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Venomous spiders inject offensive poisons into their victims.
These are meant to disable or kill a victim so it can be eaten, and to soften or predigest the victim. Most spider
bites occur at night when a spider passes over a sleeping victim. When discovered hours later, it is usually as
a sore red bump. Most spiders are shy and harmless to humans, and will not attempt to bite unless trapped or held.
Spiders can be beneficial to humans as they feed on harmful insects (flies, crickets, etc.) and mites. Wholesale
destruction of spiders should be avoided, if possible. Some southern states not only tolerate spiders but encourage
them for their nuisance insect control. |
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All spiders produce venom that is
poisonous to their normal prey of insects, mites and other small arthropods. Venom is injected through the hollow
fangs to immobilize the prey. Since spiders can only ingest liquids, digestive fluids are either injected or regurgitated
into the prey. Spiders all have eight legs, and most of them have eight eyes (though some have only six and several
spiders have fewer or none)
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A female spider can produce as many as 3,000 eggs in a series
of several egg sacs which are either left in its web or carried on the mother's back. Eggs may hatch a few weeks
later or wait until the following spring, and spiders reach adulthood in one year. Spiders usually molt (shed their
skin) four to twelve times before reaching maturity. Most spiders can live one or two years. |
Seek medical attention if a bite is suspected from a Black
Widow or Brown Recluse Spider. Other spiders that can deliver painful bites include
wolf and jumping spiders, wandering and garden spiders and tarantulas.
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The female Black Widow Spider is only
about 5/8 inch long, and is extremely shy. She often eats the smaller male (hence her name) after mating and can
store sperm, producing more egg sacs without mating again. Black Widows live in wood piles, stone walls, outside
toilets and similar hiding places.
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The Brown
Recluse, also known as the Violin or Fiddle
back Spider because of the distinctive violin-shaped marking on its back, can also deliver a painless bite or a
bite that merely itches and burns at first. Later the surrounding tissue turns red, or black and blue, and begins
to disintegrate from the venom which is designed to digest the victim's flesh. A crusted wound forms and, after
the crust falls off, continues to deepen, forming a crater that may take months to heal. Brown Recluse bites are
often not diagnosed until considerable tissue damage has taken place, so it's important to inform the doctor if
you suspect a bite. |
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