Argiope Brünnich spider belongs to the araneomorphic species. This is a rather large insect, males are smaller than females. The body of an adult female can reach from 3 to 6 centimeters, although there are larger exceptions.

Argiope males, on the contrary, have small sizes- no more than 5 millimeters, in addition, narrow small body The boy's coat is usually a nondescript, plain gray or black color with a light belly and two dark stripes on it located along the sides. On light legs there are faint, vague rings of a dark shade. The pedipalps crown the male genital organs, otherwise called bulbs.

The photo shows a male Argiope spider

The female differs not only in size, but also in general appearance. Female argiope black and yellow striped, with a black head, there are small light hairs on the rounded-oblong body. If you count starting from the cephalothorax, then the 4th stripe differs from the others by two small tubercles in the middle.

Some scientists describe the legs of females as long, thin, black with beige or light yellow rings, others believe the opposite: the legs of the spider are light, and the ringing stripes are black. The span of the limbs can reach 10 centimeters. In total, the spider has 6 pairs of limbs: 4 pairs are considered legs and 2 are considered jaws.

The photo shows a female Argiope spider

The pedipalps are quite short, more like tentacles. It is precisely because of the combination of black and yellow flowers, expressed by stripes on both the body and legs, Argiope is called the "wasp spider". The beautiful color of the spider also helps it not to become dinner for, because in the animal world bright colors indicate the presence of a strong poison.

Another fairly common variety is argiope lobata, or otherwise - argiope lobata. The spider got its first name because unusual shape bodies - slim stomach its edges are crowned with sharp teeth. Argiope lobata in the photo resembles a small squash with long thin legs.

The photo shows the spider Argiope lobata (lobed agriope)

Representatives of the species are widespread throughout the world. They are found in Europe, Asia Minor and Central Asia, in most areas Russian Federation, Japan, . The preferred place of life is meadows, forest edges, and any other well-lit places.

The question is often asked “ is the argiope spider poisonous or not?“, the answer to which is definitely yes. Like most spiders argiope is poisonous, however, it poses absolutely no danger to humans - its poison is too weak. The insect does not express aggression towards people, but may bite only female argiopes and only if you pick her up.

However, despite the weakness of the venom, the bite itself can cause pain, as the stings penetrate deep into the skin. The bite site almost immediately turns red, swells slightly, and becomes numb.

The pain subsides only after a couple of hours, but the swelling Argiope spider bite may last for several days. Only people with allergies to this kind of bites should be seriously afraid. Argiope thrives in captivity, which is why (and because of its spectacular color) representatives of the species can often be seen in terrariums.

The character and lifestyle of agriope

Representatives of the species Argiope brunnich They usually gather in small colonies (no more than 20 individuals) and lead a terrestrial lifestyle. The net is secured between several stems or blades of grass.

In the photo the spider Argiope bruennicha

Argiope — spider orb weaver. His networks are distinguished by a very beautiful, even pattern and small cells. Having placed its trap, the spider sits comfortably in its lower part and waits patiently for the prey to come into its possession.

If he senses danger, he will immediately leave the trap and go down to the ground. There, the argiope is located belly up, hiding the cephalothorax if possible. However, in some cases, the spider may try to ward off danger by starting to swing its web. Thick threads of the stabilimentum reflect light, which merges into a bright spot of unknown origin to the enemy.

Argiope has a calm character, seeing this spider in wildlife, you can look at it at a fairly close distance and take a photograph, it is not afraid of humans. During morning and evening twilight, as well as at night, when it is cool outside, the spider becomes lethargic and inactive.

Agryope nutrition

Most often, victims of webs located on a short distance from the ground, grasshoppers, flies, and mosquitoes appear. However, no matter what insect falls into the trap, the spider will happily feast on it. As soon as the victim touches the silk threads and sticks securely to them, argiope approaches her and uses poison. After its impact, the insect stops resisting, calmly wraps it in a dense cocoon of web and immediately eats it.

Argiope lobata spider is engaged in setting the trap most of the time in the evening. The whole process takes him about an hour. The result is a fairly large round web, in the center of which there is a stabilimentum (a zigzag pattern that consists of clearly visible threads).

This is hallmark almost all orb weavers, but argiope stands out here too - its network is decorated for stabilimentum. They start in the center of the trap and spread out to its edges.

Having finished its work, the spider takes its place in the center, arranging its limbs in its characteristic way - two left and two right front legs, as well as two left and two right hind legs, so close that from a distance one can mistake the insect for the letter X hanging on the web. The food of Argiope bruenich are orthopteran insects, but the spider does not disdain any others.

The photo shows an argiope web with stabilimentums

The pronounced zigzag-shaped stabilimentum reflects ultraviolet light, thereby trapping victims. The meal itself often takes place on the ground, where it descends, leaving the cobwebs, in order to feast on it in a secluded place, without unnecessary observers.

Reproduction and lifespan of agriope

As soon as the molting takes place, which marks the female’s readiness to mate, this action occurs, since the female’s chelicerae still remain soft for some time. The male knows in advance exactly when this will happen, because he can for a long time wait for the right moment, hiding somewhere on the edge of the female’s large web.

After copulation, the female immediately eats her partner. There have been cases when the male managed to escape from the cocoon of the web that the female weaves by running away, however, the next mating will most likely become fatal for the lucky one.

This is due to the presence in males of only two limbs, which play the role of copulation organs. After mating, one of these limbs falls off, however, if the spider manages to escape, one more remains.

Before masonry future mom weaves a dense large cocoon and places it near the fishing net. It is there that she subsequently lays all her eggs, and their number can reach several hundred pieces. Staying nearby all the time, the female carefully guards the cocoon.

But, with the approach of cold weather, the female dies, the cocoon exists unchanged all winter, and only in the spring do the spiderlings come out, settling in different places. As a rule, to do this they move through the air using webs. All life cycle argiope bronnichi lasts 1 year.

The karakurt spider is one of the most dangerous creatures on earth. Despite its small size and non-threatening appearance, the karakurt's venom is 15 times stronger than that of a rattlesnake and 50 times stronger than that of a tarantula. For a horse or camel, a karakurt bite is often fatal.

The karakurt spider is one of the most dangerous creatures on earth

Without prompt medical intervention and professional help, a meeting with a person can also result in death, although such cases are extremely rare. The black spider evokes mystical associations due to the presence of 13 bright red spots on the body and cannibal family traditions. Kalmyk shamans use a dangerous creature in some rituals. There is a common belief that karakurts live only in deserts and do not pose a danger to residents of the central and even southern steppe and forest regions, but this is not so. Recently, the migration of biting “robbers” to the north has been obvious, and climate warming has led to the fact that karakurts are recorded in regions where they have never been observed before.

The poisonous karakurt spider belongs to the order of spiders of the family of web spiders from the genus of black widows. Translated from the Turkic language, the name is literally translated as a black worm. The Latin name Latrodectus tredecimguttatus reflects external signs- 13 points on the back and the essence of the spider (biting robber). What does the karakurt spider, which is sometimes called the steppe spider, look like? In terms of size, the spider belongs to the medium arachnids. The size of the male is 4-7 mm, the female karakurt is 2-3 times larger and can reach 20 mm. The body of the eight-legged spider is black, with a pronounced abdomen. Both males and females have red spots or dots on the upper side of the abdomen. On the lower part of the abdomen a clear scarlet pattern is visible, similar to the outline of an hourglass. The spot on the abdomen often has a snow-white halo. Adults (males) can be completely black. Karakurt is a predator; it feeds on insects, which it uses a web to catch.

Despite its small size and non-threatening appearance, the karakurt's venom is 15 times stronger than that of a rattlesnake and 50 times stronger than that of a tarantula.

White karakurt, also related to web spiders, has a white or yellowish color. There is no hourglass pattern or spots on the body, but there are 4 indentations forming a rectangle. White spiders are much less poisonous, their bite is not dangerous to people, although the venom of the white karakurt is similar in its toxicological properties and effects on the human body and animals to the venom of the black widow. White karakurts can be found in Russia and neighboring countries, but the main habitat is located further south - in North Africa, the Middle East, and also in Central Asia. Let's focus on the black widow karakurt as the most dangerous representative of the swindlers, which you can meet at domestic resorts.

Karakurts are distinguished by their fertility, in southern regions There are periodic surges in the birth rate, which entail an increase in the number of casualties among people and the loss of livestock. Poisonous spiders in Kazakhstan and Crimea attack dozens of people every year, but serious consequences occur extremely rarely. The female lays more than 1000 eggs per year, which are placed in protective cocoon. The newly born spiders continue to live inside the cocoon and emerge from there only next spring. Puberty occurs 2-3 months after the spiderlings leave their original home. Eggs are laid in holes on the ground or in rodent burrows. Fertilization occurs during the hottest months of summer. After mating, the female karakurt eats the male, although there are exceptions - for unknown reasons, the female can either destroy the male before mating or leave him alive after fertilization.

Gallery: karakurt spider (25 photos)

Black widow spider or karakurt (video)

Habitat and biological enemies

The zone of residence of the Karakurts covers the Crimea, the south of Russia and Ukraine, the Astrakhan steppes, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Middle East and North Africa. When migrating north, spiders reach the Saratov region, Southern Urals and even the Moscow region, but they cannot settle in the northern regions; in winter the spiders die. For living, karakurts choose dry steppe areas and arable lands, wastelands, salt marshes, slopes of ravines, ditches, ruins of abandoned villages, cracks in adobe houses. The spider can also be found in populated areas, in summer cottages, and sometimes it penetrates into a person’s home. The peak of activity occurs during the fertilization period - June-August.

The natural enemies of karakurts are:

• sheep and goats, which are not affected by the karakurt bite;
• sphex wasps that inject their venom into spiders, which paralyzes them;
• insect riders that lay their eggs in karakurt cocoons;
• hedgehogs that are not vulnerable to spider attacks.

Flocks of sheep or herds of goats are used to trample down the nests of karakurts; the Crimean peninsula is thus cleared of poisonous creatures during periods of sharply increased reproduction or when clearing pastures for horses, cows and other livestock. During outbreaks of spider births, they can cause significant harm to livestock, so preventive measures are necessary.

Danger to humans

As a rule, males and young individuals do not pose a danger to humans, since they cannot bite through the skin with their weak jaws, although isolated cases of attacks are known. Adult females pose a danger, especially in July-August. You can distinguish the female by its color. Males have red spots with white rims, while females have no edging. Sometimes in females the red spots change to yellow stripes. Females have long legs up to 30 mm and are significantly larger than males.

The attack happens very quickly. Karakurt attacks only in self-defense. Nature has endowed the spider with such a strong poison so that it can capture the burrows of small rodents, which do not come into conflict with it and immediately vacate their territory. A predator can attack when it first seems to be in danger, so it is better to avoid contact with it. The difficulty in detecting danger lies in the fact that karakurts do not weave their net in the classical way. The threads are arranged horizontally, the web does not have a characteristic pattern and is chaotic. Attacks occur most often at night and on vacation, when you can accidentally crush the karakurt or disturb the web.

A spider bite is not painless, but it does not cause much concern. The bite site is marked with a small red spot, which disappears after a few minutes. After the poison has taken effect, the bitten person begins to experience severe pain in the damaged area. Specific psychological and physiological reactions arise.

In the first minutes and hours after the bite, poisoning is characterized by the following symptoms:

• strong mental agitation;
• feeling of fear of death, panic;
• spasms and suffocation;
• severe pain in the abdomen, chest and lower back;
• feeling that the legs are being taken away;
• bluish complexion;
• shallow breathing, dizziness;
• sometimes cramps of the arms and legs, tremors, vomiting;
• increased heart rate, arrhythmia;
• retention of urination and defecation;
• increased protein content in urine.

After the body’s initial reaction, a person experiences lethargy, apathy, weakness, depression, and sometimes delirium, but severe pain persists. After a few days, a red rash appears on the body. Death is possible in especially dangerous cases with general weakness of the body and lack of qualified medical care, especially if the victim has cardiovascular diseases. If the course is favorable, recovery occurs within 3-4 weeks.

Beware of karakurt (video)

Treatment and prevention

The most elementary and well-known method of treating a poisonous spider bite since ancient times, supported by official medicine, is cauterization. The predator's venom is sensitive to heat and is destroyed when heated, losing its toxic properties. Therefore, immediately, within 2 minutes after the attack, the damaged area must be burned with a cigarette, match or other method. The spider does not have powerful jaws, the bite depth does not exceed 0.5 mm, so immediate cauterization has a strong effect. In any case, you should contact a medical facility as soon as possible.

As special measures, anti-caracourt serum is used, which is administered intramuscularly. The serum relieves the main symptoms of poisoning, and recovery time is reduced to 3-4 days.

The disadvantage of this product is its high cost. In the absence of a special substance, the following is administered intravenously:

• novocaine;
• calcium chloride;
• magnesium hydrogen sulfate.
• 33% ethyl alcohol;
• 2-3% solution of potassium permanganate.

The victim must be given water, rubbed with alcohol, and enemas are recommended. Universal remedies can be used as painkillers: Analgin, Diphenhydramine, Ketanol.

In cases of living in the territory inhabited by karakurts, it is necessary to be careful when cleaning residential premises, especially in adobe houses, and pay attention to the presence of cobwebs in personal areas. When going outdoors, you should follow certain rules:

• do not spend the night in the open air in habitats poisonous spiders;
• do not come into contact with inside tents;
• examine the place where you spend the night or rest, paying attention to holes and natural depressions in the ground, rodent burrows, and if there are any, cover them with earth;
• use covering clothing and wear a hat;
• periodically, and mandatory before going to bed, carefully examine the tent, sleeping places, clothes, shoes and other property;
• use the canopy, tucking it under the sleeping place;
• dig around the tent, making a shallow ditch;
• do not take off your shoes;
• If you find a karakurt, do not touch it; if the spider is on your clothes, shake it off or knock it down with a click.

To prevent the death of domestic animals, the soil is treated with hexachlorane and other poisons.

Attention, TODAY only!

Spiders are all around us. Therefore, it is important to know which spiders are safe and which ones you need to avoid.

Spiders are one of the oldest inhabitants of the planet, known from the Devonian and Carboniferous periods. It is believed that they appeared approximately 400 million years ago. Creatures Paleozoic era had a characteristic arachnoid apparatus, but were more primitive. Their habitat is the widest - the entire planet, not counting Antarctica.

Spider Science: What is it called?

Araneology is the science of spiders, which is part of the branch of zoology - arachnology. Arachnology studies arthropod invertebrate arachnids. The origin of the name is ancient Greek.

Also, arachnology is the art of weather prediction based on observing the actions of spiders.

Spiders - what are they: types

Researchers know about 42 thousand species of spiders. Spiders can be divided into three large suborders, which differ mainly in the structure of the jaws, or more precisely, in the position of the chelicerae relative to the longitudinal axis of the body.

Suborder Orthognatha

More often, representatives of this suborder are called migalomorphs. Characterized by the presence of dense hairs, large sizes and the primitive structure of the jaws - the claw is directed downwards and grows only on the upper jaw. The respiratory system is represented by pulmonary sacs.

The majority of mygalomorphs live in warm climates. They make burrows underground.

Orthognatha includes:

• tarantula spiders
• funnel spiders
• ctenizidae
• digger spiders

Suborder Araneomorpha

Almost all other species of spiders known to naturalists belong to large group Labidognatha or Araneomorpha. They differ in that both jaws are equipped with claws. The respiratory system is represented by the trachea.

Types of spiders that catch prey without a net:

• crab spiders
• jumping spiders
• wolf spiders

Types of spiders using a trapping net:

• linifid spiders
• web spiders
• funnel spiders, or house spiders
• long-legged spiders
• orb weaving spiders

Among araneomorphic spiders, there are also those that are not capable of producing cribellum - a substance from which spiders produce durable spider silk, and those who produce it.

Suborder Mesothelae

Lyphistiomorphic spiders are distinguished by the fact that the chelicerae are spread out to the side rather than pointing downwards. This position is considered more evolutionarily advanced. But this suborder is considered the most primitive; traces of it were found in Carboniferous deposits. Spiders have archaic pulmonary sacs and four pairs of arachnoid warts, which have not yet been moved to the end of the abdomen. They live in earthen burrows that are closed with a lid. Signal threads radiate from the minks. Although one species prefers caves, where it makes web tubes on the walls.

These include:

• arthropod spiders
• primitive arthrolycosid spiders
• primitive arthromigalid spiders

Spider: insect, animal or not?

Spiders belong to a type of animal - the order arthropods in the class arachnids. Therefore, spiders are animals, not insects.

Differences between a spider and an insect:

• a spider has four pairs of legs, and insects have three pairs
• Spiders do not have antennae characteristic of insects.
• many eyes, up to twelve pairs
• the body of a spider always consists of a cephalothorax and abdomen
• Some types of spiders have intelligence: they distinguish strangers from their own, can protect the owner, sense the owner’s mood, and even dance to music. No insect can do this, unlike an animal.

Spider body structure

The body of spiders, covered with chitin as an exoskeleton, consists of two sections that are connected by a small tube:

• The cephalothorax is formed by the head fused with the chest
• abdomen

Cephalothorax

• The cephalothorax is divided by a groove into two sections: the cephalic and thoracic. In the anterior head section there are eyes and jaws - chelicerae. In most spiders, the chelicerae are directed downwards and end in a claw. The claws contain poisonous glands.
• The lower part of the jaws - pedipalps, are used as palps and grasping elements. Between the pedipalps there is a mouth used for sucking. In some mature males, the pedipalps are also the cymbium - the copulatory apparatus.
• Simple eyes are also located in the anterior cephalic region.
• Four pairs of jointed legs are also found on the cephalothorax in thoracic region. Each spider leg consists of 7 segments. The last segment of each leg has two or more smooth or serrated claws.

Abdomen

• The abdomen can have the following shape: round, oval with processes, angular, elongated worm-shaped. On the abdomen there are stigmata - respiratory openings.
• On the underside of the abdomen there are arachnoid warts containing arachnoid glands. The genital opening is located near the base of the abdomen. In females it is surrounded by a thickened chitinous plate, and in males the genital opening looks like a simple slit.

Spiders can grow up to 10 cm in size, and the span of their limbs can exceed 25 cm, it all depends on the species. The smallest representatives are only 0.4 mm in size.

The color and pattern depend on the structure of the scales and hairs covering the body, the presence of pigment and the type of spider.

How many legs and limbs does a spider have?

• All spiders have four pairs of legs, which are located on the cephalothorax and are usually covered with hairs.
• Each foot has crescent-shaped, comb-like claws. Between the claws, most often, there is a sticky pad - a claw-like appendage.
• Spiders that weave webs have auxiliary serrated claws that allow the spider to move freely along the web.

How many eyes does a spider have?

• Depends on the species. Some species have only two eyes, and some have up to twelve. Most species have 8 eyes, which are arranged in two rows.
• In any case, the two front eyes are the main ones. They differ in structure from other lateral eyes: they have muscles to move the retina and do not have a reflective shell. The auxiliary eyes are also distinguished by the presence of light-sensitive retinal cells. The more of them, the sharper the spider’s vision.
• Some spiders can see as well as humans and distinguish colors. For example, jumping spiders. Night hunters, for example, side-walking spiders, see perfectly not only at night, but also during the day. But wandering spiders see best.

How does a spider weave a web?

The thread of the web consists of many thin threads, which the spider glues together with a special liquid that quickly hardens in air. Thanks to this, the strength of the web is achieved so high that spiders even travel with its help, covering kilometers of distance.

The web can be dry, sticky, elastic - it all depends on the purpose of the thread.

Types of threads for web:

• for cocoon
• trapping sticky thread
• for moving
• to entangle prey
• thread for fastening

The design of the web depends on the hunting method. When weaving, spiders use a thread that reflects ultraviolet rays, which most insects see. Moreover, the spider weaves ultraviolet-reflecting threads in such a way that they look like flowers, which also reflect ultraviolet. Therefore, insects fly to an alluring and sweet flower and end up in a web.

Stages of weaving a web:

1. The spider releases a long thread first. Such a thread is picked up by the air flow, rushes to the nearest branch and clings to it (Fig. 1, 2).
2. Then another free-hanging thread parallel to the previous one is woven. The spider moves to the middle of this thread, which is stretched under its weight, and weaves another thread in a downward direction until it finds a third support (Fig. 3).
3. The spider attaches a thread to the support and forms a Y-shaped frame.
4. Next comes the general contour and several more radii (Fig. 4).
5. An auxiliary spiral is woven at these radii (Fig. 5). This entire frame is woven from non-sticky thread.
6. Next, the spider weaves a second spiral with a sticky thread, towards the middle of the web from its edge.

Construction may take 1-2 hours.

How do spiders reproduce?

• Males usually differ from females in size (the male is smaller), long legs, brighter coloring, the presence of pedipalps, which appear in males only during the last molt.
• First, males weave a special sperm web. Although some types are limited to a few stretched threads. Then the spider applies a drop of sperm to the web and fills the pedipalps with sperm, with the help of which it introduces sperm into the female’s seminal receptacle. And he goes in search of the female.
• The spider finds the female by smell. Having found a suitable female, the male begins to cautiously approach. If the female is not in the mood for courtship, she will attack the spider and may even eat it.
• If the female looks favorably at the male, then the male begins to lure the female: he performs “wedding dances,” “clangs” his legs, and brings prey. Having appeased the female, the spider carefully approaches her, touches her with the tips of her legs, then touches her with her pedipalps and retreats. The male also “drums” on the substrate.
• If the female does not show aggression and “drums” herself, then the male carefully approaches and brings his pedipalps to the female’s genital opening. The act lasts for several seconds.
• Then the male runs away so that the female does not eat him. Although this happens quite rarely. In one season, a female can have several males.
• After 6-10 weeks, the female weaves a cocoon into which she lays up to 500 eggs. The female carefully guards the cocoon, holding it between the chelicerae. After another 5 weeks, the spiderlings appear.

How long do regular spiders live?

Most spiders live for a year. But some species, such as Grammostola pulchra from tarantula spiders, can live 35 years. Moreover, this applies only to females; even male tarantulas live for 2-3 years.

Non-venomous spiders: list with names

There are no spiders that are not poisonous at all. Poison is necessary in order to paralyze the victim, for protection.

But the venom of most spiders found is not dangerous. In some cases, there is so little that no one will notice, or there will be redness and swelling. Although in isolated cases an allergy to spider venom is possible.

Safe for humansfrequently encounteredspiders:

Common harvest spider. The size of the male is up to 7 mm, the female is up to 9 mm. Long-legged. Hunt in dark time days. They like to gather in a group so that they look like a clump of fur. Weaves a non-sticky web. They scare off enemies by releasing an unpleasant odor.

More than 5 thousand species. This is a small spider, 5-6 mm in size, that loves to bask in the sun and is excellent at climbing glass. They are good jumpers, can jump up to 20 cm. They do not weave webs, they attack with a jump, and they have excellent eyesight.

More than 1 thousand species. Size up to 25 mm - females, up to 10 mm - males. On its abdomen there are several white spots forming a cross. They hunt using a round trapping net, which can reach 1.5 m in diameter.

Size up to 10 mm. It hunts from ambush, instantly grabs its prey and paralyzes it with poison. Doesn't weave networks. It has camouflage - if necessary, it changes color from rich yellow to white. Those that hunt on the bark of trees are brown in color, and those in the leaves are variegated.

House spider or funnel web spider, the most famous and widespread. The web weaves in a secluded place: on the ceiling, in the corner, behind the closet. The male is up to 10 mm in size, the female is slightly larger - up to 12 mm. The color is yellow-gray with brown spots.

The size of the female is up to 10 mm, the male is slightly smaller. The color is light yellow, sometimes greenish. On the underside of the elongated seed-shaped abdomen there are two light stripes. They build circular nets with large “holes” designed for long-legged mosquitoes. They build webs near water and are able to run on water.

The size of the male is up to 16 mm, the female is up to 12 mm. A rare spider, adapted to live in sluggish freshwater. Can swim. The abdomen is covered with hairs to retain air, so the spider appears “silver” under water. A “bell” filled with air weaves in the water, where it lives: rests, leaves reserves, eats caught prey.

Tarantula spider (tarantula). Large, up to 20 cm with a leg span. They have a beautiful variety of colors. Weaving a web. Some species are completely harmless to humans; the bite of others may cause swelling, redness, itching, heat, and muscle cramps. Deaths not described. They are the ones most often kept in houses; females of some species live up to 35 years. Very easy to care for. Birdeaters can even be trained.

Top 10 most dangerous, poisonous, deadly spiders in the world, on the planet: list with names

A resident of the tropics and subtropics of South America is the most dangerous spider according to the Guinness Book. The size of the spider is 10-12.5 cm. It is fast, active, does not weave webs, and constantly moves in search of prey. Loves bananas. It feeds on other spiders, insects, lizards, and birds.

When in danger, it rears up and shows its fangs. The poison is deadly for weakened people and children. Without assistance, death from the bite of some individuals can occur in 20-30 minutes. A healthy adult usually experiences a severe allergic reaction.

The habitat is the deserts of South America and Africa. They can go without water and food for a long time - up to a year. Size taking into account paw span up to 5cm.

When hunting, it buries itself in the sand, lets it get closer and attacks from cover. The poison is a hemolytic necrotic toxin that thins the blood and causes tissue decomposition. The victim dies from internal bleeding. No antidote has been created, but people die extremely rarely.

Habitat - Australia, within a radius of 100 km from Sydney. Size - up to 5 cm. Lives and hunts in stumps, under stones, in trees or open areas. The poison is not dangerous to most mammals, but is fatal to humans and primates.

When in danger, a spider rears up and shows its fangs. When biting, it digs into the victim's body and bites many times in a row. At the same time, it is difficult to tear it off. The poison is dangerous due to large doses. First, your health worsens: nausea, vomiting, sweating. Then it decreases arterial pressure and blood circulation is disrupted, and in the end the respiratory organs fail.

One of the most known species. Habitat - Mexico, USA, southern Canada, New Zealand. They prefer to live in the desert and prairies. The size of the female is up to 1 cm. Females are more dangerous than males. If bitten by a female, the antidote must be administered within 30 seconds.

Spider venom is 15 times stronger than rattlesnake venom. The bite site takes up to 3 months to heal. The bite is characterized by acute pain, which after 1 hour spreads throughout the body, causing convulsions. Difficulty breathing, vomiting, sweating, headache, paresthesia of the limbs, fever.

Externally similar to a black widow. Originally lived in Australia, it has now spread throughout the world, with the exception of the poles. Up to 1 cm in size. It feeds on insects, flies, cockroaches, even lizards.

The poison is not capable of killing a person, but after a bite one feels pain, cramps, nausea, increased sweating, and general weakness.

6. Karakurt - “black worm”

From the family of black widows, it lives in the steppe and desert zones of Russia. The size of a male is up to 0.7 cm, a female is up to 2 cm. The most dangerous poison is in females that have red dots on their abdomen.

The spider bite itself is practically not noticeable, but after a few minutes you can feel it sharp pain, gradually spreading throughout the body. Convulsions begin, a red rash appears, the victim may feel causeless fear and depression. Without assistance, the bite can become fatal within 5 days.

The second name is violin spider. Habitat: northern Mexico, southern USA, California. The size of males is 0.6 cm, females are up to 20 cm. Not aggressive. Lives in dark, dry places: attics, sheds, closets.

The bite is practically insensitive. After a bite, the effect of the poison begins to be felt after it spreads throughout the body, within a day. The temperature rises, nausea, rash, pain throughout the body, and tissue swelling appear. In 30%, tissue necrosis begins, sometimes organs fail, and only a few deaths have been reported.

Initially inhabited only South America(Chile), now lives also in North America, found in Europe and Australia. Lives in abandoned places: barns, woodpiles, attics. It feeds on insects and other spiders. Size including paws - up to 4 cm.

The bite is painful, similar in strength to a cigarette burn. The poison has a necrotic effect. The victim feels severe pain. Kidney failure may develop. Treatment lasts many months, and 1 in 10 people die.

9. Wolf spiders

Habitat - the whole world, except Antarctica, but they prefer warm countries. They live in bushes, on grassy meadows, in forests near water sources, in fallen leaves, under stones. Dimensions - up to 30 mm. They feed on cicadas and bugs.

A bite from tropical species can cause prolonged pain, dizziness, swelling, severe itching, nausea, and rapid pulse. Their poison is not lethal.

Theraphose Blond

10. Theraphose Blonde

One of largest spiders, the second name is the goliath tarantula. Body size is up to 9 cm, leg span is up to 25 cm. It feeds on toads, mice, small birds and snakes. Bites only in cases of danger.

The poison has a paralytic effect. But for humans it is only fraught with swelling and itching. When biting large animals or humans, poison is usually not injected. When in danger, the tarantula shakes off sharp hairs from its back, which cause irritation of the mucous membranes.

Although there are many dangerous spiders, they rarely attack. An attack, as a rule, is associated with defense, and in ordinary life, spiders stay away, preferring secluded places to live. There are few fatalities, but caution is always necessary when handling these animals.

Video. The strangest spiders and unusual spiders in the world

It has been proven that the first spiders appeared on the planet about 400 million years ago (order Araneae), descended from a crab-like ancestor. At last count, science now knows about 42 000 species of spiders.

Today we will talk about some famous and interesting species of spiders.

Particularly dangerous species of spiders

Karakurt (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus)

Known as the European or Mediterranean black widow. This species is commonly found throughout the Mediterranean region, from Spain to Southwest and Central Asia. The name L. lugubris is considered obsolete, although it still appears frequently in the literature. Even in Ancient Greece Karakurt was well known for its dangerous bite. This species of spider is black in color, similar to most other species in this genus (Latrodectus) and is identified by the thirteen red spots that are found on its dorsal abdomen. The male karakurt has a relatively small size of 4-7 mm, but the female is much larger, her body length is 7-15 mm.

Karakurt primarily lives in steppes and other grasslands and can be a serious problem in areas where grain is harvested by hand. Like all Latrodectus species, the karakurt has a bite that is venomous and can be fatal to humans, causing death within minutes. After a karakurt bite, a person may feel severe pain in the limbs and abdomen. Typical symptoms include excessive sweating, vomiting, elevated temperature and hypertension. Pain after a bite usually lasts 1-2 days, and other symptoms last from 1 to 4 days. In Europe, bites have become very rare.

Brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa)

The brown recluse spider is found in eastern Texas and western Georgia. Often this dangerous spider It is found near human habitation, in the open air under rocks and bark, as well as in houses, schools, sheds and barns. The brown recluse is about 12 mm. It is brown and has a violin-shaped cephalothorax on its head. During the day, the recluse spider remains in some quiet place, such as a closet, under furniture or in an outlet of some kind, emerging at night to search for food.

It feeds primarily on insects and injects its prey with a venom that is hemolytic rather than neurotoxic. Its bite ranges from minor to serious and sometimes fatal. As of 1984, there have been at least 5 reported deaths due to recluse spider bites in the United States. Once stung, the toxins kill the cells surrounding the puncture, creating a black, gangrenous patch. Often the skin will begin to peel away from the area around the wound, exposing the underlying tissue. Because these wounds heal slowly, they leave a very unpleasant scar.

Brazilian wandering spider (genus Phoneutria)

photo by Leonel H. Baldoni

The Brazilian wandering spider also has a reputation as a dangerous spider. Many articles and even some popular science books describe these spiders as "extremely dangerous", "extremely aggressive" and "most toxic", "highly poisonous" or simply "deadly". There are also dozens of "true" field reports giving the impression that these spiders must be pure evil. But in reality this is only half the truth.

Most Phoneutria species are quite large, and in fact the genus includes the largest known spiders in the world. With a total body length of about 5 cm and a leg length of about 18 cm, some species have record sizes. When talking about these spiders, we should know that there are eight (actual) species with different genetics, geographic distribution, habitat preferences, biology, and the generalized information we find about wandering spiders may not be correct for some species in the genus.

There is no doubt that the venom of some species is very effective for mammals, including humans. This species includes the Brazilian wandering spider. It is important to know that this spider, like many others, does not try to bite a person on purpose, but quite the opposite. For example, a spider that, seconds before it was disturbed, was sitting in a banana stem, hiding from daylight, now accidentally ended up in the hands of a person. The spider's natural reaction to such a situation is to bite. The Brazilian wandering spider lives in South and Central America. The bite of this particular wandering spider entails paralysis and suffocation.

Sydney funnel web spider (Atrax robustus)

photo David Nixon

Found exclusively in Australia within a 160-kilometre radius of Sydney, the particularly dangerous Sydney funnel-web spider typically lives in lush gullies under rocks and fallen timber. It also lives in moist soil under houses, crevices in garden rocks and compost bushes. Their white silk web ranges from 20 to 60 cm in length.

Males grow up to 25 mm in length, and females up to 35 mm. The Sydney funnel web spider is a solitary animal, except during mating periods. This venomous spider's diet consists of beetles, cockroaches, insect larvae, native land snails, millipedes and occasionally frogs and other small vertebrates. In many rankings, the Sydney funnel-web spider is considered one of the deadliest in the world. He will attack without the slightest hesitation as soon as he suspects a threat. The spider has fangs that can easily pierce a human fingernail. Since his poison can refuse respiratory system, then you need to immediately contact a medical facility.

Six-eyed sand spider (Sicarius hahni)

The six-eyed sand spider is a medium-sized spider found in deserts and other sandy areas in southern Africa. It is believed that there are about 200,000 species of sand spiders. Fortunately, this spider, like the recluse spider, is very shy. However, toxicology studies have shown that its venom is the most poisonous of all spiders. The question arises regarding the danger posed by the six-eyed sand spider. Although it rarely bites people, its bite can cause severe bleeding and destruction of blood vessels and tissue. But biggest problem is that there is currently no antidote for the venom of the six-eyed sand spider and its bite is likely to be fatal. Fortunately, this sand spider rarely comes into contact with humans, and even when it does, it usually does not bite.

Some famous and interesting species of spiders

Peacock spider (Maratus volans)

Most great view A peacock spider can reach 76 mm - this is the size of an eraser on a simple pencil. Like many spiders, this species is poisonous. But this does not mean that the peacock spider is dangerous for people: its small jaws are so small that it is not even capable of piercing our skin. The peacock spider stalks its prey like a lion. It charges and destroys prey three or four times its own size.

Side-walking spiders or crab spiders (Thomisidae)

photo by Allan Lance

The family of these interesting spiders includes 175 genera with 2103 species. Crab spiders got their name from their ability to move sideways, like crabs, and also forward and backward. Species from this family range in size from small to large, ranging from 2 to 23 mm. There is a huge variety of colors and shapes. During the day, crab spiders are active, occupying flowers or other parts of vegetation where they lure prey. Some species of crab spiders are even capable of changing color for several hours or even days to match the color of the petals of the flower in which they live. Other species in the family appear to be covered in mud, making them difficult to spot on the ground.

Hunter bordered ( Dolomedes fimbriatus)

photo John Balcombe

A notable ability of the fringed or dolomedes hunter is its habitat and, accordingly, its diet. This spider lives near a pond and feeds on small fish, which is why it is often called a fish spider. Dolomedes is a large brown and white spider that has long, strong legs and an oval-shaped abdomen. The hunter is able to crawl down aquatic plants, and if he is in danger, he can remain under water for about an hour.

Whip spider (Argyrodes colubrinus)

The whip spider rather resembles a thin twig and does not at all resemble its relatives. The species was named Colubrinus, which means serpentine. Nature created it this way for camouflage. Such a predator sits in the web, and the prey thinks that the twigs are stuck to the web and is not afraid of it at all.

A unique species among all spiders

Kipling's Bagheera (Bagheera kiplingi)

Such a unique spider is a species called Bagheera Kipling , that feeds exclusively on plant foods, when all other spiders in the world are predators. This tropical look feeds on buds that grow on acacia trees. Kipling's bagheera is found in Mexico and Central America and is 5-6 mm long. This unique spider lives where it feeds, on the acacia tree. It builds its nest on old leaves and other parts of the tree where populations of ants, which also inhabit these trees, are relatively sparse.

The smallest and largest spider

Patu digua - the smallest spider

The smallest spider known to science today is − Patu digua. It is almost impossible to see this spider with the naked eye, because its average size is 0.37 mm. It lives in West Africa on the Ivory Coast.

The world's largest spider Theraphosa blondi

The world's largest spider Theraphosa blondi- its leg span reaches 28 cm. There are some spiders that sometimes have a larger leg span, but they are noticeably inferior in size. The female Theraphosa blondi reaches 100.4 mm, and the male reaches 85 mm. The body of this spider is dark brown in color, and the legs are covered with a mass of reddish-brown hairs.

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