Black widow - external signs, lifestyle and how dangerous karakurt is for a person. How to get rid of black widow spiders Where is the black widow spider found

One of the most common arthropods throughout the Earth is the black widow spider. Its variety has 31 subspecies. These spiders equip their home in secluded places where there is little sun and enough small insects.

One of the most common arthropods throughout the Earth is the black widow spider.

Ruthless arthropod cannibal

The Black Widow Squad got its name from a well-known cannibalism.. The female spider of this species eats the male after mating, can eat its own kind of arthropods and even spiders with its brood.

But some scientists refute these facts by the fact that such observations are carried out in laboratory conditions, where very often spiders have no choice but to eat their loved ones. And the male will not be able to avoid such a fate, because he has nowhere to run. And in freedom, in a natural environment, their behavior is significantly different.

Before mating, the male black widow takes care of his lady for a long time, performs mating dances. Some scientists explain such flirting by the fact that abrupt aggressive actions can provoke a spider to attack. In this case, the groom risks becoming a dinner, and not the father of offspring.

Due to such cannibal incidents, the lifespan of spiders is short. In addition, karakurt (black widow) is a favorite delicacy for many birds and praying mantises. Usually a bright color helps its owner, warning everyone about the poisonous properties of the body. But in this case, the female karakurt is not saved by her red spot on her abdomen.

The life cycle of spiders most often does not exceed a year, but there are also centenarians who reach three years. Among the latter, one cannot meet males, in natural environment habitat, their life is much shorter than that of females of this species. Only in artificial conditions can they live for a long time, while never mating.

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How to determine the habitat of karakurt (video)

Feature and description

In fact, the black widow spider is not aggressive. Karakurt bite people not out of a desire to kill or eat, but only for the sake of protection when a person poses a threat. Even an accidental intrusion into the territory of a karakurt provokes an attack by a spider.

A healthy adult may not be afraid of karakurt poison. Fatal consequences from a bite can only be in patients, children and the elderly. But be that as it may, an antidote is necessary for each victim. The poison of the black widow spider, which penetrates the bloodstream, can lead to further problems with the psyche, nervous system and muscles.

The female black widow has a stronger venom than the male. The spider is much larger than its spouse, has a red or orange hourglass mark on the abdomen and shiny dark organs. The male is paler, with red or pink spots on the back. These karakurts have 4 pairs of legs about 12 mm long, and the body reaches 40 mm in females and approximately 20-25 mm in males.

The web of tenetnikov is stronger than silk, and in order to make it convenient to pull thin threads over prey, these spiders have curved bristles on the back pair of legs. Karakurt weaves thick fabrics, not fine lace, to catch grasshoppers, various insects and other spiders.

Gallery: black widow (43 photos)

Unusual pet

Many people do not know what a black widow spider looks like and confuse a poisonous individual with its relatives. There are many on earth dangerous spiders, similar to the black widow, each of them has its own habits and characteristics. In the vastness of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, a false black widow is found.

For example, white karakurt, which is most often found in the steppe area, is one of the subspecies of the black widow. This spider is not so poisonous, its bite will never lead to fatal consequences. But that doesn't mean it's safe to try out his fangs.

Karakurt can live as a pet, and even there is every chance to grow a centenarian. But it is not suitable for beginners, because it has a peculiar disposition. Most of the bites of poisonous spiders fall on just such unfortunate hosts. To cope with a poisonous pet, you need a lot of experience and skill. If large tarantulas more or less adapt to domestic life and can sit on the hands of their master, then karakurts are not at all like that.

Karakurt - Black Widow- is one of the most poisonous spiders on the planet. The most poisonous of all arthropods are spiders, and of them the most poisonous is karakurt ("Black Widow"). The second name of the female of this spider was due to biological feature- after mating, have a bite to eat with your chosen one.

Spiders, like scorpions, are evolutionarily endowed not with hemoglobin, but with hemocyanin, which instead of iron contains copper, which stains the blood in an unusual color: venous - blue, arterial - blue.

The body of the karakurt is smooth, the hairline is completely absent, so the insect seems completely harmless. An adult female has a spherical shape 1.5-2 cm in size. The female and the male are not alike in everything: the spider molts 9 times, and the spider only 7, and has more pronounced red spots on its back until the end of its life.

The danger to humans and warm-blooded animals is the poison-producing apparatus of the karakurt.

Poison karakurt

The poisonous glands located in the cephalothorax are connected by thin ducts to the movable sharp claws of the upper jaws. The glands are enveloped in a muscular sheath. Due to the sharp contraction of these muscles, the victim receives a portion of the poison instantly.

According to the biochemical structure, the poison of the karakurt belongs to toxalbumins, spreads through the lymphatic tract, is neurotoxic and contains six bioactive fractions. The sensitivity of warm-blooded animals to the poison of karakurt is not the same.

The bite of a karakurt is very dangerous for horses and camels that die right in the pastures. Sheep, goats and pigs are not sensitive to this poison and can eat an adult karakurt without any consequences. Karakurt poison is 15 times more toxic than poison rattlesnake.

People (especially the inhabitants of the steppes) are well aware of the danger of karakurt. To reduce the likelihood of contact with it in the habitat, shepherds have long driven out, chased and grazed in the steppe flocks of sheep that are not sensitive to the poison of the karakurt, and also practiced seasonal burning of the steppe so that young individuals of the spider would die in cocoons.

Distribution of karakurt

Hot countries - Central Asia, Ukraine, the Caucasus. The density of its settlement largely depends on regional weather conditions last year, wintering conditions, the number of natural enemies.

The habitats of spiders are diverse: mouse minks, cracks in adobe walls, sagebrush steppes, salt marshes of the wasteland - both on virgin soil and on arable land. They even settle in inhabited yard buildings.

In deserts, as well as in very humid places, in dense grasses and shrubs, karakurts do not live.

What lifestyle does karakurt lead?

Most often, karakurt arranges a nest at the base of grass stalks or directly on the ground, where it weaves spherical cocoons for eggs and has nearby trapping net. Trapping nets and cocoons are made of very strong, tightly stretched cobwebs with a stretch factor of up to 30%.

Karakurt builds cocoons in July - August. After 5-7 days, spiderlings appear in the cocoon, but they emerge from there only next year at an air temperature of 30 ° (15-20 ° degrees in the shade).

In relation to a person, karakurts are not aggressive; when they meet, they leave or pretend to be dead. A spider can bite at the moment when the trapping nets are disturbed, or it is pressed against the human body. This most often occurs during overnight stays. natural conditions, much less often - during the day when collecting wild flowers, hay or straw, lying on the ground.

The toxicity of karakurt venom depends on many factors: the season, age and sex of the spider. Sexually mature females are especially poisonous in comparison with young ones, in which red dots on a black abdomen are surrounded by a white border.

When and how does karakurt bite

The first bites of karakurt occur in May - early June. However, in 2007, on March 5, a report appeared in the press about the first and only case of a winter spider bite. Spiders usually hibernate in winter, but warm winter, according to experts, violated their biological clock. The most frequent and dangerous bites of karakurt are observed in July and August. From September to the end of October, when the weather gets colder, karakurts die en masse.

All adult individuals die, only spiderlings hibernate in cocoons, from which they emerge in summer. AT last years there is a movement of karakurt to a zone of relatively dense human habitation. These are sheds, abandoned courtyard buildings, piles of firewood, rural latrines (cases of a bite in the buttocks are known). It is possible for karakurt to penetrate housing during prolonged heavy rains that flood the spider's habitats.

The natural enemies of the species are sphex wasps that paralyze karakurt with a prick of a poisonous sting, as well as insects of the “riders” group that lay their testicles in the cocoon of karakurt and turn the entire masonry of karakurt into food for the maturation of their offspring. For these insects, karakurt is a good prey.

Clinic of defeat.

For diagnosis, the bite of a karakurt is extremely difficult. The fact is that a person does not feel pain. The site of the lesion is determined by two small red spots, slight hyperemia, swelling and numbness.

General symptoms develop later than the injury - from 15 minutes to 6 hours. The shorter the time interval between the bite and the development of general symptoms, the more severe the manifestations of intoxication, when the burning pain from the bite spreads throughout the body.

The patient is very restless, he has a fear of death. Further pains pass to the muscles of the body (abdomen and chest). Breathing becomes difficult. In severe poisoning, respiratory distress can result in pulmonary edema and cardiac arrest.

Join the pain muscle tension, fascicular muscle twitching. The muscles of the face are involved in the process of intoxication with a grimace of pain and fear, blepharoconjunctivitis and lacrimation are observed.

Symptoms of poisoning with karakurt poison last an average of 24-48 hours, and sometimes much longer. Poisoning in severe cases can lead to death in 1-2 days. Death from a bite of a karakurt is most likely in individuals (children and adults) with severe concomitant diseases or in those who entered the hospital late.

Number deaths is from 4 to 6% total number bites.

Recovery comes gradually - after two to three weeks. It depends on the amount of poison that has entered the body. Neurological effects (asthenia, weakness) may last from one to two months.

When entering a medical institution, a large number of diagnostic errors are observed. Pain in various parts of the body is so pronounced that doctors mistakenly classify it as an acute abdomen or myocardial infarction. This, of course, is reflected in the outcome of poisoning.

How to protect yourself from a bite of a karakurt

The most reliable protection against deadly poison karakurta - do not do stupid things while relaxing in nature. To prevent contact with karakurt, certain rules must be followed:

1. For parking, you should choose areas unsuitable for the life of a karakurt (lack a large number rodent burrows, cobwebs in soil depressions and on vegetation).

2. No need to walk barefoot in the places where karakurts may live, and not only them.

3. You can not sleep in the steppe on bare ground, you must use a tarpaulin or air mattresses, which are reliable protection against spider bites at night.

4. When collecting hay, straw, brushwood for a fire, clearing forest belts and wastelands, it is recommended to use gloves and protective clothing, tuck trousers into socks and boots.

5. Do not turn stones over and move by feel at night on rocky slopes.

7. Most bites are provoked by the victims themselves. Summer residents and homeowners struggle poorly with wild herbs on the territory of households and adjacent areas, so karakurts and tarantulas often master vegetable gardens. Some take off their shoes in the evening and leave them in the aisles. Spiders mistake left shoes for a desired mink - and morning can be fatal.

Treatment if bitten by a black widow

When bitten by a karakurt, it is necessary immediately, no later than 2-3 minutes, to burn the bite with a match head (attach the head of an unlit match to the bite site and set it on fire with another match).

The poison of the karakurt penetrates the skin to a depth of 0.5 mm and decomposes when heated. Other methods of destroying the poison are injection into the wound site of 3-5 ml of 0.1% aqueous solution potassium permanganate and lotions to them at the site of the bite.

For treatment, it is necessary to inject 1-2 doses of serum diluted in 1000 ml of saline intravenously. Specific anti-karakurt serum is produced at the Tashkent Institute of Vaccines and Serums. One dose of this serum costs 37,000 rubles. This is a huge amount for district hospitals.

Wherever a karakurt bite is received, the victim must be immediately taken to a medical facility. With severe intoxication, drinking plenty of water is recommended, with chills, trembling, a feeling of cold and muscle tension - warming the limbs. A cold compress is applied to the bite site, salicylates and any painkillers are used.

Black Widow! Spiders with this name are known to many for their deadly dangerous bites. But not every individual of the spider is dangerous to humans. Females stand out for their aggressiveness black widow. They are dangerous not only for humans, but primarily for males of this species. The size of females is several times larger than males, which are calmer and rarely attack people.

This type of spider is native to North America. But the spiders took root on ships and thus ended up in Australia and Oceania, where they climatized and feel good.

The species of black widow spiders should not be confused with the genus of the same name. These are different ranks in the biological classification. This genus of spiders includes 31 species that live on all continents of the Earth. Not all representatives of this genus are dangerous to humans. In the south of Russia and Ukraine, a representative of the genus lives - the karakurt spider, whose bite is very poisonous and can cause death.

Distinctive features of the appearance of the black widow

The most aggressive is the female spider. A photo of a black widow spider will show the full beauty of the females. Her coloration is jet black with glitter and a red infinity symbol on her belly. young age. Adults are completely black. The body of the spider does not exceed 1 cm in diameter, while the total size of the female spider is about 6 cm. There are 4 thin tenacious legs on each side of the body.

Aggression in many cases is not justified, therefore, when meeting with her, it is better not to provoke her, otherwise the bite cannot be avoided. Black widows do not just attack, often they protect their offspring. When meeting with a spider, it is better to simply bypass it. In the event of a bite when poison enters the human body, the victim will need emergency medical care, without which a fatal outcome is not excluded.

Males, unlike females, are more calm and have not become famous for attacks on people. In size, they are several times smaller than females with a grayish-brown body color. On the back of males it has an ornament of horizontal and vertical white stripes.

Little spiderlings, just born, are pale yellow or white color. Age-related changes in spiders are marked by a change in color according to gender.

Black Widow Danger

Black widow spider: close-up photo.

For children and the elderly, bites almost always lead to death, regardless of the specialized assistance provided. Not even every adult and healthy body can cope with the symptoms after a bite:

• cramps in the limbs;
• fever;
• sweating;
• headache;
• acute pain in the abdominal cavity, often resembling an exacerbation of pancreatitis and peptic ulcer disease;
• failure of breathing;
• arrhythmia leading to heart failure.

All these symptoms appear as the poison spreads throughout the body. Fatal poisoning lasts 15-60 minutes. ultimately leading to death.

Rendering medical care will not give a quick and complete recovery. First aid gives relief of symptoms for several hours with their resumption in full. The gradual introduction of vaccines and medications allows you to return to normal life in 1-1.5 weeks. Minor health problems observed before a spider bite can worsen and become chronic, and chronic diseases of the nervous and cardiovascular systems may also appear.

Photo of a black widow

Spider black widow with prey.

The black widow spider caught a small lizard.

The black widow spider caught a small snake.

Black widow spider: adult female.

Black widow spider: adult female with prey.

Black Widow Secrets

This type of spider got its name from abuse females with males. They simply eat them after mating, and only a few males manage to avoid the fate of becoming dinner. Females spend most of their time sitting on the web with the growing offspring and waiting for easy prey or a male, although they seem to distinguish prey from males of their own species poorly. So, the females of the black widow are waiting on their web, while the males are moving in search of a lover for mating.

The approach of the male to the web with the female occurs with extreme caution. Primary sniffing the edge of the web and observing the behavior of the hostess of the "lace" makes it clear whether she is ready for mating or not. Readiness to accept a male for mating is marked by the creation by the female of certain vibrations distributed throughout the web.

But the name itself comes from the behavior of a hungry female, which can sharply attack a partner, followed by eating it, without even waiting for mating. Such actions are also observed after fertilization, which caused hunger in the female. We can say that the color of the black widow emphasizes leading role females.

Having eaten, the female begins to weave a cocoon in which she lays her eggs. She hides this cocoon in the shade, for example, under a stone or under a snag, or in a hole. The female is very aggressive in protecting her offspring and many bites are due to humans approaching the cocoon.

Spider black widow with cocoons and cubs.

Spiderlings from eggs usually appear after three weeks. But their mother does not feed them. They eat each other. Thus, only the strongest and most cruel children are selected from the cocoon. In one clutch of such thugs, no more than 12 pieces survive.

With age, the poisonousness of the black widow increases.

The black widow spider or Latrodectus mactans is distributed throughout the world. Homeland is North America. Over time, the arthropod appeared, Oceania. Separate varieties are found in Africa, Asia, Europe. In total, there are 31 species of black widows, the bites of some of them end in the death of animals, humans.

What does a black widow look like

The main feature of the spider is moderately long legs with bristles. With their help, the black widow skillfully throws a web on prey. Spider webs often contain insects, beetles, caterpillars, as well as amphibians and rodents.

On a note!

The color of the abdomen of each species may vary, but the legs are always black. A true black widow has a brilliant glossy black body, long powerful legs. hallmark spider is the presence of a pattern on the lower abdomen in the form of a red hourglass. Males do not have such identification marks.

The body of an adult female reaches a size of 2 cm, legs - 5 cm. Males are always smaller. There are 6-8 eyes on the head, but the spider sees weakly. The organs of touch help to navigate in space. The predator feels the approach of the prey by the vibrations of the air, the web.

Photo and description of other species:

• False black widow. It lives on all continents, differs from its relative in the color of its characteristic pattern. Instead of red hourglasses, they are pink. The spider leads a similar lifestyle, but is better adapted to the harsh climatic conditions. There is a spider, other CIS countries. The poison is less toxic, but not enough to classify the arthropod as a harmless creature.
• Red widow. It lives in several places in Florida. The size, shape of the body does not differ. The color of the chest, legs - red, orange. The belly is black with yellow rings around. Lives in wild environment under the leaves of the sand pine. does not pose a great danger to humans. But there is local irritation, pain, swelling.
• Brown widow. Widespread in America. It has a brighter color - orange, brown, red. On the underside of the abdomen, the pattern in the form of an hourglass is bright yellow, orange. The spider tries to stay away from people, their housing, lives in wild nature. Bites defensively own life. The bite is the weakest of all widow species, but is valued in medicine.
• White widow. Refers to . Found in Russia. Included in the list. Differs in light color - white, yellow. Hunts for insects, caterpillars, beetles. The poison does not pose a mortal danger to humans, but leads to a temporary deterioration in well-being, provoking weakness, headache, nausea, pain at the attack site.

A photo of a black widow spider can be seen below. There are also cubs at different stages of development, which differ from adults in size, lighter color.

origin of name

Black spider with red hourglass on the abdomen is well known throughout the world, not only because of the extremely toxic poison, but also a certain way of life. Male and female meet only for mating during the mating season. It is important for the “boyfriend” to calculate in advance the mood of his “passion”. A hungry female will eat a partner before he starts his mating games. If the spider is waiting for the male, he calmly approaches her, does his job.

The fate of a "man" directly depends on his physical condition, as well as how full the female is. If the widow suddenly gets hungry, she will eat the "boyfriend" in an instant. The same thing happens with a weakened spider that has mated with several spiders. A strong male can safely crawl away, and then reappear for another mating.

The second name is black death, the arthropod received due to strong poison. toxic substance widow squirts when bitten. Spider venom kills a horse in a few minutes, in the absence of timely qualified assistance, a person dies in half an hour.

On a note!

The Latin name for the black widow, Latrodectus, comes from the Greek, literally meaning "biting in secret." The spider hides in a secluded place, waiting for the victim. Attacks a person for the purpose of self-defense. Inconspicuous black color helps to mask in the dark, when the animals are most active.

Where does the spider live

Varieties of black widows are present on all continents. live in tropical countries. According to official data, 13 species live on the American continents, African, Eurasian - 8 each. In Oceania, Australia, 3 species are found. One is found on all continents of the globe with the exception of Eurasia - Latrodectus geometricus.

In the wild, spiders live among vegetation, under stones, in hollows of trees, and in the soil. Once in the house, they hide in the corners, behind furniture, in shoes, lockers, in any place where there is no direct sunlight. Habitat in Russia - the south of the country, forests, forest-steppes.

On a note!

Often a black widow is turned on as pet. She does not attack by herself, but attacks in self-defense. They keep her in a special terrarium. Lives in captivity for about 4 years, in nature - 12 months.

Lifestyle

Spiders live alone. They come together in pairs only for mating. After fertilization, the female lays up to 900 eggs at a time. Wraps them in cobwebs, forms a cocoon, drags them along. For 4 weeks, spiders are formed inside, which are also cannibals. In the cocoon they feed on each other, the strongest are born. A maximum of 10 cubs remain alive. For some time, the younger generation clings to their mother, then spreads out in different directions.

The black widow feeds mainly on insects, beetles, larvae, weaker spiders. Often snakes, snakes, frogs, lizards, rodents come across in the web. The predator paralyzes them with poison, injects saliva that liquefies the insides, then calmly drinks.

On a note!

Black widow-like spiders lead a similar lifestyle, but differ in less toxic venom. The most similar are karakurts. Many species are found on the territory of Russia. They are often called false widows.

Poison Danger

The bite of a black widow spider is 15 times more toxic than that of a rattlesnake. The world dies every year from attacks more people than from sharks, snakes. According to the frequency of bites, the black widow is in first place.

Death can occur in cases of weakened or pathologically weak immunity. More serious consequences in young children, the elderly, the sick. Manifestations begin a few minutes after the bite. The complexity of the situation depends on the amount of poison that has entered the bloodstream. With the provision of timely medical care, a person successfully recovers.

The poison spreads throughout the body, strikes nervous system. Causes severe muscle spasms. As a result, the following symptoms appear:

• increased salivation;
• lacrimation;
• dizziness;
• headache;
• nausea;
• vomit;
• abdominal pain;
• tachycardia;
• vomit;
• urinary incontinence;
• diarrhea;
• pallor of integument;
• dyspnea;
• muscle spasms;
• increased blood pressure;
• anxiety;
• weakness.

At the site of the bite there is pain, swelling, redness. Over time, suppuration appears. The very moment of the attack feels like a prick with a needle. The most dangerous female in the war period, at the time of bearing cubs. Males are less poisonous, not as active.

No, the black widow is not a woman dressed in dark, mourning clothes. The black widow spider is one of the most dangerous spiders in the world, numbering 30 species in its genus, devouring a partner after mating, and whose venom can kill a person or a large animal.

What does danger look like?

These spiders were able to earn such a bad reputation not only because they are extremely poisonous. Small size (an adult grows only 2 centimeters in length), a soft black color, a not very noticeable network of cobwebs is an ideal disguise. Long, paddle-like or comb-like legs, with powerful bristles on the hind pairs of legs, the legs and cephalothorax are shiny, smooth, one might say "varnished" appearance. Some individuals are completely black, someone has multi-colored spots, the black widow itself has a red spot on its back, which is somewhat reminiscent of hourglass. Females are more poisonous than males. Males are generally less dangerous and active, with the exception of mating season when they begin to roam anywhere and everywhere, including living quarters. The black widow's web does not look like smooth and beautiful patterns. large spiders, it is horizontal, long, and completely chaotic.

Black widow lifestyle

Despite the impressive number of eyes, from 6 to 8, spiders see very poorly. The Black Widow perfectly feels the approach of an object with her body, with the help of vibration, sometimes turning in the direction of movement and looking closely with two larger, stronger eyes. It lives in steppes, ditches, ravines, on the ruins of abandoned villages, settling in cracks in the ground and trees, minks of small rodents, by the onset of cold weather they can move into living quarters, basements, cellars, which increases people's anxiety. But not for long, because in late October - early November, adult spiders die from the cold, leaving spiders in cocoons to wait for spring.

Reproduction and habitat

After mating, females of all types of black widows bite off their partners' heads, for which they received such an unusual name. Individuals are immune to their own poison, so females have no problems with poisoning from a partner. Then, at the end of summer, the black widow spiders attach cocoons to the web, from which, after 8 days, small spiderlings hatch, which become independent only by spring.

Black widows are common throughout the globe, but the main habitat is the desert Central Asia, many species in Africa and America, and representatives of the black widow are increasingly noticed in different cities world where they have never been seen before.

Favorite treat

Not only insects, but more major representatives the animal world can be found in the web of a black widow, for example, small lizards or snakes.

black widow and man

A meeting with a black widow can turn out to be very, very sad for a person, because this type of spider was considered the most dangerous in the world until it was ousted from the first place brazilian spider soldier. Black widow venom is 15 times more toxic than rattlesnake venom, the bite is invisible externally, and poison toxins spread throughout the body with lightning speed. It is noteworthy that spiders do not attack themselves, only in case of danger threatening them or if their web is disturbed.

A black widow bite can be fatal in a few days if not treated immediately. You can save yourself from death if you burn the bite site for a few minutes, for example, with a freshly extinguished match head, after which you urgently need to go to the hospital.