Widow Spiders

How to Recognize the Bite of the Widow Spiders?

The widow spiders are commonly found in the southern and the western regions and the bite of this spider can cause grievous injuries. Usually the venom is not fatal for the adults; however it can be for small children and senior adults. The black widow spiders especially the female species is extremely well known as it is known to eat the male of the species after the mating ritual is over. The female black widow spiders are easily distinguishable. They have a black abdomen and have a sort of a red hourglass symbol on the side of their abdomen.

The bite of the spider isn’t very painful and is almost similar to a sharp pin being inserted in the skin. However the bite will turn painful within a few hours when the venom travels through the nervous system of the body. When it travels through the body, it will cause swelling and reddening of the tissues and can cause severe problems also. It can also cause muscle cramps, thorax and abdomen contractions as well. When the problem becomes more acute, it can make it difficult for the patient to breathe and swallow. However if the patients received proper care and treatment, then the sweating, chills and fevers may not happen. Timely medical intervention can solve the problem quite easily.

Pregnant women may experience contractions and sometimes, premature delivery may also be possible when the widow spiders bite. The venom of the male black spider is not harmful for the humans. The male is also 1/3rd the size of the females and has a longer body with really thin legs. Unlike the female, it doesn’t have an hourglass red mark on its abdomen and has a really small red spot.

The black widow spider is the most famous of all widow spiders and there are currently 31 species of the same kind. All widow spiders are venomous and can be dangerous. The widow spiders weave a silken web and will usually hang upside down from the centre of the web and wait for the insects to pass by so that they can bite and then weave a silken shroud around the prey. If the spider feels threatened or harmed in any way, then they will also let themselves down on the safety line of the silken thread.

The widow spiders have poor eyesight and instead rely on the vibrations that come through the web to know whether they have a prey or a predator. Usually if there is a bigger creature, the normal reaction for the spiders is to flee the space. However, if they mistake the human figure for a prey or when they are inadvertently squeezed or pinched, or when the female is protecting the sac, it can get unusually aggressive and choose to bite the humans. Biting the humans is a defense mechanism that is utilized by the spiders.

According so some conducted by Blackledge study, the strength of the silken thread that is woven by these spiders is greater than some steels, especially when the weight of steel and the silken thread is compared. The diameter of the silken thread that is woven has a larger diameter than the silk that is woven than other spiders. In fact the silken thread was even used for the construction of reticles for rifle sights during the World War I.
The widow species of the spider are found all over the world except for the Artic and the Antarctic regions.

The black widow spider is most venomous spider that is found in the US. Only the female is the most dangerous and can inject higher volumes of the venom. The males and the juveniles are harmless and have very few quantities of venom. The female spider of this species is also sometimes refereed to as the hourglass spider, since the symbol is extremely visible easily. In many cases the female black widow spider may even eat the male after mating is over. The species is nocturnal and will bite if it feels threatened and disturbed.

Since they are widespread, they can be found in almost all habitats. Usual places where they are found are around boxes, cartons, piles of wood etc. when handling stuff in the garage or the garden wear gloves to ensure that the bite doesn’t affect the skin.

Cheers,
Trubad Hassan
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