Spiders to a majority of people except arachnid lovers, are not only scary but also creepy and their webs irritating. It is very okay feeling this way because some spider species are vicious and deadly. There are about 40,000 different spider species in the world and more than half this number have a fatal bite enough to kill a human. Here is my list of spiders that make my stomach turn.
Brazilian Wandering Spider
Also known as the banana spider, the Brazilian spider belongs to the genus Phoneutria which is Greek for “murderess.” Its has been ranked in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most venomous spider in the world. The banana spider has a body stretching as long as 48mm and leg length of 15cm. It has a brownish color with black spots on its belly. Its name comes from the fact that the spider does not built webs but rather wanders off during the night to look for prey and during the day it hides under rocks, fallen logs, termite mounds and banana plants.
When it feels threatened the spider lifts its body upwards raising its two front legs in a defensive position revealing its red haired fangs. Men particularly need to stay off this arachnid because its bite causes a painful four hour erection then death if untreated. In 1996 fourteen people died from the banana spider bite before an antidote was found. The venom causes loss of muscle control which leads to paralysis and finally asphyxiation. The venom also increases blood-flow because of a chemical called nitric oxide and some pharmacists have considered using the venom as an erectile dysfunction drug.
The wandering spider is widely found in Brazil, Costa Rica, Argentina, Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru and Paraguay. These are mostly the South American, Central American and Amazon areas. There are however reports of the spider spreading into other areas like Britain and United States through banana imports from Brazil. In my books, this is the world’s scariest spider but there are however other hair raising spider species that we might encounter and they are;
Black Widow
It’s shiny black with an hourglass shaped body and a red spot on the abdomen. They are called black widows because females are known for eating the males after mating. A black widow’s bite can also be fatal. They are found in any continent of the world except Antarctica.
Funnel Web Spider
The Australian Funnel spider may look small but its bite can be deadly especially to children. It’s black or brown with a shiny spot on its abdomen. They love humid conditions hence make burrows under rocks, rotting logs or in rough barked trees.