Types of tarantula and their danger to humans

Tarantula is an extraordinary person. It can rightfully be classified as a tarantula, a poisonous spider with a memorable appearance.

For some, the sight of this arthropod causes panic, while others turn on it like a pet and cannot tear themselves away from it.

Description of the tarantula

Tarantula is a member of the order of spiders from the wolf arachnid family. These are quite large and hairy spiders. They are quite widespread throughout the world, poisonous, and feed on insects.

The word "tarantula" comes from Italy. It was there that in the Middle Ages there were many spiders biting people, and the largest number of victims for a long time was in the city of Taranto.

Tarantula - appearance

Due to its hairy body and legs, the tarantula looks like a rather plump spider. The body size of adult individuals ranges from 2 to 10 cm, and the leg span can reach 30 cm. Female tarantulas are larger than males.

The body structure of the tarantula is no different from other arachnids. The cephalothorax, on which 4 pairs of legs are located, is connected to the abdomen.

On the side of the head there are eyes and 2 pairs of limbs, which are organs of nutrition and touch. Sharp and powerful jaws are equipped with poisonous ducts.

The tarantula has 8 eyes, 4 of which are small, located in a straight line, and 4 of the largest eyes are trapezoidal. This position allows the spider to see everything around it.

Spider colors range from beige to dark brown, with gray and black spiders.

Is the tarantula poisonous or not?

Absolutely all tarantulas are poisonous. For some insects, the bite of this arthropod is fatal, for others it is paralyzing. Tarantula venom is a highly toxic protein containing neurotoxins.

Due to the substances included in the composition, the poison easily penetrates the body, affecting neuromuscular tissue.

How dangerous a poisonous spider bite is depends on the age and gender of the person, as well as the season. During the breeding season of spiders, the toxicity of the venom increases, and females pose a greater danger than males.

Species and habitat

The habitat of hairy spiders is extensive. These arachnids belong to the steppe species, as they prefer to live in steppes, forest-steppes and deserts. Tarantulas live in regions such as:

• America;
• North Africa;
• Central Asia;
• southern regions of Eurasia;
• Australia.

Tarantulas are also found in Russia. Usually these are representatives of the species Lycosa singoriensis or the South Russian tarantula.

There are more than 200 species of tarantulas. The most famous of them:

• representatives of the south of Russia (this tarantula is also called Mizgir) are small, growing up to 3.5 cm;
• Apulian - the most famous species lives mainly in the south of Europe, the body size reaches 7 cm (females of this species of tarantula have a combined coloration - the dark cephalothorax is separated from the red abdomen by transverse stripes with a thin white line);
• Brazilian - dark brown and sometimes black tarantula, lives in South America.

The most poisonous of all species is the South Russian tarantula.

Harmless

The following families are very common in Belarus: funnelbirds, hunters, sidewalkers and horses. Besides them, you can find 4 species of wolf spiders there. Apart from family and protective coloration, these night hunters have nothing in common with the South Russian tarantula, which is also a wolf spider.

Funnel

Funnelfish live in moist, shaded places, on the forest floor, under snags and at the foot of bushes. They often settle in village houses. People gravitate toward human habitation:

• funeral;
• brownies;
• attics.

Hunters

They live on the banks of reservoirs, of which there are plenty in Belarus. There are only 3 pisaurid spiders found in the country. Spiders hunt with their hind legs on coastal vegetation and their front legs on the water surface. These hunting spiders can glide across the surface of a body of water like water striders.

Horses and sidewalkers

Jumping and side-walking spiders are inhabitants of meadows, forest clearings and agricultural fields. Most often, these arthropods sit in ambush on grass or leaves of bushes. They catch small insects that fall within their reach. These small animals pose no danger to humans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWIaG366SfI

Behavior, social structure and lifestyle

The main feature of the tarantula is that they live alone. These spiders often quarrel with their relatives and meet with members of the opposite sex for a short time and exclusively for reproduction.

Tarantulas usually live underground, where they make cozy burrows, the walls of which are covered with a layer of cobwebs. By their vibration, spiders assess the situation outside.

As cold weather approaches, the spider enters the hole and hibernates, blocking the entrance with dirt, grass or cobwebs.

Reproduction

The mating season for tarantulas occurs in the summer. At this moment, males go in search of a partner. It is noteworthy that searches are not always successful. Often the female eats the male when he appears in her field of vision.

During a meeting, males produce vibrations using their abdomen and fangs. This is how they show their intentions. If the female is not against mating, then she begins to mirror all the movements of the male. When the mating process is complete, the female often eats the partner. After this, the fertilized female goes into hibernation, which takes place in a sealed burrow.

It only comes out in the spring. At the same time, eggs are formed in her abdomen. She puts them on the web. At one time, the female can lay up to 400 eggs. When the eggs reach maturity, she creates a cocoon in which she places them. She wears it on herself until she feels the first movements of the cubs. As soon as this happens, she gnaws a hole in the cocoon and helps the babies get out.

It is noteworthy that the cubs do not leave their mother immediately. They are located on her back and remain there until they are able to feed on their own. After this, the female walks around her territory and scatters her babies throughout it.

What does a tarantula eat?

Tarantulas are carnivores that primarily feed on insects, which is similar to all other spiders. The diet of these arthropods consists of:

• the Beatles;
• caterpillars;
• crickets;
• carry;
• Zhukov;
• ground beetles;
• small amphibians (frogs).

Unlike most other spiders, tarantulas are active hunters. They rarely catch prey using a net, preferring to do it themselves.

Most often, the spider waits for an insect, finding itself in a shelter, then grabs it and lowers its sharp jaws. If the victim tries to escape, the spider chases it, periodically biting it.

Having captured prey, the predator injects it with poison, which has a paralyzing effect, like digestive juice. After some time, the insides of the victim turn into a nutritious liquid mass, which the spider sucks in.

Adult tarantulas do not require daily feeding. They can easily go without food for days or even weeks.

Nutrition

Tarantulas are predators, so their diet usually consists of small insects and amphibians: mole crickets, cockroaches, beetles, etc. Carefully hiding at the entrance to the hole or not far from it, they guard the victim, then attack. After the attack, they are paralyzed with poison, which has the ability to transform the internal contents of the victim into a liquid saturated with nutrients. The tarantula sucks it out.

Arthropods can consume prey for about several days - spiders are not particularly voracious, so they can remain without food for a long time. The most important thing for a tarantula is to have unlimited access to water.

Many people keep an arachnid as an exotic pet. Here you need to feed him small pieces of unprocessed beef, live frogs or cockroaches - if you have access to them. For an adult, 1 meal is enough for 7 days.

You cannot have more than 1 spider in one terrarium due to the fact that this threatens their constant struggle, as a result of which the spider that is stronger will survive.

You can also ask a specialist store employee about what tarantulas eat and where to keep them - he will advise the best option.

How does the Tarantula spider hunt?

Is a tarantula dangerous for humans?

It is a fairly common belief that tarantulas are very dangerous to humans. In fact, this arthropod attacks very rarely, preferring to move away from the meeting place.

If forced, the spider will bite, injecting a dose of rather toxic venom into the wound.

Fortunately, the dose is small, so for a healthy person it will be worth the swelling and pain at the site of the bite, and possibly mild discomfort for a few days.

But even this small amount of poison will be enough to cause a severe reaction in an allergic person.

So the information that a tarantula can kill a person can be considered correct, but provided that it is a small child or a person with a predisposition to allergies.

Consequences

Acute allergic reactions leading to bronchospasm or anaphylactic shock often cause death in humans. But these are not the most common consequences.

More often complications include the following:

• the damaged area does not heal for a long time;
• as a result of the bite, a person develops severe dermatological diseases;
• the bite provokes neuromuscular disorders.

Tarantula venom has a neurogenic effect on the central and peripheral nervous systems. It can cause problems with the cardiovascular or respiratory systems.

After a bite, the central nervous system is excited and the vasomotor center is toned. Over time, the central nervous system and vasomotor nerve fibers become depleted.

What to do if you are bitten?

After a tarantula bite, you must immediately provide first aid to the victim. It is very important to slow down the spread of poison throughout the body and speed up its elimination.

If a child or person prone to developing allergies suffers from an arachnid attack, it is necessary to immediately consult a doctor.

Signs of a bite

Usually a person feels that he has been bitten by a tarantula. The sensation is approximately the same as a hornet sting: a painful, burning sting. The local reaction manifests itself as follows:

• two obvious cheliceral bites;
• redness and swelling of the affected skin area;
• painful burning at the site of the bite, less often itching;
• the temperature of the skin near the wound increases.

Some victims after a bite experience dizziness, weakness, and an increased pulse rate.

The body of allergy sufferers reacts much more strongly to tarantula venom. They may experience:

• a sharp increase in temperature;
• headache;
• muscle pain;
• severe swelling;
• low pressure;
• nausea;
• numbness of the limbs;
• wheezing.

In severe cases, anaphylactic shock develops and the victim may die, so immediate medical attention should be provided.

First aid for a bite

Providing first aid to a victim of a tarantula bite is as follows:

• thoroughly rinse the bite site with clean water;
• treat the wound with an antiseptic;
• apply a cold compress to the affected area.

If the pain is severe, you can take a painkiller, and to prevent the development of an allergic reaction, you can take an antihistamine.

After a tarantula bite, it is very important for a person to remain at rest and drink plenty of hot liquids. This will speed up the removal of toxins and alleviate the general condition.

What not to do?

To avoid serious consequences after a tarantula bite, you should not:

• warm up the bite site;
• try to squeeze out the poison (then its spread will only accelerate);
• comb or cut the skin on the affected area.

As for the advice to smear the wound with the blood of an attacking spider, it is very dubious.

Indeed, the blood of a tarantula is an antidote to its poison, but if you apply the blood of a killed arthropod to an open wound, an infection can be introduced into the body, which will lead to the development of serious complications.

What not to do

The following should be avoided after a person has been bitten by a tarantula::

1. cauterize the damaged area. Toxicologists point out that this method is not only ineffective, but can also be harmful.
2. Dissect the pathological area. Such manipulation leads to infection and a general deterioration in the person’s condition.
3. Rub or scratch the wound. This is also fraught with the addition of a secondary infection.

If the injured person’s condition worsens sharply, you should not hesitate to call an ambulance.

How to protect yourself from tarantulas?

Tarantulas are neutral towards people and do not attack them without reason. A spider may bite if it feels threatened by itself or its offspring. The following tips will help you avoid such situations:

• Having found a tarantula, you should not pick it up or try to crush it;
• When you see a spider or find its nest, you should not show aggression, it is better to go around them;
• when going for a walk in an area where tarantulas are found, you must wear closed clothing and shoes;
• When looking for a place for a picnic or overnight stay in nature, you should not choose areas with fallen trees, a lot of stones, or thickets of bushes.

Repellents designed to protect against insects or ticks do not work on spiders, so they are of no use against tarantulas.