Black widow spider - where it lives, what it looks like, what is the danger, interesting facts

Where does the black widow spider live?

The black widow spider can be found in Russia. But, it lives more in warm regions (Astrakhan, Kalmykia and the Azov region). According to statistics, dangerous spiders have bitten people in the Orenburg, Saratov and Kurgan regions. In 2022, many cases of bites appeared in the Moscow region.
In Russia, the spider Latrodectus tredecimguttatus, which is one of the varieties of the Black Widow, is often found. Its venom contains only 0.59 mg/kg of the neurotoxin LD 50.
And in the spider Latrodectus mactans the amount of this substance reaches 0.9 mg/kg. This is why Russian spiders are less dangerous to humans.

Death spiders live in hot regions of North America. In the last few years, they have begun to be noticed even in the Crimea and Moscow region. Scientists are convinced that this is due to climate change around the world.

Habitat

This type of spider is distributed throughout the world. They live in regions with temperate climates, incl. in the USA, Southern Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and much of South America. Can be found in dark, dry shelters, dimly lit areas such as barns, garages, basements, closets, hollow tree stumps, rodent holes, and dense vineyard vegetation. They strive to hide in warm dwellings in winter.

Although previously the black widow spider was not known in Russia, in recent years they have been discovered in the Southern Urals and in the Rostov region. The migration is explained by an increase in air temperature.

An important characteristic of the black widow is its shaggy paw-crests. A row of strong, curved bristles is located on the back pair of legs and is used to pull the web over captured prey

What does a black widow spider look like?

Females and males differ in body size. The bodies of female spiders reach a length of 8-13 mm, and their weight is no more than 1 g. Females are characterized by a more rounded body shape. Color – rich black, with a glossy shine. Red spots can be seen on the back. They are presented in the shape of an hourglass.
The male's body is not large. Only 4-6 mm. It has an elongated shape. There are white and red stripes on the sides of the belly. If the male is young, his body will be white. As it matures, it turns orange, brown and black.
Female and male black widow spiders have 8 eyes. They are arranged equally, in two horizontal rows.

What does a black widow spider look like, photo

origin of name

The black spider with a red hourglass on its abdomen is well known throughout the world, not only because of its extremely toxic venom, but also because of its lifestyle. The male and female meet only to mate during the mating season. It is important for the “boyfriend” to calculate the mood of his “passion” in advance. A hungry female will eat her partner even before he begins his mating games. If the spider is waiting for the male, he calmly approaches her and does his job.

The fate of the “man” directly depends on his physical condition, as well as on how well-fed the female is. If the widow suddenly gets hungry, she will eat the “suitor” in an instant. The same thing happens to a weakened spider that has mated with several female spiders. A strong male can crawl away safely, and then appear again for another mating.

The arthropod received its second name - black death - due to its strong poison. The widow injects a toxic substance when bitten. The spider's venom kills a horse in a few minutes; in the absence of timely qualified assistance, a person dies within half an hour.

On a note!
The Latin name for the black widow, Latrodectus, comes from the Greek, literally meaning “biting in secret.” The spider hides in a secluded place, waiting for its victim. A person is attacked for the purpose of self-defense. The inconspicuous black color helps to camouflage at night, when animals are most active.

How does a black widow spider reproduce?

After mating, the female eats the male. She weaves a cocoon where the laid eggs are placed. Most often, such cocoons are found in the shade (next to a stone, fallen tree or in the ground). The female does not go far from the clutch, and is always on guard. If you see a white cocoon, do not touch it with your hands. After all, this is when the black widow spider can bite.
After 3 weeks, small spiders appear. They are characterized by white bodies. The female does not think about the fact that she needs to feed her offspring. Therefore, small spiders eat each other and only strong individuals emerge from the cocoon.

Black widow spider bite and venom

Black widow spiders do not attack first. They attack an animal or person in self-defense . With the first bite, it injects a small amount of a poisonous substance that is not fatal. If a spider bites a child or an elderly person, the risk of death increases. After all, their immune system is not so strong and may not cope with the poison.
The black widow's bite is not painful. The person does not immediately understand what happened. After a while, when your health worsens, possible causes will be looked for.

The bite can be fatal

Black widow nutrition

The diet is not much different from the menu of all other arachnids. It mainly includes insects that, through their carelessness, fall into the web. Their favorite treats are flies, midges, mosquitoes, beetles and caterpillars.

It is interesting to watch how the spider treats its prey. The spider understands that the “food” is already in place by the vibration of the webs. He gets closer to his victim and envelops him with his hind legs so that he is simply unable to escape.

The widow has special fangs, with the help of which the spider injects its victim with a special liquid that liquefies all its flesh. This causes the victim to die. Another feature of the black widow is that it can limit itself in food for a long time. Spiders can live from hand to mouth for about a year.

Symptoms of a black widow bite

If you are bitten by a black widow spider, you may not feel it right away. The first symptoms appear after some time.

Symptoms:

burning in the bite area
pain in the chest and lower back
abdominal pain
dizziness
rapid heartbeat
limb tremors
weakness, nausea and vomiting
nervous exhaustion
difficulty breathing

Symptoms

If you do not see a doctor within the first hours after the bite, there is a high probability of death.
After a few days, the person begins to experience pain throughout the body.
On the third day, the patient develops hypertension, hoarseness and increased sweating.
On the fourth day the temperature rises.
Full recovery, if you consult a doctor in time, is observed 5-7 days after the bite.
In severe cases, you may notice body spasms, memory loss, and nerve paralysis.
Such symptoms disappear 8-9 days after the bite.

Black widows attack Russia. Video (00:03:13)

To combat karakurts, arachnologists - spider experts - recommend treating your garden plot with chemicals. It is noteworthy that the black widow does not attack people herself. She can bite if, for example, you step on her. The karakurt poison spreads throughout the body instantly. If you do not go to the hospital in time, death occurs within two days. At the moment of the bite, the victim does not feel pain; it occurs only after 10-15 minutes. Sharp pain appears in the lower back, abdomen, chest, breathing is impaired, and convulsions occur. With timely treatment, recovery occurs in 2-3 weeks. Karakurt is a fairly large spider, reaching 2 centimeters in length. The spider is black in color and has 13 red spots on its back. It is considered the most dangerous spider in Russia. Karakurts are rapidly spreading across dozens of regions of the country. The Volgograd region is now experiencing a real invasion. There are traditionally a lot of them in Crimea. Cases of bites have been recorded in the Urals, Saratov, Orenburg and Novosibirsk regions. According to experts, with such dynamics, the Moscow region is next in line. The rapid advance of the karakurt deep into Russia is alarming; the scale of the danger is impressive: the “kiss” of a black widow is 15 times more poisonous than the bite of a rattlesnake. In several regions of Russia, almost 20 people have suffered from poisonous spiders, six are in intensive care. The poisonous spider has been spotted not only in the south of the country, but also in Novosibirsk and Moscow, where the karakurt (the official name of the insect) is driven by the heat from its traditional habitats - the Central Asian steppes. By the way, they tried to settle in the Moscow region a couple of years ago. Fortunately, it hasn't worked out yet.

Antidote for black widow

To cure a patient, doctors use several methods:

drip with calcium gluconate;
muscle relaxants.

If the patient is in serious condition and cannot be transported to the hospital, doctors prepare a special serum. The danger of such treatment is that it cannot be used on children and adolescents (under 16 years of age). There is a high probability of an allergy to the serum, so it is administered only under the supervision of a doctor. Experts advise that if you are bitten by a black widow spider, take the arthropod with you (put it in a sealed container or jar). This will make it easier for doctors to prepare an antidote and cure you.

Take it with you to the hospital

Lifestyle

Black widows feed on insects and other types of spiders. It is believed that the web of this species is much stronger than silk. Karakurt weaves durable fabrics, which often catch grasshoppers, moths, butterflies and flies.

The spider itself hangs head down over the set trap. Bright spots on its abdomen scare away predators. When the prey gets caught in the net, the widow wraps it in the web using the fibers on her hind legs.

Afterwards, the spider's fangs pierce the upper integument of the victim and inject poison there. Like all spiders, karakurts have external digestion. As soon as the insides of the prey are digested, the predator will draw in the nutritious juice.

When it’s time to breed, the male karakurt performs a mating dance to attract a female. After mating, he is often eaten. Scientists suggest that this is how the female stores animal proteins before pregnancy. However, in nature, some males manage to escape from their girlfriends. They even manage to impregnate several females per season.

The female black widow lays her eggs in a cocoon made of cobwebs. She attaches it not far from her fishing nets and closely monitors that the cocoon is protected. There can be from 200 to 900 eggs inside it at the same time. It will take 2 to 4 weeks for the eggs to hatch. Only the emerging spiderlings are white. They will darken over the next few molts.

The young immediately begin to fight for life. Black widow cannibalism isn't just about females eating males. Young spiderlings are also not averse to snacking on their weaker younger brothers.

Thus, up to 12 spiderlings usually emerge from one cocoon. This happens in April, and in June the spiders become ready to reproduce.

Black widow - spider

What to do if bitten by a black widow?

Some people try to squeeze out the toxic substance. To do this, the bite site is compressed to form a fold. Then press firmly on this place. A bloody liquid should flow out. It is removed with a clean napkin or rag.
Carry out the procedure at least 5-7 times to squeeze out the dangerous substance as much as possible. Afterwards, treat the affected area with an antiseptic and apply a bandage. If you notice that you have been bitten by a black widow spider, you first need to cauterize the bite site. Place the head of a match on the affected area of the body, strike the box and light it with another match.
You can also use metal objects. Heat a fork, spoon, knife or keys on the fire. Apply them immediately to the affected area. But, this method of treatment is suitable for cases where the poison has not had time to spread throughout the body and is on the surface.
It doesn't matter whether you followed the above methods or not. You should definitely consult a doctor. If you live in a region where dangerous spiders live, treatment will be quick and effective. After all, medical institutions already have serum that needs to be injected into a patient’s vein.
If a person experiences severe pain from a bite, Novocain or a little alcohol will help him. To remove the poison from your body faster, drink more fluids.

The most poisonous spiders in the world TOP 10. Video (00:04:00)

Rating: The deadliest spiders in the world The most poisonous spider in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the “Brazilian wandering spider.” The spider got its name because it does not sit in one place and does not weave webs, but actively moves in search of food. Another extremely dangerous spider is the Black Widow, or in our language Karakurt, which can be found in the Caucasus and Crimea. I present to your attention the rating of the 10 most poisonous and dangerous spiders on planet Earth 10. Yellow spider Sak (Cheiracanthium Punctorium) 9. Fringed Ornamental Tarantula 8. Chinese tarantula Chinese Bird Spider 7. Mouse Spider 6. Brown or Chilean spider recluse Brown and Chilean Recluse Spider 5. Redback spider 4. Black widow (Karakurt) 3. Sydney funnel-web spider 2. Six-eyed sand spider. 1. Brazilian wandering spider

How to avoid becoming a victim of a black widow spider?

If you like to go camping overnight, choose the right place to stop. Do not stay overnight in a place where there is a lot of grass and bushes. The territory of a private house can be treated against the black widow spider and other arthropods with the insecticide “Creozol”.

Timely treatment and preventive measures are important.
If you are relaxing in nature, follow these recommendations:

carry out all work in the garden only in the correct protection. Wear gloves, closed shoes and long sleeves;
Do not walk barefoot near a pond;
stay away from dry grass.

Interesting facts about the black widow spider

There are several interesting factors associated with dangerous spiders:

The first antidote for a black widow bite was invented only in 2015.
It is the females that pose the greatest danger to humans. They contain a large gland with poison. In males it is smaller.
Scientist A. Blair deliberately allows a spider to bite himself in order to prove to the public that it is life-threatening.
The blood of a black widow spider has a bluish tint. This is due to the fact that it contains iron ions.

So, now you know that the black widow spider is one of the most dangerous species. The poison can not only cause paralysis, but also lead to death. Therefore, you should immediately consult a doctor. Try to stay away from tall grass, because this is where dangerous individuals live. Take care of yourself.

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