Among insects dangerous to humans, the black widow is distinguished. This spider has a characteristic feature: the female eats the male after mating, which provides her future offspring with the necessary energy supply. If you are bitten by a black widow, there is a high risk of death. True, the arthropod has a fairly recognizable appearance, which allows you to avoid contact with it.
Does the black widow live in Russia?
In Russia, spiders from the genus Latrodectus live in warm regions, for example in the steppes of Kalmykia, the Astrakhan region, as well as in the Black Sea and Azov regions.
There were cases of bites in the Orenburg, Kurgan and Saratov regions. This summer (2019), many news headlines were full of reports of attacks by black widows in the Moscow region, and even cases of bites were recorded, but without deaths.
Since spiders can travel using their web as a sail and thus move over long distances, this explains their appearance in the Moscow region.
Here you need to understand that most likely one of the varieties of the black widow Latrodectus tredecimguttatus ended up in the Moscow region, and not the deadly spider Latrodectus mactans.
Latrodectus tredecimguttatus is the European black widow, or our usual name karakurt. This is also a dangerous spider, it has external similarities with the species Latrodectus mactans, but is still less toxic.
Karakurt (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus)The poison contains a lethal dose of dangerous neurotoxin LD 50
- Latrodectus tredecimguttatus - 0.59 mg/kg;
- Latrodectus mactans - 0.90 mg/kg.
That is, in terms of the toxicity of the poison, the Russian spider is almost two times less poisonous compared to the “real” Black Widow.
Karakurt (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus)
It is regularly found in Crimea, and very rarely it can even be found in the Moscow region.
The habitat of the “real” deadly black widow Latrodectus mactans is the hot regions of the United States.
The genus of spiders of the Black Widow family (Latrodectus) has more than 31 species, and among them there are spiders very similar to the real black widow, most of them are less toxic compared to the species Latrodectus mactans.
What to do
In our southern regions, karakurt is common, which also belongs to the black widow family.
After a bite, you need to take the person to the clinic as soon as possible, where he will be injected with serum against the spider neurotoxin, and symptomatic therapy will be prescribed. Treatment must be carried out by a doctor.
However, this is not always possible to do quickly. The table provides instructions for providing first aid.
Table. First aid for a black widow bite:
| What do we have to do | A comment |
| This can be done if there are no open wounds in the mouth. Venom suction is effective in the first 5–10 minutes. You can use improvised means that create a vacuum, for example, a syringe (you must first cut off the front part). |
| Physical activity promotes the rapid spread of poison through the circulatory and lymphatic systems. |
| The victim needs to drink as much fluid as possible. It is better if it is pure water or weakly brewed green tea. |
| If chills occur, it is recommended to give a warm drink and wrap the patient well in a warm cloth. |
| Ice applied to the wound or bite area will cause vasospasm, which will slow the spread of the venom. |
| In case of severe pain, it is appropriate to give the victim any painkiller. Using an anti-allergenic drug will relieve the negative symptoms that occur in an allergy sufferer. |
Description of the Black Widow Spider (Latrodectus mactans)
The black widow lives in North America, Canada and Mexico, where it is better known as the Southern Black Widow.
Its scientific name comes from the Greek and Latin Latrodectus, which means "to bite secretly" in Greek, due to the fact that the widow's bite is initially painless and often goes unnoticed. The word Mactans comes from Latin and means slaughter or killing.
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Black Widow Identification
The size and appearance of male and female spiders differ from each other. The female is larger, its size, excluding legs, ranges from 8 to 13 mm, and its weight averages about 1 gram.
Black widow, Latrodectus mactans, distinguished from other species by a red spot on the abdomen in the shape of an hourglass
An adult female has a more rounded and voluminous body compared to the male. The color is glossy black, with a red, hourglass-shaped spot on the belly that serves to warn off predators. Sometimes there may be a stripe consisting of irregular red spots appearing on the upper body.
The male's body is smaller, with the exception of the legs, measuring from 3 to 6 millimeters. The body is elongated, on the side of the abdomen there are 4 pairs of white and red stripes. Young males are mostly white, orange and brown. They become darker in color as they mature.
Spiders are arthropods. Protection of the body from small predators is provided, like all spiders, by a shell that constantly changes during the molting process. During molting, the spider is more vulnerable.
The spider has 8 eyes, which are arranged in two horizontal rows of 4. The pair of eyes in the center of the bottom row is considered primary, and the rest are considered secondary.
Black Widow's Habitat
Although Latrodectus mactans is a very dangerous spider, it is a timid, shy, solitary and non-aggressive spider. It builds its lair in quiet places, making it difficult to find and detect. It is a nocturnal animal and spends most of its time during the day in a shelter or protected area.
Spiders of this species live in various secluded places.
Like all spiders, the widow spider is a carnivore, feeding on insects, but can attack and eat another spider, including those from its own genus. He traps his prey with a web and immobilizes him with the poison he injects, along with digestive enzymes. It can easily catch and kill even a bird or small animal.
The predator that preys on the black widow is California wasps in the United States. Scientific name Chalybion californicum.
Prevention
To avoid running into a black widow, you need to carefully prepare for your trip. In urban environments, it is problematic to encounter insects, and in nature, widows do not attack unnecessarily - arachnids are not aggressive and attack if they feel threatened.
When traveling, you should wear closed clothing, check your bed linen before going to bed and after waking up, and do not leave food in the open air. You can prevent black widow spider bites and attacks if you pay close attention to the surrounding nature - do not stir up holes and holes, do not play with insects, and do not walk barefoot.
Dear readers of the 1MedHelp website, if you still have questions on this topic, we will be happy to answer them. Leave your reviews, comments, share stories of how you experienced a similar trauma and successfully dealt with the consequences! Your life experience may be useful to other readers.
Black Widow bite and venom
As we wrote above, this spider is shy and timid, so it can bite only in self-defense or fright. When it bites, it injects only a small dose of venom, which can rarely kill a healthy person.
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Those at risk of death from its bite are children, the elderly, or those with weakened immune systems.
In all cases, it is important to begin treatment immediately after the bite, since it is not known how the toxins from the poison will behave in the body.
A spider bite is practically painless and can go unnoticed right away, for this reason it is difficult to understand why the person felt ill.
Black widow venom contains the neurotoxin alpha-latrotoxin, as well as adenosine, guanosine and inosine. These substances cause muscle contractions, headaches, nausea, dizziness and severe abdominal pain. Sweating and difficulty breathing may occur.
The poison is strong, its lethal dose LD50 is 0.90 mg/kg.
How to protect yourself from an unpleasant meeting
A person who decides to go into nature explores the area. It is worth finding out whether there are dangerous insects there or not. A negative answer is not a reason to relax. The area chosen for overnight stay is inspected. Other recommendations:
- bedding is regularly checked for spiders;
- before getting dressed and putting on shoes, inspect the wardrobe and, accordingly, the shoes;
- it is risky to walk barefoot on bare ground;
- shoes should be made of durable materials that are resistant to insects;
- all clothing must have long sleeves;
- regardless of the time of year, they wear long pants - there should be no uncovered areas of skin;
- Do not enter abandoned buildings where insects may be hiding inside;
- if poisonous creatures are found on a summer cottage, an exterminator is invited;
- rubbish in the shed and pantry is a favorite place for the insect.
On a note!
Fans of hiking and owners of summer cottages should have a first aid kit with them. It contains medications for first aid in case of a bite.
If you encounter a poisonous black widow spider on the road, it is forbidden to make sudden movements. Attempting to catch or scare the insect will provoke an attack as a form of self-defense. You need to try to slowly go to another place. You can identify the insect from the photo. The body is black in adults and brighter in young animals. There is a bright red or orange spot on the belly. Nature uses rich and contrasting colors to warn that these arachnids are deadly poisonous.
The black widow is an insect whose poison contains a neurotoxin that negatively affects the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Within 2-3 hours after the bite, muscle spasm occurs and it becomes difficult to breathe. Allergy sufferers and people in good health should consult a doctor immediately. The black widow is dangerous, so it is better to avoid meeting her.
Latrodectus mactans bite
Fortunately for humans and other animals, black widows are able to control the amount of poison injected into the victim. Depending on the situation, they may inject their venom, but in most cases this is not the case. The production of venom for a spider requires a lot of energy, and it does not need to bypass the venom in order to feed, so it tries not to waste it again.
The spider uses its bite in two cases: attack and defense. When attacking or defending offspring, the black widow injects a small amount of venom proportional to the size of the victim.
During defense, the spider bites only when it is necessary; it prefers to retreat and escape. Typically, when a black widow bites a person, the bites contain no or minimal venom.
Almost all bites of this spider occur due to the fact that a person stepped on it, or stuck their hand where it lives.
It happens that during the night a spider can build its shelter in a person’s shoes, so putting on shoes in the morning can easily get a bite. Therefore, if you are in the southern United States and if you left your shoes outside overnight, check in the morning that no one has settled in them.
How to recognize a Black Widow bite
This spider injects its venom into its prey using its two front fangs, so close inspection reveals two tiny holes. Symptoms of a black widow bite: acute pain at the site of the bite, severe burning and numbness of the affected area.
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Depending on the amount of venom injected, the person's age, health, and location of the bite, symptoms may vary. Common symptoms include headache, restlessness, weakness, possible nausea and vomiting, dizziness and sweating.
If you are bitten by Latrodectus mactans, the first thing you need to do is go to an ambulance or go to the hospital yourself. While you are waiting for help, you need to apply ice or something cold to the bitten area, this will reduce pain and swelling. If possible, take with you the spider that bit you; if it is dead, if it is alive, it is better not to catch it.
Antidote for Black Widow
To treat a bite, doctors use droppers with calcium gluconate and muscle relaxants; this is sufficient in most cases.
In serious cases, when there is a risk of death and it is not possible to transport the victim to the hospital, a special serum is used. But the use of serum is quite risky for the victim; it is practically not used for children under 16 years of age. Administration of the serum is possible only by a doctor and under his supervision, as urgent resuscitation may be required due to its allergic effect.
If you are bitten by a poisonous spider, always try to pick it up and put it in a jar. It will be easier for doctors to cure you, and treatment will be faster.
Black Widow Reproduction
Reproduction of a black widow is the same as that of all spiders, so we will not repeat it, in short it is courtship and sexual contact with the help of its legs. After mating, the female lays eggs; the incubation period lasts approximately 20 days.
Cocoon with black widow eggs, photo ru.wikipedia.org
During the mating stage, the female can kill the male. This feature is where its name, Black Widow, comes from. True, many species of spiders do the same.
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Reproduction and lifespan
Spiders become sexually mature at 9 months of age. After the male dances, he carefully sneaks up on the female and mates with her. Some males are then killed by the female herself. Others manage to survive.
A fertilized spider lays eggs. They are stored in a special grayish ball attached to the web. The ball is constantly next to the female until offspring emerge from it. On average, about a month passes from fertilization to the appearance of babies.
In very tiny creatures, from such an early age there is a struggle for existence, in which the strong spider eats the weak. Such a struggle ends with the fact that not everyone manages to survive. Out of a large number, no more than 12 babies leave the cocoon.
Newborn spiders are white. They need to go through several molts in order for the color to darken and they become visually similar to adults. Female black widows live up to 5 years. For males, things are somewhat sadder with this. In frequent cases, they are killed by females in the first days of their sexual maturity.
