm. The body is pubescent, gray-brown in color. It lives in Central and South America. The runner spider feeds on insects, frogs, lizards, and small birds. Lives in burrows, under leaf litter. But very often, secluded places in people’s homes become its home. It is often called banana because it is often found in boxes of bananas. These scary spiders have incredibly toxic venom that causes instant death, which is why they are the most poisonous spiders in the world. Their venom contains the neurotoxin PhTx3, which paralyzes all muscles in the human body, causing suffocation and then death. Only 2-6 hours pass between the bite and death. Old people and children are most exposed to the runner spider's venom. Today there is a vaccine that neutralizes the effect of the poison, so if you are bitten by a spider, you should immediately consult a doctor.
As you can see, representatives of arachnids are so different: some of them are pleasing to the eye, while the sight of others makes the blood freeze in your veins, some can be picked up or kept in your home as a pet, and some sow fear and bring instant death. Now you know which types of spiders are absolutely harmless and which ones you need to stay away from. The good news is that dangerous species of spiders are not found in our area, but mainly in tropical countries. But you never know what can happen... Nature is absolutely unpredictable.
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Currently, there are over 44,000 species of spiders, and only an expert can accurately identify one or another species by looking at the anatomy of a spider under a microscope. But if you become familiar with the characteristics of spiders, your guesses about the spider you encounter will become more accurate. Unless, of course, you get scared and take a good look at that big, hairy spider in your bathroom (or tiny one in your basement) and determine its physical features and habits. Most likely, you will be relieved to learn that this or that spider is not dangerous at all.
Steps
Recognizing Poisonous Spiders
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Do your research to find out the type of spider. Memorize or write down the spider's appearance, and if you have time, look at the World Spider Catalog, the Online Journal of Arachnology, and other expert-compiled online sources to find the spider you're looking for and compare it to pictures of other species.
- WikiHow also has useful articles about spiders. More information can be found in the articles “How to identify a garden spider”, “How to identify a barn spider”, “How to identify a redback spider”, “How to recognize a tarantula spider”.
Determine if it's crawling on your arm. When it comes to spider identification, the first thing to rule out is the brown recluse spider. It is the most dangerous spider in the United States and is most common in the Southeast and Midwest. A brown recluse bite can cause an infection, which may require medical attention. Here's how to tell if the spider you find is a brown recluse:
Poisonous spiders in Russia are not such a rare phenomenon. A meeting with them can end in quite a lot of trouble, including a hospital bed and even death. The latter happens rarely and only in the case of untimely or incorrectly provided assistance.
Here, neither specialists nor ordinary people have any disagreements and there cannot be any. Karakurt is the only one of all the representatives of arthropods living in the vast expanses of our country whose bite can be fatal.
Appearance
Only females reaching a size of 15-20 mm are dangerous to humans. They have two distinctive signs that prevent karakurts from being confused with other representatives of arthropods. There are exactly 13 bright spots or dots on the upper side of the black abdomen. Naturally, there is no time to count them, but the very combination of black with bright spots should serve as a signal of danger. On the underside of the abdomen there is one equally bright spot in the shape of an hourglass.
Habitats
Karakurts are thermophilic. They live in the Southern Urals, the Caucasus and the Black Sea regions. However, recently the habitat of this spider has expanded to more northern regions of Russia, right up to the Moscow region. This is explained by global warming, but more optimistic scientists are confident that this only happens in very hot years, and not always.
Consequences of a bite
Karakurt, which has a very strong poison, unlike other spiders, is very aggressive and bites not only for the purpose of self-defense. He can attack purposefully, so you should not only tease him, but also approach him with great caution. The bite itself is very painful, and after 10-15 minutes the pain spreads throughout the person’s body and becomes almost unbearable.
If assistance is not provided in a timely manner, which consists of administering a special serum, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, fever, headache and dizziness, tremor, profuse sweating, and a feeling of heaviness in the chest may develop.
First aid
The only thing that can be done for the victim is to take him to the nearest hospital as soon as possible.
Other poisonous spiders of Russia
In the vastness of the Russian Federation, you can meet other representatives of arthropods that are capable, if not of killing a person with their bite, then of causing a lot of painful sensations.
Bagworm (bag spider). This spider is aggressive enough to attack even in the absence of direct danger. The bite is not fatal, but is accompanied by very severe pain, which can spread very quickly throughout almost the entire body.
Pouch spider
False black widow. First of all, it is dangerous because it often gets into living quarters. After the bite, acute, prolonged pain, weakness and fever are felt. Symptoms may last up to two days.
As you can see, poisonous spiders are far from uncommon in Russia, but only the female karakurt should be greatly feared. You can easily cope with the consequences of bites from other arachnids on your own. However, seeing a doctor is highly recommended.
First aid for a spider bite
Not everyone can distinguish one type of spider from another, despite the fact that the colors and patterns on their abdomens are different. And they all differ from each other in size and length of their legs. However, often people begin to panic and simply do not pay attention to what their offender looks like.
In most cases, symptoms begin to appear quite quickly and first aid should also be prompt, but thoughtful.
- The first thing to do is wash the wound with soapy water.
- The next action should be aimed at preventing the spread of the poison. This is achieved in two ways: immobilize the affected limb with a splint and apply a tight bandage above the bite site, thereby reducing blood circulation.
- It is worth applying a cold compress to the wound itself, which will also delay the action and spread of the poison.
- Drinking more will also be a reducing factor. It will also help remove poison from the body.
- In order to relieve painful symptoms, you can give the victim an aspirin tablet.
Having done all this, there is no need to calm down. It is imperative to take the victim to a doctor, even if he is a few kilometers away. The clinic will provide more qualified assistance and will be able to take emergency measures in case of complications.
Of course, you can add some more aspects, covering the question: are there poisonous spiders in Russia and what to do if you encounter them. But this information will be for specialists. Ordinary people need to remember that under no circumstances should they play and have fun with spiders. But you shouldn’t just destroy them either.