by Angela S. Young

Created on: December 17, 2009   Last Updated: December 18, 2009

Who has not come into contact with these eight-legged creatures, often unaware, at some time or other? No matter how tight your home, they somehow find a way in and make themselves at home. Spiders are everywhere, and while useful in keeping the bug population down, they can be a pest, especially when they have invaded your home! Most spiders merely inconvenience or scare us, but some can do much more harm. 

Of the seven poisonous species found in the US, the most deadly are the Black Widow and the Brown Recluse spiders. We can know the female Black Widow by the red hour-glass figure on her abdomen. The poison of the Black Widow attacks the nervous system, possibly causing “headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, pyrexia and hypertension.”

For people with heart conditions, the young and the elderly, this bite can be deadly.  If you suspect a Black Widow bite, you need medical attention quickly. An anti-venom has been around since 1956, but needs to be administered sooner than later.  This spider, as an adult, will measure about a half inch. Females of the species will be a shiny black with yellow-orange to red markings on the abdomen that look like an hour-glass, typically, but may look like anything from that to a dot.

The second spider found in the US that can cause major problems is the Brown Recluse Spider.  This 3/4 inch or smaller spider, in every state but concentrated more in the south, can kill or significantly harm its human victim.  These spiders have the added distinction of being aggressive.  The spider's venom causes pronounced skin problems, including necrosis, or death of the tissue.  The Brown Recluse has a dark, violin-like shape on top of the body segment where the legs are attached. The “neck” of the violin points toward the back.

Hobo Spiders, the next on our list, are a brown spider of approximately 1/3 to 2/3 inches in length with abdominal marks resembling chevrons or stripes.  Their mouth parts look like boxing gloves, and the male will have two sets of them.  Found in the northwest parts of the US, they are generally found at ground level or below.  Their bite leaves redness and usually a blister that opens up within two to three days, leaving an exposed, seeping wound.  As with other venomous spiders, the victim should seek medical attention as soon as possible or as soon as symptoms appear.

The Funnel Web Spider is usually found in tall grass

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