Black Widow
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This photo was taken on a
property on 7th Ave. |
The black widow is the 3rd most venomous spider in the world. Males are brown, about half the size of the female and are not poisonous. It is a myth that black widows eat the males after mating. Although it does happen sometimes, it is just a case of mistaken identity. Black widows are easy to recognize. They are shiny and jet black with red markings that resemble a hourglass and can even be spots. Their webs are generally low to the ground and a criss-cross pattern and very sticky. The egg sacks are about 1/2" long and papery brown. The black widow protects her egg sac and the babies that emerge are whitish. Black widow venom is 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake. Effects from the bite are nausea, muscle aches, and paralysis of the diaphragm making breathing difficult. Less than 1% of black widow bites are fatal and fatalities are generally children under 30lbs, senior citizens and those with compromise immune systems. Black widows are shy spiders that will quickly hide when encountered, but will bite in defense and especially if disturbed for example in a shoe. There are a few animals that find black widows tasty. The praying mantis is one of them.
Brown Recluse
I've been told that the brown recluse spider is not in Maryland. I have heard of many people suffering from their bites though. Whereas the black widow is easily distinguished from other spiders, the brown recluse is not. It is rather small and brown and has a violin pattern on top of it's head therefore it is also referred to as a "violin spider". The word "recluse" means withdrawn which is exactly what this spider does. It is a house spider that withdraws into dark, shadowy and undisturbed areas of the house. It will make it's home in corners, crevices, wood piles, newspaper piles, old clothes, attics, basements, boxes, etc. The brown recluse spider is not "poisonous", but it's bite is quite nasty. The venom destroys tissue much like a flesh-eating bacteria and there have been some cases that have lasted for up to a year trying to get control of the damage. Many people who have bitten by these spiders have been left with lasting scars.
Emergency Care Of Spider Bites
If one of these spiders bites you or a family/friend, then the first thing to do is to try and catch the spider. Time is limited on that one if the spider survives the encounter. Wipe down the bite with alcohol and apply ice. Seek immediate medical attention if effects from the bite start to appear and don't forget to take the spider with you.
