Spiders are scary and can inject poison if bitten, but do spiders inject venom when they bite? This question has diversified answers, and to understand this, we need to look into the types of spiders and their physical and behavioral patterns.
Spiders are loathed and hated because of the fear of getting a spider’s bite and thinking it could be lethal. Spiderbite is sometimes underrated and sometimes overrated. When to take action on spider bites and when to settle peacefully is severe in many situations to ensure proper treatment.
Why do spiders bite?
Every living being has natural survival instincts that are survival of the fittest, and to survive, they need to fight. Like other insects, spiders do not attack or bite any human being until they feel threatened. House spiders are incapable of biting human skin as it is thick, and spiders cannot penetrate through them.
Although if it feels threatened or startled, they release a sort of acid in a tiny amount that can cause rashes and a little itching, nothing more than that.
Poor spiders are falsely accused of being harmful. Still, before you move forward to pet any spider, I would recommend knowing the difference between a harmful spider and a household spider before you get injected with spider fangs.
Do spiders inject venom when they bite?
Spider venom is highly overrated and over-feared. From childhood, we have seen in educational documentaries that spiders are deadly and can kill anyone with one bite. The real question is how spiders inject venom inside the human body and is it possible for a person to die from this.
Human skin is thick and protected by various layers, and most spiders cannot penetrate the skin with their tiny pairs of claws and fangs. If we talk about wild spiders, which are adapted to wildlife, they carry the strength to penetrate the skin.
When they penetrate their claws into the skin, they inject some amount of venom into the host body that can paralyze any small insect completely. But spiders don’t have any luck killing humans with the little amount of venom they carry. Let’s see what kinds of spiders inject venom when they bite.
What type of spider injects venom?
I know which spider you have in mind when you think of the deadliest and most venomous. Tarantula spiders are known for their deadly bites, and many people describe them as the deadliest, but their venom is not that impactful to kill a full-grown adult.
Let’s take a peek into the world’s top 5 deadliest spiders and see if they do inject venom when they bite.
1. Sydney Funnel-web spider
Sydney funnel-web spiders have their origins on the Australian continent, and apart from their name, they are not found in Sydney, and they also do not love to live in the sand. They are found in dense woods and forests and love open spaces.
In Australia, this spider is reputed to be one of the deadliest, and there are many rumors spread there, which makes them even scarier.
This spider releases venom into its prey to easily kill and feed on it. Its venom affects the nervous system very quickly and can cause immediate death if no treatment is given. However, anti-venom is successfully capable of eradicating this poison.
2. Brazilian wandering spider
As it is named, this deadly spider is from Brazil, but due to active export and import, the Brazillian wandering spider has reached central America to North America.
This species of spider does not normally make a web to hunt. It crawls on the ground with its eight legs to hunt prey and mostly lives on a banana tree. Thus, giving this deadly spider one more name, the banana spider.
This spider is very deadly and feared by masses. This wandering spider is a member of the genus Phoneutria, which means ‘murderess’ in greek. Its bite is deadly to humans and can kill a small child in no time if not treated immediately.
If this spider bites you, the bite will begin burning painfully, you will start feeling dizzy, and after half an hour, the situation will get worse. Blood pressure will rise, and irregular heartbeat, nausea, weakness, seizures, and shock will occur.
I will strongly suggest going see the doctor. However, there is one odd positive side of this venom, it increases the blood flow, so, with the specialization of doctors, erectile dysfunction is treated.
3. Black widow spider
This spider is as scary as it sounds but easily distinguished because of highlighted mark on its abdomen. Its venom is even more powerful than that of a rattlesnake, which is why people highly fear the Black Widow spider.
This spider could be found anywhere with a moderate climate and love to live alone. This female spider kills its male partner during mating season and eats it. This is the reason they are called black widow spiders.
However, like other species, they also do not attack humans until they feel threatened or scared for life. Still, one bite with venom injection can be fatal for a child or older adult but not life-threatening for a healthy adult.
4. Brown Recluse spider
This spider got its name both by its color and its behavior. Brown Recluse spider is quite common in the southern and central parts of the United States.
Still, with times, these spiders have spread throughout many countries because of their adventurous behavior. This introvert spider loves to live in places where no one can see it and hide in dark places and corners, mostly around manufactured things.
For prey, this spider mostly comes out only at night. Its venom is as scary as that of a black widow but not as harmful. This brown recluse chose to attack humans only if physical contact was made.
If bitten, the tissue around will start turning painful red. Doctors, in case, highly suggest running for an emergency check-up room for immediate treatment. People have also experienced sickness and nausea after the bite.
5. Mouse spider
If you have arachnophobia, then this spider is a nightmare for you. The size of the mouse spider varies from 10 mm to 35 mm.
These spiders are only found in Australia because they provide preferred habitats such as tropical coats, barren deserts, and open forests. There are no strong facts that might explain the name of this spider.
The mouse spider prefers to roam at night for prey, and the most interesting thing that makes this spider unique is its mechanism by which it paraglides from place to place. This spider is often confused by the funnel-web spider because of their similarity in appearance.
If bitten by this spider, the venom is very similar to that of a funnel-web spider and is cured by the anti-venom of a funnel-web spider.
Prevention and cure For spider bite
Spider bites are not severe, but first aid steps should be taken properly. However, death by spider venom is rare but can do more harm than you anticipate.
Mostly every venom studies by doctors attack cells in the same way. Venom first attacks red blood cells of blood and creates a phenomenon of blood clots inside blood vessels which can cause necrosis.
First Aid Treatment after spider bite
1- First thing you need to do is wash the wounded area with mild soap and water and apply antiseptic liquid through cotton thoroughly. After completing this procedure apply antiseptic ointment on the bitten area thrice a day and make sure that the wound is clean.
2- Apply a cool compress over the bite for about 10 to 15 minutes per hour to avoid pain and swelling. Or you can use cold water or a wet cloth to compress on it. This will help in relieving pain.
3- There is no doubt that pain will be too much to handle depending on which spider has bitten. So take an over-the-counter pain reliever as necessary.
4- If the bitten area is getting itchy and worse or your wound is getting bigger and forming blisters, then this is a sign to see your doctor. Your doctor will suggest some antibiotics and antiinflammatory for pain relief and infection on the skin by the bite if he doesn’t spot any venom. Non-venomous spider bites are not severe and could heal on their own in a few weeks.
Why do we all have an innate fear of spiders?
It won’t be wrong if I use poor spiders. Spiders are very well known for their deadly venom, but in reality, their venom isn’t enough to kill a person.
The amount of venom they carry is only to prey on their food and scare away any rodents. But it’s also true that their venom is highly toxic and can do disaster if they start producing it at a higher pace and in large quantities.
The spiders we encounter in our home’s basement, corners, and floors are harmless and can do nothing to harm. Their habitat is our home, and hardly any predators reach for them, unlike those spiders who live in forests and wild habitats.
Venom inside the glands helps them survive there and prey for food in the everyday fight of survival for the fittest.