Is the cross spider dangerous for humans?

Description, structure and coloring

In Latin, the cross spider is called Araneus diadematus. This type of arthropod belongs to the genus Araneomorpha. Class - arachnids, family - orbweavers. The body of the godson can take on a variety of colors depending on where the individual lives. Gray, white, orange and red spiders are commonly found in the wild. Whether a crusader is dangerous for humans does not depend on its color. Rarer color options:

• yellow;
• almost black;
• marble.

The following names are common among people:

• ragwort;
• crusader;
• pavuk-khrestovik (in regions bordering Ukraine and Belarus).

The four-spotted figure on the posterior part of the body of the common crusader can be almost invisible or stand out quite clearly. The bright color is a kind of message to the inhabitants of the forest that they need to stay away. But the bite will not harm large animals, on the contrary: they can accidentally crush an arthropod. Warning colors partly help the spider survive.

In individuals that live in shady areas of the forest, the back has a dark and rich hue, and ragworts that live in open and sunlit areas are usually gray or pale brown. The brightest looking spiders are those that live among brightly colored plants. Their coloring helps them remain invisible against the backdrop of colorful flowers and herbs.

In its natural habitat, the crusader has many enemies. Birds readily eat adult spiders, and some insects lay eggs in the body of arachnids, taking advantage of the fact that arthropods sit motionless during hunting. For example, this is how the woodlouse fly Melanophora roralis works.

Crosses are characterized by different sizes of female and male individuals. Males grow up to 20 mm, females have a body length of no more than 10 mm. There are also giants whose size reaches 26 mm. There are several periods in the life of a crusader when he grows. This occurs during molting, accompanied by renewal of the chitinous cover. The old shell is shed, and a new one gradually forms in its place.

Araneus diadematus has good eyesight. It distinguishes the surrounding space and moving prey with the help of four eyes that are located on the head. Thanks to the special arrangement of the organs of vision, the spider sees the space in front, on the sides and behind, but it does not distinguish small details, but is only able to notice the contours and movement of objects. This is enough to track prey.

Arthropods with crosses on their backs breathe through lung sacs. The spider's body is covered with thick short hairs. They are so sensitive that they detect the slightest vibrations in the air, so the arachnid is perfectly oriented in space and immediately senses if prey is moving nearby.

The cross is active mainly at night, and during the day it prefers to hide in foliage or grass, where it is often discovered by lovers of forest walks. Thanks to this behavioral feature, the spider received the name “leaflet”. When an adult sits motionless, it is difficult to notice it against the background of surrounding vegetation, so you need to walk through the forest carefully.

Consequences of a spider bite

Almost every person has repeatedly encountered representatives of the genus Araneus. These arachnids got their name due to their distinctive characteristic feature. On the spider's abdomen, light spots form a kind of cross. The coloring of the crusaders depends on the environment. The sunny the spider’s habitat, the lighter its color.

Like all representatives of the arachnid order, the body of the spider is divided into a cephalothorax (prosoma) and abdomen (opisthosoma), connected by a movable stalk. The body is covered with a durable cuticle containing chitin and proteins. There are arachnoid warts on the spider's abdomen.

Crusaders have four pairs of simple eyes located on the cephalothorax, which provide them with all-round vision. However, their eyesight is poor. They see only blurry silhouettes and approaching shadows. Sensitive hairs, trichobothria, located over the entire surface of the body help spiders navigate their environment. There are especially many of them on the limbs. Eight walking legs are attached to the cephalothorax, as well as jaws - chelicerae and pedipalps.

• Chelicerae are designed to capture and puncture food. They consist of two segments and end in claws. When capturing prey, the crossfish injects a nerve agent from venom glands located at the base of these limbs.
• Pedipalps serve as an organ of touch for spiders. With their help, they hold and feel their prey. The functions of the pedipalps also include reproduction, since their terminal segment contains the copulatory apparatus, which is filled with seminal fluid before mating.

The sizes of cross spiders are small, and they differ significantly among individuals of different sexes. Males grow no more than 1 cm, adult females reach 2–4 cm in length. During their lives, crusaders change their chitinous cover several times, and molting occurs at regular intervals.

The cross spider is a carnivorous arthropod. The diet of small predators consists of various insects that are caught in its nets: mosquitoes, flies, grasshoppers, aphids, and small beetles. Having placed his nets, the crusader freezes in the center of the web or in a nest that is located nearby.

Crusaders, like most arachnids, have external digestion. When the “game” stops resisting, the spider pierces the insect’s cover, releases digestive juice into it and waits for the food to be digested. After the food reaches the desired condition, the cross sucks out the nutritional substance.

If he is not hungry, he entangles his prey in a web and hides it in fallen leaves. Spiders of this genus have a rather large appetite. During the day, he can eat food equal in mass to his own weight. The spider behaves very interestingly with large and dangerous prey entangled in its web. He simply bites the threads and releases the victim.

At the beginning of autumn, the mating season begins for cross spiders. Males leave their shelters and go in search of females. After the object of desire is found, they begin the mating ritual. The spider climbs onto the web and touches the threads of the web with its paw. However, he first prepares an escape route so as not to be eaten if the “lady” does not figure out who has come into her domain.

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The female weaves a cocoon from a web and lays up to 800 amber eggs in it. At first she wears the cocoon on herself, then she finds a secret place and carefully hides it. Usually after this she dies. The cocoon perfectly protects future offspring from cold and rain. Having overwintered under reliable protection, small crosses appear in the spring, which do not immediately leave the mother’s cocoon. Only after getting stronger, the spiders get out of it and crawl away in different directions.

If a person tries to touch a cross spider, it immediately runs away and hides. In most cases, the cross bites a person only when the latter manages to pick it up. Therefore, to protect yourself from a spider bite, it is enough to follow a few simple recommendations.

Firstly, when stopping for the night in nature, carefully close the entrance to the tent.

Secondly, carefully check your bed before going to bed, as well as your clothes and shoes in the morning.

Thirdly, be careful around symmetrical and delicate spider webs. Near them is usually a female, waiting for her prey.

Fourth, be vigilant in old abandoned premises

Fifthly, be careful during gardening and gardening work.

Sixth, when you find a cross, do not try to touch or pick it up. Do not allow children to play with it.

It is worth noting that any type of spider is a priori poisonous. All arachnids are natural predators and use their venom to obtain food and for defense purposes. The poison of the cross is a slightly cloudy, colorless, viscous liquid with hemolytic properties.

The poison of the cross has a toxic effect. The thermolabile hemolysin in its composition destroys the red blood cells of rabbits, rats, mice, and humans. It has no effect on the red blood cells of guinea pigs, horses, sheep, and dogs. The thermostable neurotoxic element of the venom has Mr~1000.

The venom neurotoxin is involved in blocking synaptic transmission through acetylcholine and glutamate synapses in vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Plus, the poison promotes the initial excitation of receptors, which are characterized by sensitivity to glutamate and aspartate, and ensures subsequent desensitization. And if the effect of poison on the synapses of vertebrates is reversible, then the effect on the synaptic apparatus of invertebrates is irreversible.

The chelicerae of the cross spider can damage human skin only in those areas where it is very thin. Its bite can be compared to a bee sting. At first there is a feeling of being pricked by a thin needle. It often happens that a person does not notice the bite at all.

After a bite, only local toxic effects are observed. A small white spot immediately appears on the affected area, no larger than a five-kopeck coin. The spot usually has pink or red edges. After 5-20 minutes the following symptoms begin to develop:

• headache
• weakness in the body
• painful sensations, aches in the joints
• colic and burning sensation in the bitten area
• subcutaneous hemorrhages.

So far, not a single fatality has been reported from a cross bite. However, after recovery, in some cases, necrosis of the soft tissue is observed in the place where the poison was injected into the skin. The spider's body contains eperotoxin, a special concentration of which is observed during egg laying. This toxic product is absorbed and eliminated from the human body within a day. Swelling remains at the site of the bite for several days.

Do not cauterize the affected area. The bite of the cross does not have serious consequences, and in this way you only further injure yourself.

You should not cut the bite site for the same reasons as described above.

Do not rub or scratch the wound, as this can lead to infection.

Although contact with a cross does not threaten the victim with death, it is still worth providing him with timely first aid. The detailed algorithm of actions outlined below will help you with this.

1. Wash the injured area under running water and soap to avoid potential infection of the wound.

2. Apply a cold compress, ideally ice, to the puncture site.

3. For a headache and a slight increase in body temperature, take the same paracetamol or some other drug with a similar effect.

4. If a mild allergic reaction develops, take any over-the-counter antihistamine.

If a child is bitten by a cross spider, or if symptoms rapidly develop and the condition worsens, consult a doctor immediately.

• If spider venom has a local toxic effect on the human body, then its web, on the contrary, helps to destroy pathogenic bacteria. It has long been used in folk medicine to disinfect open wounds.
• The toxic substance eperotoxin is even contained in the eggs laid by the female cross.

The crusader spider belongs to the orbweaver family. Araneus diadematus is the name of the common cross. It avoids encounters with other arthropods and tries to settle where there are no other representatives of its species. Adults prefer the following places:

• swamps;
• river banks;
• lowlands;
• wet areas of forests;
• edges of meadows;
• lake coasts.

Individuals with crosses of the following colors are common:

• orange;
• red;
• grey;
• marble;
• almost black;
• yellow.

Some have almost white spots. The four-spotted pattern serves as a message to insects: a bite can be dangerous. The same ragwort can be colored differently: when it lives in a sunny area, the back becomes pale brown, and if it moves to a shady place, the color becomes richer and darker.

Crusaders that live in areas with forbs and a lot of bright flowers take on bright colors. By merging with the surrounding vegetation, the spider becomes less noticeable to birds that can eat it, and insects that lay eggs directly into the body of arthropods. The crusader's worst enemy is the fly Melanophora roralis. The insect takes advantage of the fact that the spider is motionless in wait for its prey, flies up, pierces its back and lays eggs.

The sizes of females and males vary. The former reach 10 mm in length, the latter - 20 mm. Some individuals grow up to 26 mm. The body grows during the molting period, when the young individual sheds its chitinous cover. This species of arachnid has 4 eyes located on its head. thanks to this, the common cross notices prey not only in front of itself, but also to the sides. The organs of vision are designed in such a way that the arthropod sees objects unclearly, reacting to moving contours or shadows.

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What to do if bitten by a cross

A spider attack is practically no different from a wasp, bee, or hornet bite. Initially, you need to wash the wound, remove any remaining poison, and disinfect it to prevent infection.

First aid after a spider bite:

1. Rinse the wound under running water.
2. Lather with laundry soap, leave for 5 minutes, rinse.
3. Wipe the bite area with alcohol or a tincture based on it.

If you have to act in the wild, use improvised means:

• vodka;
• lemon, orange juice;
• juice of celandine, plantain, dandelion;
• saliva.

To relieve swelling, apply ice cubes and a cold compress. You can eliminate itching, burning, and also disinfect the damaged area with baking soda paste, vinegar solution, shaving foam, and toothpaste.

In the future, to accelerate the therapeutic effect, a cream or ointment with an antihistamine effect based on medicinal herbs and special substances is used. The wound is treated 2-4 times a day until the condition of the skin improves. The condition returns to normal within 3 days.

• balm Zvezdochka;
• Psilo-balm;
• Fenistil gel;
• calendula ointment;
• Menovazin;
• Advantan.

If the wound gets infected, ulcers appear, treat with local antibiotics - Levomekol, Tetracycline ointment, Elokom S.

To eliminate general allergy symptoms, take an antihistamine orally - Fenistil drops, Claritin, Diazolin tablets, El-Cet, Eden, Suprastin. Treatment continues for 3 days without consulting a specialist. If the condition does not return to normal, you should consult a doctor.

The cross spider rarely bites, but every nature lover should be aware of the possible consequences. Prompt first aid will help avoid serious consequences.

The cross spider is a representative of the suborder of araneomorphic spiders of the orb-weaver family. There are more than 600 species of these arthropods in the world. The distribution area of ​​the crusaders is quite extensive - they can be found on almost all continents except Antarctica. About 30 species of these arachnids live in our latitudes.

Spiders of this genus represent a striking case of sexual dimorphism. In addition to differences in the genitals, two heterosexual crosses differ in size, color, habits and other characteristics. After reading this article to the end, readers will become familiar with many interesting details from the life of these tiny creatures, and will also find out how dangerous a spider bite is for humans.

Habitual diet

The favorite food of the cross spider is small beetles, aphids, wasps, fruit flies and flies. Sometimes bees, dragonflies and even grasshoppers are caught in the net. In swampy areas, males and females feed mainly on mosquitoes and dragonflies.

To get food for itself, the crusader weaves trapping nets that can support fairly large insects. Some species pose a danger to arthropods because they can lay eggs in its body. If such an insect is caught in a net, the crosser breaks the threads so that the prey can free itself.

Most of the time, the spider sits in a secluded place where the signal thread is stretched, and waits for the victim to stick to the web. When the insect tries to free itself, the nets begin to oscillate. At this time, the spider abruptly approaches the prey, pierces it and injects digestive juice into the body. The insect's entrails are digested and after some time turn into a semi-liquid substance, which the arachnid sucks out with its mouthparts.

How to recognize a cross

To distinguish the bite of this insect from others, you need to know what a cross spider looks like. The spider owes its name to the cross-shaped mark located at the top of its abdomen. The arthropod has a cephalothorax and a round belly of a dark brown color, 8 limbs that are highly sensitive and 8 eyes. The spider's eyes are located on different sides, which allows the insect to see everything that happens around it. Female crosses have a body length of up to 3 cm, males are much smaller and have a length of about 1 cm.

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Arthropods feed on small insects (mosquitoes, midges, flies and aphids), which, when caught in the spider’s web, cause vibration of the threads. The spider, with the help of its sensitive legs, immediately understands that prey has fallen into the web. The arthropod then kills the captured insect using its poisonous teeth. The cross sometimes immediately eats its victim, but if it is full, it entangles it in a web and hides it in a secluded place.

To reproduce, the male spider selects a female with a web and attaches himself to her trapping net on the side. Then he begins to send signals to the female so that she notices him. After mating games, the male usually dies, and the fertilized female begins to weave a cocoon in order to subsequently lay eggs in it. For some time, the mother carries a cocoon with eggs on her belly until she finds a suitable secluded place for it. Having chosen such a place, the spider hangs a cocoon there, and after a short time the spiders hatch from the eggs.

Duration and lifestyle

The lifespan of these amazing creatures is short. On average, cross spiders live for about a year, but some individuals can live longer - up to two years. The Crusaders lead a hermit lifestyle. In their natural habitat, these spiders have many enemies. They have to fear not only various birds, frogs and bats, but also parasitic flies that lay eggs directly into the spider’s body. Therefore, they are most active at night, when most of his opponents are asleep.

At night they weave nets to get food for themselves. Male crosses do this only in the initial period of their lives, and with the onset of puberty they look for a female to prolong the race. This explains the significant difference in size between female and male cross spiders. A very entertaining way for these tiny creatures to overcome long distances.

Features and appearance

The spider with a cross on its butt has 8 legs arranged symmetrically. Each paw has 3 small claws - they are needed to cling to rough surfaces. The spider can move even on smooth surfaces. At the end of the claws there are thousands of small hairs that can only be seen under a powerful microscope. Thanks to this structure, interaction with the surface at the molecular level is ensured.

The arachnid is predominantly nocturnal. During the day, the cross is rarely active, preferring to sit out in the grass or leaves of trees, which is why it is sometimes called the “leaf fly.”

This type of spider is dioecious: all individuals are divided into males and females. The mating period begins in August and continues throughout the month. First, the male weaves threads, extending them from the queen's web: this is the path along which he will escape after copulation. After this, the spider visits the partner several times, and only then mating occurs. When the female is fertilized, she eats the male unless he has time to escape.

The queen lays her eggs in a cocoon woven from spider web threads. It turns out to be a small dense bag, which the arthropod hides in a safe place and protects. Sometimes the queen carries the cocoon with her. The embryos develop from autumn to early spring, after which they are born. By summer, the spiderlings develop into adults, and then the female dies.

Crusaders have males and females. Reproduction requires a male to mate with a female. The mating season for arthropods begins at the end of summer and lasts for a month. If the weather is suitable, crusaders can copulate in early September.

Mating is preceded by preparation. The spider crawls to the female’s web and begins to weave a web from her, stretching it to a secluded place. This is necessary so that after mating the male can escape, otherwise the partner will eat him. When the threads are woven, the spider crawls several times to the future queen. If she behaves calmly, copulation occurs. After successful fertilization, instinct forces the spider to run away before the female pounces on him.

The fertilized queen weaves a small dense cocoon from the web, into which she lays eggs. She carries the clutch with her or hides it in a place where insects will not find the eggs. During the fall and winter, the embryos develop, and in the spring, small spiders hatch. The female stays with them until summer.

Theoretically, the lifespan of a female and a male is 16–18 months: young spiders are born in early March, and more than a year later, in August–September, their lifespan comes to an end. In fact, both male and female individuals die earlier, since in nature the cross has many enemies. Arthropods that survive until the cold weather enter the nymphal stage and overwinter in this state.

The main differences between the mysterious creature

These spiders belong to the species of dioecious animals. When mating occurs, the male dies, and the female is actively preparing a cocoon for future offspring. Most often, small egg spiders appear in the fall. At first, the woven cocoon is on the female’s back, and then she carries it to a secluded and safe place. These may be cracks or small holes in the tree bark. New offspring emerge from the cocoon in the spring. They become young individuals ready for mating by the end of summer, and then the old female dies.

At the first stages of their lives, males actively weave webs to provide themselves with food. But as soon as the mating period arrives, they wander around in search of a female. They eat little, and this is reflected in their difference in weight with the female.

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When the spider finds a female, it carefully approaches her web, and always spins its own thread in case of retreat. Females may perceive a potential suitor as their sacrifice and dinner. Then the male very carefully tugs the web and as soon as it reacts and throws it at the prey, he runs away along his woven web.

Such games can continue for several minutes until the female realizes that it is her groom who has come. Next, mating occurs, and here the male needs to be alert. Once the process has taken place, the female becomes a hunter again, and the male can become her victim. Therefore, he has to quickly run away after mating is finished.

Danger of the Crusader

Uninformed people consider the cross spider to be poisonous, believing that its bite can cause harm to health. But this type of arthropod poses a threat only to small and medium-sized insects. Rodents and other small animals may be harmed by an arachnid attack, but the poisonous saliva will not cause them serious harm.

For people, cattle and horses, they often don't even feel the bite. Severe itching and burning can only begin if the victim is prone to allergic reactions. It is considered normal if the skin at the puncture site itches, turns red and swells a little, since the saliva of the arthropod contains toxic substances. For most people, the discomfort goes away within a few minutes.

In total, there are about 2 thousand species of cross spiders on the planet. There are 30 species found in Russian forests, but none of them pose a threat to humans. All crusaders have similar life cycles, they eat much the same food, and their saliva has similar effects on the human body. Common features can also be seen in behavior.

The spider will not attack a person unless he destroys the web. Instinct tells the crossman that large animals and people are not prey. Thus, there is no cause for concern. The exception is a tendency to allergic reactions, but people with such pathologies know that visiting the forest can result in trouble for them.

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Danger and benefit

People who are new to the characteristics of the crusader believe that he poses a threat to humans, but this is not entirely true. In fact, the arthropod is deadly to insects, and its bites can cause harm to small animals (rats, mice). For cows, bulls and horses, an attack by a cross does not pose a threat. They may experience itching and burning in the bitten area, but nothing more. The same applies to people: for them the bite is somewhat toxic, but practically safe. The affected area itches for some time, but soon the discomfort goes away.

The total number of species of crusaders exceeds 2 thousand, but about 30 varieties are common in Russia. Their reproductive characteristics and life cycles are similar, and the degree of danger is also approximately the same. Spiders rarely bite; most often they do not attack humans. Nature dictates that large living creatures cannot serve as food. Even if a spider bites, a person does not always feel it. Thus, there is no need to be afraid of him. Do not confuse the cross with the “death’s head”: according to the description, they are similar, but the second one has a pattern on the back that resembles a skull.

Adult crusaders bring great benefits to nature and people. They destroy insects that carry dangerous diseases, so they can be called orderlies. In addition, the web brings benefits.

Options for its use:

• weaving nets, nets, fishing gear;
• production of fabrics, decorative items;
• in microbiology - the study of the atmosphere and determination of its composition;
• production of high-precision measuring instruments.

In folk medicine, spider webs are used to disinfect cuts, scratches, and wounds. The healing properties of spider threads have been proven by scientists: the substance that makes up the fibers has antiseptic properties.

Keeping in mind the benefits that an arachnid with a cross on its abdomen brings, you should not be afraid if you encounter an adult in the forest, meadow, or crawl into the house. If an arthropod appears indoors, you need to catch it and carefully release it, but in the forest you just need to go your own way. Under no circumstances should you catch a spider, crush it, or tear off its legs or head . Also, do not destroy the web.

Application of web

Arachnids with a cross pattern on their body are real forest orderlies. They eat harmful insects, many of which damage crops and spread dangerous diseases. Cross spider webs are also useful as they are used for industrial and scientific purposes. Here's how it's used:

1. In microbiology, spider threads are used to determine the composition and humidity of the atmosphere.
2. To make high-precision measuring instruments, fibers produced by the male are used.
3. Some peoples use spider webs to make decorative items and produce fine textiles. Fishing gear, nets and nets are woven from the web.

Traditional healers recommend applying cobwebs to fresh scratches and other shallow wounds. The medicinal properties of fiber are due to the fact that it has the ability to kill microorganisms. Thanks to disinfection, the wound does not fester and heals faster.

Although the spider is not dangerous, you need to know what to do if it crawls into your home or onto your clothing. You should take the arachnid and carefully release it, and always on the street. If you encounter a spider on a forest path, you don’t need to pick it up; it’s better to move on. When walking in nature, it is important not to damage the web.

Web of the cross

Cross spiders weave their hunting web almost every day. After all, in order to feed itself, the spider needs to constantly hunt. The web quickly becomes unusable, as holes quite often form in it due to prey caught in the trap.

As already mentioned, it is predominantly female spiders who hunt. These amazing creatures are very skilled weavers. They are capable of weaving large webs. The network of crosses has a complex structure and is shaped like a wheel. The method of weaving a web is quite interesting. The female spider releases a web thread from special glands. Having secured it at one end, it swings at the other end of the thread thanks to air currents until it catches on the opposite edge. Continuing to act in this way, the spider builds the foundation of a future network. Most often it has the shape of a polygon. Along the already prepared threads of the web, the cross crawls from one side to the other, thus stretching numerous spirals and radii. By the way, the distance between the spirals of the web is always the same. The meshman maintains such precise parameters with the help of pedipalps, which he uses as a measuring ruler.

The construction of the trap ends with a signal thread, which the spider extends to its shelter. Weaving a web takes several hours and requires about 20 meters of thread to construct. Moreover, the fishing net consists of two types of spider thread. The cross spider uses a thick web to build a frame, and a thinner, adhesive thread to weave catching spirals. The spider itself moves only along thick threads so as not to fall into its own trap. The trapping net of cross spiders always has 39 radii and 35 spiral turns. There are always 1245 attachment points for radii and spirals of the web.

In terms of its chemical composition, the arachnoid thread is a complex protein compound - fibroin. In terms of strength, spider web is much stronger than any synthetic thread and can withstand a load of more than 250 kg per sq. mm. Therefore, residents of tropical countries still make fishing nets from spider webs. Cobwebs are also used in optical instruments. An air analyzer has been developed based on spider thread. Since spider web has antibacterial properties, it is used to make medicines.

Poisonousness of the cross and danger to humans

The question of whether a spider is poisonous or not can be answered unequivocally. A crusader's bite is not life-threatening. It may even go unnoticed. In rare cases, the bite site hurts, but only slightly and not for long. Usually everything happens by accident when the web is damaged, since the cross does not specifically attack a person.

What measures to take if this happens?

1. To disinfect, wash the affected skin area. Use running water and soap.
2. Apply an ice pack.
3. If you have a fever or headache, take paracetamol.
4. If allergies occur, you should take an antihistamine.
5. Contact your doctor if there is no improvement from the above steps.

But, it is worth noting that so far not a single death from a cross bite has been registered. Its poison, in the form of a turbid, viscous liquid, affects only insects and small vertebrates.

To protect against enemies, nature provided cross spiders with poisonous glands. The venom of the crusaders can kill not only insects, but even small rodents. Usually crosses do not attack people. But there are still cases when a spider bites a person. The venom of spiders of this kind will not bring much harm to adults, but it will cause quite unpleasant sensations.

There is redness and itching in the affected area. A slight increase in body temperature, headaches and joint aches are also possible. Children and the elderly are especially susceptible to the bite of the cross.

To avoid contact with representatives of this genus of arachnids, the necessary precautions should be taken. Avoid the appearance of cobwebs in the house, use mosquito nets, and do not handle spiders. When visiting the forest, carefully avoid places where crusaders might live. If a spider bites you, you must:

1. Wash the affected area with cold water and soap.
2. Apply a cold compress.
3. Take antipyretic medications.
4. For allergy sufferers, you need to take antihistamines.
5. If the condition worsens, consult a doctor.

Despite the negative attitude of many people towards spiders, these creatures bring great benefits. They destroy a large number of harmful insects and are an important link in the food chain. If spiders disappear, our planet will suffer irreparable damage!

Toxicity

Is the cross spider dangerous for humans? Its venom is toxic to us and about five minutes after the bite you can experience the following unpleasant symptoms:

• severe headache;
• slight increase in body temperature;
• slight weakness;
• discomfort in the joints;
• itching and tingling at the site of the bite;
• subcutaneous hemorrhages are possible.

On a note! Often, after a bite, only a local reaction occurs, which manifests itself in the form of reddened and somewhat hardened swelling. But sometimes the consequences can be more serious. In this case, it depends on the immune abilities of the human body!

The bite of a cross spider is not fatal, however, despite this, it is advisable to avoid contact with it. If he does bite you, then first of all, the affected area should be thoroughly washed with soap, which will help prevent additional infection. Next, you need to apply something very cold to the bite site, ice if possible, and treat it with anti-inflammatory ointment.

Important! If a child is bitten by a cross spider, then calling an ambulance is mandatory!

In order to avoid contact with the cross spider while relaxing in nature, you should always close the tent at night, and if it has windows, then you need to put mosquito nets on them. In the evening, be sure to inspect your sleeping area, and it is advisable to take out all the rugs and blankets and thoroughly shake them. When walking through the forest, always avoid woven webs, and if you notice a cross spider very close by, then under no circumstances pick it up.

Similar rules apply to staying at a tourist base and even at a dacha. Upon arrival, you should inspect all the rooms for the presence of a symmetrical cobweb, and if one is found, it must be immediately carefully removed with some long object. In this case, it is advisable to protect your hands with gloves.

Actions when bitten

Even if you take precautions, you can accidentally break the web. A spider that sits nearby in a secluded place may attack. If this happens, you need to monitor your well-being. Symptoms that should alert you:

• headache;
• general malaise;
• weakness;
• heat;
• pain at the site of the bite;
• slight burning sensation;
• itching, redness, swelling.

Just in case, you can do the following:

• take an antihistamine;
• drink antipyretic syrup (depending on symptoms);
• Apply dry ice or a cloth soaked in cold water to the problem area;
• Rinse the bitten area under running cold water.

Symptoms of a bite and what to do

The first signal of a bite is a sharp throbbing pain. After a while it disappears, replaced by a burning sensation. The bite site begins to itch and may become red or swollen. In the affected area, two spots are visible through which the bite was made. Depending on the amount of poison injected, dizziness, drowsiness, general weakness and nausea may occur. A person may vomit.

Despite the fact that the cross is poisonous, it does not pose a danger to human life. It is dangerous for insects and some living creatures. For example, mice and rats. Larger animals will remain alive after being bitten. A person can be bitten if he accidentally gets into the area where the web is located, or if he picks it up. In other cases, the arthropod will try to avoid contact with humans. Its appearance is also designed to scare away enemies. The bite of a cross spider has its own symptoms, which are unpleasant for humans. However, they do not pose any particular danger.

Recommendations for tourists

Although a spider bite does not entail serious consequences, it is accompanied by unpleasant sensations. When going for a walk in the forest, river or meadow, you need to dress properly so that in case of an attack the spider cannot reach your skin. It is advisable that clothes and shoes be closed. The head should be protected with a scarf or cap. While walking, you should not destroy cobwebs, catch spiders or crush them.

When settling down for the night, you need to check your tent: inside there may be not only harmless arthropods, but also poisonous insects. Clothing must be carefully inspected, including inside out, and shoes must be shaken out. Females often hide in the folds of bed linen and outerwear, and crawl into bags and shoes.

The discovered web should not be touched, especially if there is a spider sitting there. The chance of being bitten is small, but it is there, so it is better to be safe than to suffer due to negligence.

Prevention of cross bites

A spider attack can be prevented by following simple rules:

• when going overnight into nature, you must use special insect repellents;
• the entrance to the tent should be covered very tightly;
• before going to bed, you need to carefully check your bedding for insects;
• After waking up, you should check your personal belongings (clothes and shoes). Spiders can easily hide in a person’s belongings;
• It is better to choose clothes for hiking in nature with long sleeves and trousers;
• Having noticed the web of an arthropod, you need to try not to touch it. If there is a web, its owner is always nearby;
• do not go into abandoned dark buildings such as sheds and barns; spiders love to settle in such places. In the dark, where the cross spider lives, you may not notice the woven web and fall right into it with your face. In such a situation, the bite of the cross will be inevitable;
• Children need to be explained that they should not tease or catch arthropods.

Read whether a snake bite is dangerous for humans. How to help the victim.

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All about insect bites: characteristic signs and treatment.