Spider Bites
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Spider Bites
View Originalfigure 1Poisonous spiders
Most spiders are not dangerous to people. But these 4 spiders can cause painful bites that can also cause other serious symptoms.
A) Black widow.
B) Brown widow.
C) False black widow.
D) Female recluse.
Graphic 86257 Version 1.0
Poisonous spiders
Most spiders are not dangerous to people. But these 4 spiders can cause painful bites that can also cause other serious symptoms.
A) Black widow.
B) Brown widow.
C) False black widow.
D) Female recluse.
Graphic 86257 Version 1.0
Where they are found in the world
Common name/species name
What they look like
Where they live
Widows
Southeastern United States (Maryland, Southern Ohio and lower states)
Southern black widow
L. mactans
Shiny black spider with some form of red on body
Clutter around homes, gardens, sheds, garages
Rarely indoors
Western half of the United States from Canada to Mexico
Western black widow
L. hesperus
New Zealand (coastal areas)
Australia (coastal areas)
Japan (Osaka prefecture)
Australian red back
L. hasselti
Shiny black body with red stripe on back
South America
L. curacaviensis
Mediterranean
Black hag, black wolf
L. tredecimguttatus
13 red dots on back of body, no red hourglass
Worldwide and in United States (from South Carolina to Texas and California)
Brown widow
L. geometricus
(can bite humans, but mild)
White stripes on a tan body with orange hourglass. Can vary a lot in color, from cream to almost black.
False black widows
United States: Pacific coast and Colorado
Canada: British Columbia
Australia
False black widow
S. grossa
Similar shape to widows
Chocolate brown color with tan stripes or markings on body
DO NOT have red markings
Clutter around homes
Also indoors (in cupboards and other dark, quiet places)
Europe
S. paykulliana
S. grossa
Recluses
United States: Mid-west and Southern states extending westward
Brown recluse
L. reclusa
Ordinary-looking brown spiders
3 pairs of eyes (6 total)
Body and legs are the same color
Legs have very fine hairs
Mostly inside homes: attics, basements, cupboards
Outdoors: in rock piles and under tree bark, NOT in live plants
Worldwide inside buildings
Mediterranean recluse
L. rufescens
South America (Brazil, Chile, others)
Chilean recluse
L. laeta
L. intermedia
L. gaucho
Isolated reports in South Africa, Australia
Phoneutria
South America
Brazilian wandering spider
P. nigriventer
P. keyserlingi
P. fera
Large (almost 4-inch [95 millimeter] leg span)
Very hairy
Might hide under household items during the day
Found in cities in piles of clutter, trees and other plants, or garbage
Australian funnel web
Australia: Southeastern coastal regions (including Sydney and Brisbane)
Australian funnel web spider
Atrax robustus
5 species of Hadronyche
Large spider (1-inch [25 millimeter] body)
Shiny black body
Moist areas, such as basements
Graphic 86258 Version 1.0