With over 43,000 spider species in the world, it’s amazing to think that only 30 of them are dangerous to human beings. That is an extremely small number, considering the fact that spiders are almost as feared as snakes. Let’s take a look at what some of these dangerous species are.
Brown recluse
One of the most dangerous spiders in the US, the brown recluse has venom that will destroy blood vessels when it bites a person, causing a fairly large skin ulger. The venom specifically targets the cell membrane transforming it into liquid, and a bite can take up to several months to heal. If an infection occurs, the person may also die, however, deaths are fairly rare.
Black widow
Another dangerous US spider, the black widow sends about 2,500 people to poison control centers in the US every year. The bite of the black widow is not very painful initially, but as the venom enters the body, the person bitten may experience severe muscle cramps, nausea, and difficulty breathing due to the mild paralysis of the diaphragm. Most victims however will recover without any serious complications, unless they have a compromised immune system.
Brown widow
Another member of the widow family, this time we have the brown widow. This spider is much rarer in the US than our previous two entrants, but it can be found in southern California and some US states in the Gulf Coast. If black widows weren’t bad enough, the venom of the brown widow is twice as powerful. However, it is even less aggressive than the black widow, and will only inject a small amount of venom during a bite.
Red widow
If two widows weren’t enough, we have a third – the red widow. This is another rare species in the US, but it can be found in the scrublands of southern and central Florida. It is not a spider that is aggressive towards people, but it will bite when threatened. The bite is very dangerous, but it will not kill healthy people if they receive treatment.
Funnel-web spider
Finally, we have the funnel-web spider, which receives its name from the way it builds its web. It will build a funnel, and then sit at its bottom until it traps something, at which point, it springs to action to capture its prey and devour it. Unlike the other species on this list, this spider is actually aggressive, and it will kill human beings with its venom, if treatment is not applied. Luckily, it is normally not found in the US, being mostly present in eastern and southern Australia.
That concludes our list. Unfortunately, two of the spiders on this list are quite common in the US – the black widow and the brown recluse. If you see any of these two spiders in your home, it’s important that you call a pest control specialist right away. Contact us today and we will help you get rid of your spider infestation.
