A wandering spider, a runner spider, a banana spider - these are all the names of the most dangerous arthropod killer on the planet.
A fatal outcome after the bite of this warrior comes in less than an hour in 85% of cases, which gave him the first place in the Guinness Book of Records and the title of the most poisonous and dangerous of his family.
Appearance is and is not deceptive
To begin with, the Brazilian soldier spider never weaves a net and generally loves to constantly change its place of residence, which is why it is sometimes called wandering.
Due to the constant movement of the spider, its habitat is also changing, which affects its color. The most common are sand-colored spiders, which allows them to easily disguise themselves in the ground. To attract and intimidate the enemy, the area next to the helicopters has a bright red hue.
Spider's long furry legs allow it to reach 15 centimeters in size., and this is the length of the palm of an adult!
And the wanderer has a family
Like all spiders, the Brazilian soldier spider is dioecious. Males are smaller in size than females, and often have a slightly brighter color. They are also characterized by the presence of pedipalps, an additional pair of limbs used in the fertilization process of the female.
If the male spider is ready for the mating process, then he demonstrates it to the female by performing a dance.
Banana Arthropods
The basic diet of the Brazilian soldier spider is not much different from the menu of other spiders from this family. They prefer to regale.
- small insects,
- their weaker kinsmen,
- small lizards,
- accidentally within reach of birds.
The Brazilian soldier spider was spotted in its addiction to bananas, which is why it was often found in boxes with this fruit. Because of this, he got his second name: the Brazilian banana spider.
Lethal record worthy
The Brazilian soldier spider has gained its reputation as the most dangerous spider on the planet, not least because of its aggressive behavior. As soon as a situation arises, which he identifies as dangerous, the spider takes a special stance on its legs, threateningly pulling it up and directing its front paws towards the enemy.
The indicative aggressiveness of the Brazilian soldier spider is due to its focus on active hunting. During the pursuit of the victim, he can develop a decent speed for the spider, and is also capable of jumping a considerable distance.
Since the spider likes to enter people's homes in search of a quiet, quiet place, he meets with
man - this is quite a frequent occurrence. Unfortunately, they often have a tragic outcome. Especially dangerous is the impact of the poison of the Brazilian wandering spider on children and the elderly.
The content in the venom of the most powerful neurotoxin leads to the fact that the victim has total muscle paralysis, which leads to fatal suffocation. The man bitten by this spider feels terrible pains all over his body and his rigor numbness. As a rule, the following muscle paralysis causes death. From bite time to death can take from 2 to 6 hours.
If you are bitten by a Brazilian soldier spider, you should immediately seek help from a medical institution. Currently, there is an antidote to the bite of this spider, although it has great toxicity to the body.
You want to catch wild bees, but do not know how? Then read this article.
Sandy wasps are capable of digging deep holes in the sand. A full description of the insect can be found at this http://stopvreditel.ru/yadovitye/osy/vidy.html link.
Good from the killer
But the reputation of the killer did not prevent scientists from finding practical benefits for humanity,
especially for its strong half. The reason is that its poison contains Toxin Tx2-6, contributing to a powerful, albeit extremely painful erection. Experiments conducted to date have confirmed that the use of this toxin in medicine can provoke the development of a medicine that cures erectile dysfunction.
So, perhaps, the Brazilian soldier spider will again fall into the Guinness Book of Records, but now for his contribution to the development of drugs for impotence.
What is dangerous spider bite
Spider (arachnoid) is a predatory insect that nature has endowed with a special poisonous weapon. The secret that insects secrete and then inject into their prey affects the prey's nervous system or contributes to the destruction of its tissues.
Even the largest and most dangerous spiders do not attack humans for no reason. They can only bite for self-defense or in case of immediate danger. The poisonous spider bite itself is not lethal, and negative consequences can only occur in situations where:
- medical assistance is late
- the human body is weakened by the disease,
- there is an allergic reaction to poison,
- bitten by a small child or elderly person.
According to statistics, 5% of the world's population suffers from "fear of spiders" (arachnophobia), although there are no real reasons for such a phobia, since almost all poisonous individuals live in tropical climates or deserts. However, every traveler, going to another country, must imagine what animals or insects he may encounter and what to do.
Brazilian wandering spider
Opens a list of the most dangerous arachnids for humans - the Brazilian wandering spider (Phoneutria - from the Greek. "Killer"). Sometimes it is also called "banana" because of the love of eating these fruits. Officially (according to the Guinness Book of Records), he is the most poisonous spider on the planet.
The poison, which he injects into a victim, belongs to strong neurotoxins (they are 20 times higher in toxicity than the toxin, which the Black Widow secretes).
Signs of a Brazilian spider bite:
- problems with the respiratory system, sometimes resulting in suffocation,
- lack of muscle control
- severe pain in the muscles and the bite site,
- in men, the poison can cause many hours of erection, which causes very strong painful sensations.
In nature, the Brazilian wandering spider lives in the tropical jungles of South America (most of all in Brazil). He spends his life wandering in search of food: he hunts other spiders, small birds and lizards. The size of his body is quite large (about 10 cm).
These spiders often live near human habitation, they can hide in clothes, they like to climb into boxes of fruit, especially with bananas. Therefore, the most frequent cases of people biting people are found among collectors.
It is also unusual and dangerous that Brazilian spiders can travel in packages of bananas around the globe. One of the last accidents occurred in the UK in 2016 with a man who bought fruit at a nearby supermarket and was attacked by such a spider.
Fortunately, several years ago a very effective antidote was developed, which allows to reduce the number of deaths after such a spider bites.
Sydney Leukopautin (Spider) Spider
The second most dangerous and most unpleasant hooligan in the spider world is the Sydney funnel spider. He is considered a hooligan because, when attacking a human, this insect tries to make as many bites as possible and introduce more poison, although its action is much weaker than other toxins.
In addition to such an insistent nature, the Sydney funnel spider has very large canine-sized fangs: long and sharp as needles. It is believed that with such fangs, he can easily bite through leather shoes and human nails. And males are more poisonous than females 6 times.
Symptoms of a bite that develop in a person (appear after a few seconds):
- muscle spasms
- heart palpitations
- confusion or loss of consciousness
- brain tumor.
Without medical care, death can occur in 15 minutes, but in 1981 an effective antidote was created, so there have not been any deaths since.
Brown recluse spider
Hermit spiders are also known by various names: "Violin Spider", "Violin on the back," refer to the Loxosceles species. Their size is only 2 cm, outwardly they are completely unattractive. Such insects are found in different countries, very common in the eastern United States, where they even settle in the homes of local residents (in clothing or footwear), and in South America (Chile and other countries).
The poison of these spiders refers to the necrotic form that destroys tissue. A hermit spider bite can cause a condition called "loxosselism", which in some cases results in the dying off of tissues in the bite zone and the formation of a non-healing open wound, which can even lead to amputation. For the treatment of such wounds, skin grafting is necessary.
Black Widow
The black widow is a family of spiders and their separate species (Latrodectus mactans), in the USA it is considered the most poisonous representative of arachnoids. He was famous for the fact that females sometimes eat their partners.
The North American black widow got its name for the color of the body, but on its belly are red or orange spots. The size of the spiders is small: about 4 cm, but the poison is very toxic, the bite can end badly for a person.
Danger such spiders are for children, the weak and the elderly, as well as allergies. Their venom causes severe muscle pain, increases pressure, pain in the lymph nodes, intermittent breathing, nausea and vomiting. Unpleasant symptoms can be felt up to 7 days.
Red-backed spider also belongs to the family of black widows, in Australia is considered a cult spider, which is easily identified by the red strip on the back. It is smaller in size than a black widow, and is less common.
However, in Australia, such spiders can settle in the premises, live in some areas of cities and suburbs in the tropical climate zone. They have recently been spotted in Japan.
The red spider has a small size: females are up to 10 mm long, males are 3 mm less. These insects are nocturnal, hiding in old barns or under stones, among plants. They hunt other insects and small animals (mice, birds, lizards, beetles, etc.).
The effects of such a spider bite appear only after a day, and they are very toxic: acute pain and swelling of the bitten place, cramping in the stomach, severe sweating. The most severe systemic condition, called "latrodectism" (50% of cases), can be fatal if you do not use an injection of an antidote in time.
Karakurt is the most poisonous and most dangerous spider that lives on the territory of Russia in the Astrakhan region, in Asian and European regions and in Africa. He is one of the representatives of the family of black widows. Due to climatic changes, karakurt began to appear even in the Moscow region.
One of the species, called the steppe widow, has a black color and is decorated with 13 bright red spots on top. Its size is small: females are 1-2 cm long (more poisonous), males - up to 7 mm.
The most dangerous are sexually mature karakurt females, whose venom is 15 times stronger than that of a rattlesnake. They are dangerous for some domestic animals (horses, cows, sheep are considered an exception) and people. They bite only in the case of crushing, more often at nighttime, and the bite is not painful, which is why they often may not receive immediate attention.
The effect of the poison is manifested in muscle pain, paresthesia of the limbs, abdomen and chest. There is a strong fear of death, tears flow, a sick person cannot stand on his feet due to muscle weakness. Also, there are symptoms similar to the picture of an acute abdomen: nausea, vomiting, fever. However, convulsions and tremor of the limbs, impaired breathing, confusion, a sharp increase in pressure help determine the exact diagnosis.
One of the most effective ways to provide first aid: cauterization of the bitten place with a burning match, which has a destructive effect on the poison (if there is no medical care), the subsequent hospitalization is extremely necessary to prevent a fatal outcome.
Sand spider
The six-eyed sand spider has 8 legs and 6 eyes, living in the deserts of South Africa and in the west of South America. Its scientific Latin name Sicarius translates as "killer." By nature, he is a hunter who has long been waiting for his prey (other spiders and scorpions), buried in the sand. When the prey runs past, it attacks - bites it, and within a few hours the insect or animal dies. Its size is about 5 cm, the abdomen is light brown or red-brown.
The venom of a six-eyed spider is a strong cytotoxin (similar to exposure to sulfuric acid), giving a hemolytic and necrotic effect, which means rupture of blood vessels and tissue decomposition. Cases when such spiders have bitten people, there are only 2, but both are fatal.
Golden spider
The spider sac, or golden spider (Cheiracanthium), is only 10 mm in size, but it can cause extensive tissue necrosis (necrosis) with its bite, which is very painful. Its habitats: European countries, Australia and Canada.
Externally, a small, yellow or greenish spider produces a strong cytotoxin poison. In the area of the bite, redness and sharp pain first appear, the place becomes swollen, gradually passing into a bladder or wound.
According to the experts, it is these spiders that cause the most trouble for people compared to other types of arachnoids.
Bird-eating spiders (Theraphosidae) are a whole family of arachnoids, found in Africa, Australia, and on oceanic islands in South America. These are the biggest spiders (up to 20 cm), which some lovers of the exotic are keen on and even keep their houses in terrariums.
Tarantulas do not pose a danger to an adult, although they can cause muscle pain and fever. However, poison can be deadly for pets or children.
Their bright beautiful fur is actually poisonous hairs. Spider combing hairs from the abdomen and throws in his victim. In contact with skin or eyes, the poison causes stinging, itching, severe vision loss.
Pecillotria (tarantula)
The same family includes tarantulas - big furry spiders, whose name comes from the Spanish tarantella dance. The spider has double fangs, with which it thrusts into prey. The tarantula is the most dangerous spider and one of the largest in Russia (5 cm). South-Russian tarantula, which is widespread in the forest-steppe zone of Eurasia, is best known.
Due to the small size and amount of venom released by the bite, the consequences for a person are not very toxic, but the poison acts on the nervous system, causing minor convulsions and severe shortness of breath. Their toxicity is highest in July, when females have a mature period and mating.
Mouse spider
The red-headed mouse spider is the most dangerous spider in Australia, numbering 12 species. Its name comes from a soft fluffy abdomen, and the bite is very dangerous for people, although it is not very aggressive and often bites without the use of poison.
The nature has endowed him with a bright coloring: the males have a red head and a gray-blue belly, females are black. Size - from 1 to 3.5 cm.
The poison has a neuroparalytic effect, similar to the poison of the Sydney spider, but they live far from human settlements. For their poison, serum has already been made for a long time, acting on a variety of funnel spider species.
Conclusion
The types of poisonous spiders discussed in this article differ in their habitats and in their toxicity. In Russia, such insects are found in the southern part of the country, in the North Caucasus and in the Crimea. Knowledge of the appearance and dangerous for humans spider species, their habitat will help prevent meeting with them, to avoid being bitten or to learn about the degree of danger to humans.
What does death look like and how does it live
Once upon a time, the black widow spider occupied the first place in the world in danger, but now the Brazilian spider is a soldier on the throne. This is a very active and aggressive animal, which, unlike its congeners, does not spin a web, does not live long in the same place, but likes to travel.
Spider Soldier (lat. Phoneutria)
Depending on the habitat varies and its color, but, as a rule, it is the color of the sandy soil, which allows to mask perfectly. The area near the chelicerae is colored red, it helps to first attract and then frighten the enemy. The size of a spider can reach 15 centimeters, along with the span of its large legs.
Aggressive stand Spider Soldier.
During the daytime, he often sits under stones and logs, waiting for the night to come when he feels more comfortable. Wandering all day long, a spider soldier sometimes wanders into people's homes, and can hide in their clothes scattered on the floor, in shoes, climb into boxes or something like that. He likes this spider very much to hide in banana boxes, which is why it is often called the “banana” spider, sometimes it can also be eaten by the bananas themselves.
Если паук встретил врага, он поднимает передние ноги, ставит туловище вертикально, выставляя напоказ свою красную «зону» рядом с хелицерами.
Чем питается хищник
Иногда, но очень редко, бананами, во время проживания в банановых коробках, чаще различными насекомыми. Но этот паук имеет славу агрессивного хищника еще и потому, что может легко набросится на какого-нибудь мелкого грызуна или рептилию, даже если они превосходят его по размерам.
Пауки-солдаты не сидят на одном месте.
Spider - soldier and man
Like most animals, even the most dangerous and aggressive, the Brazilian spider soldier will not break into battle first, he attacks and bites only in case of danger to life.
It is better to consider the spider soldier behind the glass.
As noted earlier, due to the inconspicuous look and great love of “playing hide and seek” in people's houses and belongings, meetings with this spider are very frequent and sometimes end, alas, very sadly. According to various sources, the spider soldier bite is fatal in 85% of cases. His poison is incredibly toxic, causing paralysis of all muscles, resulting in a person dying from suffocation. There is an antidote that is no less toxic than the poison itself.
Spider soldier in foliage.
Despite all the negative aspects, scientists have found that the poison of the Brazilian soldier spider can positively affect the sex life of men. The toxin contained in the venom is able to cure impotence, and at the moment scientists are studying how to combine the toxin with existing drugs in order to effectively and safely treat a male disease for health.
Genus: Phoneutria Perty, 1833 = Soldier Spiders (errant or banana spiders)
Immediately you should make a reservation about the names of these spiders. The thing is that you can often find in the literature such a name as "Banana Spider". It should be noted that this name in Central and South America is often used to designate completely different species of spiders, and in particular members of the genus Nephila (N. clavipes), especially in North America, as well as spiders of the genus Phoneutria, in Central and South. But it is the last spiders that are deadly poisonous and are often found among bananas, hence their popular name - "Banana Spider". However, a more correct name for these spiders is Brazilian spider soldiers or Brazilian itinerant spiders.
It is these Brazilian wandering spiders or banana spiders that are very fast and active, but the main thing is also very poisonous. After all, no wonder their scientists rank among the ten most dangerous spiders on Earth. These spiders got their name “wandering” deservedly, as they do not spin webs, like most other spiders, and never live in one place for a long time, but always move (wander) in search of food. That is why these spiders sometimes enter homes and are then found in clothes or in boxes with things and food.
Brazilian wandering spider is not against eating bananas, so he will not miss the opportunity to get into the box with this fruit. For such a predilection for bananas, this spider got its unusual name “banana spider”.
Banana spiders are rather small predators, since their body length is only about ten centimeters (with paws). The main food for them is still not the fruits, but the various species of spiders and insects that these wandering spiders hunt. Sometimes it happens that they attack small birds and lizards, which sometimes exceed its size. But the small size does not prevent him from being not only an excellent hunter, but also a serious problem for people. The fact is that when they are bitten, these spiders can emit a decent dose of toxic for humans poison, which is formed in the poisonous glands, which open outwards at the ends of their sharp chelicera.
Of course, the wandering spider's poison is less dangerous than the poison of many snakes and a healthy adult, it is unlikely to be able to kill. Usually, it will only cause acute pain and a serious allergic reaction, which modern medicine can quickly cope with. But if a banana spider bites a sick person or a small child, then the poison can act on the body faster than an ambulance arrives. That is why, banana spider is considered one of the most dangerous spiders in the world.
The banana spider owes this to its aggressive behavior and the powerful neurotoxins contained in the poison. The bite of such a spider is accompanied by sharp pain, followed by symptoms of intoxication and paralysis of the respiratory muscles. Death usually occurs within two to six hours. In 1998, one of these Panamanian spiders bit a twenty-three-year-old American who went through a box of bananas. In it, and hid a banana spider. Angry at being disturbed, the spider bit the man by the arm. He immediately went to the hospital, where he was assisted. This is how an American describes his condition: “When a spider bit me, I felt as though a thorn had penetrated deep into my hand. And the head immediately became like a balloon. My chest squeezed so hard that I could barely breathe. The blood pressure soared, almost to the ceiling, and my heart was pounding so hard that I physically felt it beating the chest. Honestly, I thought I was going to die. ” Doctors introduced an antidote to the victim and thus saved his life.
But there are tragic encounters with banana spiders. In the house of a Brazilian family, such a spider hid in the attic. The younger children found him and wanted to play with him. Spider clung to the hand of the youngest daughter. When the brother tried to throw him off, the spider also bit the boy. The parents immediately called for an ambulance, but the doctors arrived only half an hour later, and by that time the three-year-old girl could not be saved. By itself, a banana spider does not attack a person. He bites only for self-defense. But the problem is that these spiders love to hide and it is sometimes difficult to notice them. You must be as careful as possible and in no case take the spider in your hands.
Researchers from the United States and Brazil began exploring the possibility of treating erectile dysfunction with the help of Brazilian wandering spiders poison. Initially, the attention of scientists attracted reports that one of the consequences of the poison of banana spiders may be priapism - a long and painful erection. In addition, some victims claimed that the spider bite significantly improved the quality of their sex life.
During the study, which lasted for two years, it became clear that this effect could be caused by the toxin Tx2-6 contained in the venom of arthropod. Now, Georgia Medical College continues to study the properties of Tx2-6. At the moment, researchers believe that when used in combination with existing Tx2-6 drugs can increase the effectiveness of drug treatment of impotence.
