Deadly Spiders in the U.S.

Spiders have always suffered from a bad reputation as deadly killers. However, of the thousands of species of spiders native to the United States, only the black widow and the brown recluse have enough venom to potentially kill a human being. The great majority of spider bites do not result in death. On average, only four deaths per year are caused by spider bites in the United States. However, these spiders still should be avoided as their bites can still be painful.

  1. Black Widow

    • There are three species of black widow in the United States. The black widow lives in the Southern part of the country, the Northern black widow inhabits the Northern area, and the Western black widow lives in the Midwest and Southwest. Black widows have shiny black bodies with a bright red hourglass shape on their abdomens. They are not large; an adult female is only up to 1.5 inches in diameter with its legs outstretched. Males are half the size of females, and are not dangerous because they do not bite.

    Black Widow Bites

    • Black widow bites leave two red marks that are instantly painful. The neurotoxin in the venom may cause a human to have difficulty breathing, headaches, and abdominal pain. Rigidity of the limbs and high blood pressure will occur without medical attention. A bite should be seen by a doctor as soon as possible, especially if the victim is a child or elderly person. Adults do not typically die from black widow bites, but should still seek medical advice.

    Brown Recluse Spider

    • The brown recluse spider is typically found in the southern and central United States. It has a 1/2-inch long brown body with a violin-shaped marking on the back. It also has six eyes while most spiders have eight. The brown recluse prefers hiding in crevices and in less traveled areas of homes. They are nocturnal and do their hunting at night. The males roam for prey while the female builds webs and waits for prey to come close by.

    Brown Recluse Bites

    • A bite from a brown recluse is not initially painful. It will swell and form a blister within six to 12 hours. It can eventually cause the decay and death of skin, muscle, and other tissue, but this is a rare occurrence, as is death from a bite. Most brown recluse bites will leave an uncomfortable wound. If they are left untreated, however, some bites can lead to kidney or liver problems.