There are two things that are true about spiders: a lot of people are horrified by them and all of them are venomous. However, the venom of most North American spiders is not the least bit dangerous to human beings. The two spiders whose venom can cause problems are the widow and the brown recluse. Both of these spiders are quite docile (it’s not called the brown recluse for nothing) and they both need serious provocation to bite. Even then, death from the bites of these two spiders is rare though the symptoms of their bites aren’t particularly pleasant. What follows is some common questions to help explain about spider bites.
1. What is a Widow Spider?
A: The widow spider has a small body that’s around 5/8 inch long. She’s a retiring spider notable for her glossy black body and the bright red hourglass on her abdomen. Only the females have venom that is dangerous to humans. Their nickname comes from her color and her penchant for eating her mate, at least once in a while. She’s found in the warmer regions of the country and weaves a messy web in dark corners, outhouses, pumphouses and wood piles.
2. What are the Symptoms of this Black Spider's Bite?
A: At first, the person may not know that they’ve been bitten, for the bite of the widow is painless. Even when she bites, the bite may be dry or have so little venom that it only causes local pain and burning. Her particular venom is a neurotoxin, which means it affects the nerves, and the symptoms that later arise are called latrodectism after the spider’s scientific name, Latrodectus mactans. If there are symptoms, they arrive about 5 to 10 minutes after the person is bitten. Pain starts at the bite and radiates out to other parts of the body in the form of very painful cramps and rigid muscles. The person sweats profusely and may sweat in only one area of their body. They also suffer from headache, nausea and vomiting and weakness. These symptoms can last for days if the person doesn’t get treatment.
3: How is a Widow's Bite Treated?
A: Doctors alleviate the symptoms with muscle relaxants, pain meds and anti-venomrs. Anti-venom has been seen to take away the pain very quickly. Some doctors give the patient anti-inflammatory drugs first to lower the risk of an allergic reaction, for the anti-venom is made in the bodies of horses then collected. Most people make a full recovery with no complications.
4: What is the Brown Recluse?
A: The brown recluse is another spider that prefers warmer climates. It holds its legs crabwise and often has a figure on its back shaped like a violin. This gives the spider its other name of fiddleback. It is bigger than the widow at about 1/2 inch long. It also differs from the widow in that its venom is necrotic, or destroys tissue. It also builds a messy web that’s found in sheds, the backs of closets, garages, basements and other dry, dark, out-of-the-way places. The brown recluse hunts at night.
5: What are the Symptoms of a Brown Recluse Bite?
A: The brown recluse only bites when it is mashed against a person’s skin, and this can happen when they are putting on clothes or shoes. As with the widow, the person who’s bitten by the brown recluse may not realize it at first. Other people feel burning and itching at once. Then the wound turns red, then black and blue as the tissue around it dies and sloughs off. The wound is also painful and itchy, with the pain growing worse within 12 hours to a day and half after the person was bitten. Sometimes, they develop an ulcer that takes a long time to heal and leaves a deep scar. Rarely, the damage of brown recluse toxin spreads throughout the body and causes nausea and vomiting, and pain in the muscles and joints. Still, death is rare in otherwise healthy adults.
6: How is Brown Recluse Bite Treated?
A: A person who thinks they’ve been bitten by a brown recluse should place an ice pack on the bite and find a doctor right away. They should try and capture the spider that bit them and bring it to the doctor’s office. The affected area continues to be treated with ice packs, and the doctor gives the person a tetanus shot. If a limb has been bitten, it should be immobilized and the wound treated. As with widow bites, most brown recluse bites heal completely.