Spiders are everywhere. Don’t let that creep that out, though – not every spider is deadly. Most spiders are completely harmless. We wanted to know which spiders were the tough ones! Here is what we found out about the world’s most dangerous spiders.
Spider Family: Wandering spiders (Ctenidae)
Wandering spiders don’t catch things in their web…they catch them on the ground!
The Brazilian Wandering Spider is a large brown spider with the most neurologically active venom of all spiders, and is regarded as the most dangerous spider in the world! Dum dum dum….(scary music). Brazilian Wandering Spiders travel a lot and actively hunt for prey. The spider won’t usually bite unless it has a reason to be alarmed and then it will bite in order to protect itself. Most bites are delivered without venom. Venom bites happen if the spider is pressed against something or it is hurt. The high levels of serotonin in the spider’s venom will deliver a painful bite that can result in muscle shock.
If you are bitten…
There is an anitvenin treatment, but occasional deaths have occurred even after this has been given. Children are more susceptible to the bites, of course, and even if antivenin is quickly administered, death can occur within minutes after the bite.
Spider Family: Cobweb spiders (Theridiidae)
Cobweb spiders have webs that are known for looking tangled and unorganized.
Black widows are identified by the red colored, hourglass-shaped mark on their abdomens. Several species answer to the name, and they are found in temperate regions around the world. Their bites are thought to be 15x stronger than a rattlesnake! Black Widow bites are now very rare thanks to indoor plumbing…they used to be really common around outhouses.
If you are bitten…
The bites cause muscle aches, nausea and a paralysis of the diaphragm that can make breathing difficult. Most people who are bitten suffer no serious damage and very few die (small children or the elderly are more likely). These spiders usually only bite in self-defense.
The Brown Widow spider is a cousin of the Black Widow. It carries a neurotoxic venom which can cause a set of symptoms known as Latrodectism. Brown Widow spiders have relatively spindly legs and deep, globular (big and round) abdomens. The abdomen has one or several red spots, either above or below. The spots look like an hourglass, or just several dots in a row. Males are generally less dangerous than the females, but they will bite if they feel threatened.
The bites, while seldom life-threatening, produces very painful effects including muscle spasms, contractions and, occasionally spinal or cerebral paralysis. Paralysis is generally temporary, but might leave permanent damage to the central nervous system. Children and the elderly are at most risk of serious effects.
Spider Family: Recluse spiders (Sicariidae)
Recluse spiders are known for being venomous. They are found all around the world in warm climates.
The Brown Recluse spider likes to hide in low-lit areas. They are more likely to be in shoes, under your bed, or in a closet. Ugh! They also known as “violin spiders” or “fiddlebacks” because of a dark violin-shaped marking on the head.
If you are bitten…
A bite from this spider is extremely venomous. It can cause massive tissue loss which can lead to an infection. Most deaths from Brown Recluse spiders have been reported only in children.
If you are bitten…
Thankfully, no confirmed bites and only two suspected ones are on record. BUT…in one of these cases, the victim lost an arm to massive necrosis and in the other, the victim died of massive hemorrhaging. Not good.
The Chilean recluse spider is a venomous spider closely related to the Brown Recluse Spider. This spider the most dangerous of the Recluse Spiders, and its bite is known to frequently result in severe reactions, including death.
If you are bitten…
This spider usually bites only when pressed against human skin, such as when putting on an article of clothing. Some bites are minor with no necrosis, but a small number of bites have produced severe lesions or even systemic conditions sometimes resulting in renal failure. In about 4 percent of cases in a clinical study in Chile, the victims actually died. Stay away!