Venomous Spiders: The Ten Most Dreaded
Recognize them, understand them and avoid them.
Ten: Yellow Sac Spider
Inflicts a bite that resembles the horrific MRSA infection. The actual toxicity of this spider’s venom isn’t settled, but in some instances it causes necrotic tissue. Rarely attacks humans.
Nine: Fringed Ornamental Tarantula
This variety has large fangs, and a nasty venomous bite. Some of its victims have fallen into comas. It can be identified by its gorgeous black and white stripes along legs and body.
Eight: Chinese Bird Spider
Another type of tarantula, sporting eight-inch leg span. It’s about the size of a salad plate, and very aggressive. Only one human is known to have died from its bite, an infant.
Seven: Red Headed Mouse Spider
Females are a homely black but the males have large red jaws. Potentially dangerous due to the toxicity of its venom, he usually “dry” bites.
Six: Brown and Chilean Recluse Spider
Highly venomous, and causing wounds that spread up to ten inches, this bite can cause kidney failure. Spindly, with small fangs. Four percent of their bites lead to death.
Five: Redback Spider
From Australia, this species is in the same family as the black widow. Symptoms are usually limited to nausea and fever, but seizure, respiratory failure and coma have occurred. Before anti-venom, 14 deaths were recorded.
Four: Blaak Widow
Carry a highly toxic venom, this small black spider inhabits large portions of the world and is only one of two dangerous spiders found in the U.S. (the other is the brown recluse). Prior to anti-venom, five humans died from her bite.
Number Three: Sydney Funnel-Web
A small brown bug that will bite multiple times and try to use as much venom as possible. So toxic that one child died within 15 minutes of being bitten.
Number Two: Six-Eyed Sand Spider
Like the Sydney Funnel-Web, it bites repeatedly then dashes off. Lives in remote areas of the desert, and is so shy it rarely meets up with us . . . no anti-venom exists; bites cause bleeding from orifices and localized necrosis.
Number One: Brazilian Wandering Spider
Quite large, this tropical beast has a very toxic bite. Even after receiving anti-venom, humans have died. Symptoms include breathing problems leading to asphyxiation.
