How to Identify If a Spider Is Venomous?

Seeing a spider sends terror and fright into many that see one, especially if it is inside the house. After all, how do you know whether the spider you see is a friendly eight-legged creature or an aggressive monster that has its fangs out for you?

Most spiders are harmless and would not hurt you even if they somehow bit you. However, there are a few which are poisonous and will give you more than just a painful bite. This is a guide to know how to tell if a spider is poisonous or not.

Brown Recluse Spiders

One of the few spiders posing a threat to you, the Brown Recluse spider is venomous. However, as its name suggests, it is a shy spider and will often run away from you. If it feels threatened or is being attacked, it will bite you. This spider is brown, has a long circular belly, and features six eyes instead of the usual eight found on other spiders.

An easy way to identify this spider is by its violin-shaped pattern found on its back. If you are in a warm, dark, and damp place, you are more likely to encounter the Brown Recluse Spider. A basement is a place you have the highest likelihood of coming across this spider.

You can also identify this spider by its web. It creates an erratic-looking web that is more like a sheet than a geometric circle. It also constructs a small shelter within this web that looks disorganized but provides it with a place to be a hermit.

You will be able to identify if a Brown Recluse spider is venomous after it bites you. However, you will hopefully use a more visual way of determining its poisonous nature. It takes a few hours before you feel any symptoms of the bite, but once you do, it will take a few weeks for the wound to heal.

Black Widow Spiders

Perhaps the most feared spider, the Black Widow Spider is a tiny terror if you ever have the displeasure of getting bitten by it. As its name suggests, these are black spiders. They have a shiny bulbous abdomen that features a red hourglass shape on one side. This distinct pattern is a tell-tale sign that you should leave this spider alone and avoid provoking it.

You will find the Black Widow Spider in firewood, which is how it can get into your house. This is why you should inspect anything you bring in from your backyard. You can usually avoid a terrifying encounter if you simply do a visual sweep.

You do not want to get into the unfortunate situation of being bitten by a Black Widow Spider. It contains a neurotoxic venom. This means that if it bites you, besides feeling immediate and intense pain, you will feel pain throughout your body. Your chest and abdomen are going to feel the pain the most. A Black Widow Spider will leave two noticeable bite marks on your body, which is impressive for such a small insect.

While a bite from one of these spiders rarely ends in death, it is a possibility. This is why it is especially important to know how to identify a Black Widow Spider from other spiders.

False Black Widow Spider

There is one spider that looks relatively similar to this spider called the False Black Widow Spider. It is not entirely without pain. You will probably be yelling your head off if one of them bites you. However, it is less harmful than a true Black Widow Spider. Also, there is no chance of dying from its bite.

The shape of a False Black Widow Spider has a similar appearance to the real Black Widow. However, these are brown spiders with pale patterns. They lack the classic red violin-shaped markings. This spider also sports teeth, which is different from a Black Widow Spider.

You will find the False Black Widow Spider inside of walls and hiding on the bark of trees. Be careful when you remove rocks from your garden, because they tend to enjoy being under stones. If they do spin webs, they are usually a tangled mess of silken threads. They do not have good vision, so it is up to you to be on the lookout for them.

Wrapping Up

Now you know how to tell if a spider is poisonous or not. As you can see, there are specific characteristics that distinguish venomous spiders from harmless ones. The next time you happen to come across a spider, instead of shrieking and running away, take a look at it and see if you can identify it as poisonous or not. There is no need to get worked up unnecessarily when most spiders are benevolent and more scared of you than anything.