There are thousands of species of spiders, but the vast majority of them have spines that are too short or too brittle to penetrate human skin. Because of this, in a populous state like the United States, only three deaths a year are attributed to spider bites. However, the stings of these arachnids can do a lot of harm and in some cases lead to systemic reactions due to their venom or parasites present inside and outside the chelicheri. The two most dangerous species, present in Western countries, are the black widow and the violin spider. Being able to identify the bites of spiders and other insects allows you to assess the severity of the episode and to understand if you need to see a doctor.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Identifying Common Spider Bites
Step 1. Look for a wound with two entry points
A black widow's sting often causes instant pain and can be distinguished from those of other insects by the two holes it cuts into the skin. While it can be painless, this spider's sting is usually quite painful because its spines are long and sharp. Over time, the wound turns red, inflames and swells. The sensation of pain around it grows and spreads within an hour.
- Look out for more serious side effects, such as intense muscle cramps (especially in the abdomen), excessive sweating near the wound, nausea, headache, chills, and high blood pressure. These symptoms are all reactions to the spider's neurotoxic venom.
- If a black widow sting causes a lot of pain and severe symptoms, an antidote is available. It must be injected into the thigh or intravenously by a medical professional, but it can cause allergic reactions that are more severe than the symptoms caused by the venom.
- The black widow is shiny, round, and has a red diamond-shaped (or hourglass) figure under the abdomen.
Step 2. Look for a "target" wound
A violin spider bite is often painless or similar to that of a mosquito. Within 30 to 60 minutes, however, the affected area becomes red and inflamed, with a central point referred to as a "target lesion". Within 8 hours of the puncture, redness and intense pain occur, as the central wound becomes larger, fills with blood, ruptures, and leaves a very painful ulcer. During this phase, a dark blue or purple area usually forms around the sting, with a red ring surrounding it. Medical treatment is only necessary if the ulcer remains for more than a few weeks.
- In most cases the ulcer heals by forming a scab that comes off within a few weeks, but in some cases it can take several months if the victim's immune system is particularly weak, such as in children and the elderly.
- There is no antidote that can control the effects of a violin spider sting. Its venom is considered a necrotizer, because it kills the tissues in the vicinity of the affected area and causes them to turn black or blue.
- To treat the wound, clean it with mild soap and water. Apply cold packs and lifts the affected area to reduce pain and inflammation. Take over-the-counter pain relievers (acetaminophen) or anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen) as needed.
- Violin spiders are brown or yellowish. They have long tapered legs, a body formed by the head and an oval abdomen. They are found in quiet and dark environments.
Step 3. Pay attention to the presence of needle-like hairs on the skin
Although tarantulas are probably the scariest spiders, the species native to North and South America are not poisonous and only rarely sting. However, these "New World" tarantulas are capable of throwing or expelling black needle-like hairs if they feel agitated or threatened. The hairs lodge themselves in the skin and cause an allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) which causes irritation, swelling and difficulty in breathing, particularly in the most sensitive people. Initial pain is often described as a sting.
- Those most affected are usually tarantula owners who handle them often.
- Tarantula species native to Africa and the Middle East do not have needle-like hair, but they are more aggressive and produce venom.
Step 4. Identify other spider bites
Black widow and violin spider bites are the easiest to recognize, because these species have very powerful venoms and typically cause severe symptoms. However, bites from other spiders are more common and can still lead to pain and swelling. For example, the hobo is a large, fast spider with yellow markings on its black back. It injects a neurotoxic venom when it attacks prey and this serum is also harmful to humans, in fact it can cause tissue necrosis in the vicinity of the wound, but not to a degree similar to that of a sting from a violin spider.
- Stings from hobo spiders and sac spiders cause discomfort and wounds similar to bee or wasp stings, although the initial pain is much lower, because the stings of those species are not as large as those of bees and wasps.
- To make it easier to identify the sting you suffered, catch the spider responsible and take it to a local hospital (someone may be able to recognize it) or do some research on the internet. Most spider bites are harmless or cause mild discomfort that wears off in a few days, even considering they don't usually inject poison into humans.
- Treating wounds with antiseptic gel, ice, and over-the-counter medications is usually sufficient.
- Spiders generally only attack as a defense, particularly when they are closed between your skin and another surface.
Part 2 of 2: Distinguish Spider Bites from Other Insect Bites
Step 1. Remember that many insect bites are more painful than spider bites
Victims often attribute their injuries to spiders because they assume these species are capable of causing more damage than they can actually do. For example, insects such as bees and wasps use powerful stings to inflict wounds on the skin, much more serious than those caused by a spider's chelichera. Bees leave their sting in the skin and die shortly after stinging you, while wasps (including hornets) can strike repeatedly.
- The reaction to a bee or wasp sting can range from mild swelling and redness (such as a small bruise or bruise) to a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) in sensitive people; in this case, medical attention is required. Bees and wasps do not inject poison into the victim, but they are responsible for many more deaths per year than spiders, due to anaphylactic reactions that are not treated.
- Anaphylaxis is usually controlled by injections of epinephrine (adrenaline), which reduce the body's allergic reaction. You can get the injection from a doctor or administer it at home if you have an epi-pen.
- The spider bites that are most often confused with bee bites are those of hobo spiders and sack spiders. Black widow stings can cause severe and similar symptoms, but the typical two-hole wound does not resemble a bee sting.
Step 2. Watch out for painful scorpion stings
Although scorpions have claws similar to those of crabs, they sting with their tails instead of pinching or biting. Their stings are often painful and cause localized redness and inflammation; they are only rarely serious and usually do not require medical attention. However, the scorpion's sting of the cortex can be potentially fatal, because it injects a powerful neurotoxic poison into its victims.
- Although a scorpion sting causes a very different injury to that caused by the black widow, the pain and other symptoms can be quite similar, as both species produce neurotoxic venom.
- An antidote (Anascorp) is available, but it is used very rarely due to the low mortality of the sting.
- Like many spider bites, almost all scorpion bites can be treated with antiseptic gel, ice, and over-the-counter medications.
- The scorpions present on Italian soil mostly belong to the Euscorpius genus and are completely harmless to humans.
Step 3. Don't confuse tick bites with spider bites
Injuries caused by the tick can in some cases be confused with those caused by the violin spider (and vice versa), because they both cause target-like reactions on the skin. Some ticks (such as deer ticks) can be carriers of Lyme disease, so their bite shouldn't be underestimated. Symptoms due to a tick bite infected with Lyme disease include skin irritation in concentric rings (which also appear one month after the injury), fever, fatigue, headache, muscle and joint pain.
- The main differences between a violin spider bite and a tick bite is that the latter causes no initial pain and never leads to necrosis of the skin around the wound.
- Another difference is that the tick usually burrows into the skin before infecting its victim, so it is often possible to see it under the top layer of the skin. Spiders, on the other hand, do not burrow into human skin.
Advice
- To avoid spider bites, wear long-sleeved shirts, hats, gloves, and boots when cleaning out garden sheds, garages, basements, attics, and dark crawl spaces.
- Always check the gloves, boots and clothes you use in the garden if you haven't worn them for some time. Shake them well before putting them on.
- Spraying insect repellent on clothing and footwear can keep spiders away.
- If you get stung by a spider, the wound is painful and you can't see a doctor, put ice on the affected area right away. Later, to avoid infection, treat the wound with antibacterial gel and other first aid medications.
- There are thousands of species of spiders in the world, so be very careful when traveling overseas, particularly in South America, Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia. Some of the most dangerous spiders (to be avoided absolutely) are the banana spider, the funnel web spider, the mouse spider, the red back spider and the wolf spider.
