Spiders are one of the most commonly feared insects. Who wouldn’t be afraid of them? They creep up on you with their hairy legs and they bite. Although spiders often run off and hide, some of them are a bit more aggressive. Here are some of the most aggressive spiders on the planet and what happens when you get bitten by them.
Brown Recluse Spider
A native in North America, the brown recluse spider has venom that’s capable of destroying blood vessel walls around the area where the bite is found. This can even develop into a skin ulcer when not treated immediately. The venom targets a cell membrane component called phospholipid. Fortunately, it takes a long time for the bite to become severe and victims have time to cure it.
Brazilian Wandering Spiders
Also called banana spiders, they’re native to South America and are often found on banana leaves. When provoked, these spiders get into a defensive posture where they raise their two front legs straight into the air to make themselves look bigger. Their venom is very poisonous and targets the nervous system. A bite can lead to irregular heartbeat, salivation, and extended, painful erections in men. a good thing from this though is that researchers are looking into the use of the venom as a possible erectile dysfunction treatment.
Yellow Sac Spider
These spiders are members of the Clubionids family and build tube-shaped webs under stones, in grass, and in leaves. Found in North America and northern South America, their venom is a cytotoxin. This destroys or impairs the function of cells and can develop a necrotizing lesion. Extreme swelling and redness around the area of the bite is commonly seen. They’re also not passive creatures. Female specimen often becomes very aggressive when defending their eggs.
Wolf Spider
Coming from the Lycosidae family, these spiders are large and are found all over the world. They’re named after their wolf-like habit of chasing and jumping on prey. They also move fast, which scares people even more. Although they often stay in grassy areas, under logs, leaf litter, and stones, they do stay in human dwellings from time to time. These spiders are one of the most aggressive spider species. Although their venom is not that poisonous, they do deliver a very painful bite.
Black Widow
One of the most common spiders that send people to poison control centers, the black widow is notorious for its painful bit and strong venom. They’re seen across the north and south Americas and often live in burrows, around plants, and woodpiles that they use as support for their webs. Bites have a sort of pinprick feel and results to severe nausea, cramping, muscle pain, and a mild paralysis of the diaphragm, causing difficulty in breathing.
