View: Black Widow Spider (Latrodectus)
Family: Web spiders
Squad: Spiders
Class: Arachnids
Type: Arthropods
Subtype: Cheliceraceae
Size: approximately 38 mm in length (feet - 12 mm), 6.4 mm in diameter
Weight: 1 gram
Lifespan: 1 - 3 years
The Black Widow got its name because the female often kills and eats the male, which explains his short term life. Scientists suggest that this is how females receive a ready source of protein that will be beneficial for their offspring. However, it is mostly observed in laboratory settings where the male is unable to escape.
Black Widow has unfairly earned a bad reputation. She only eats her husband when she mistakes him for food! Despite their fierce-sounding name, they are non-aggressive creatures, even shy ones. They rarely bite people. We are a much greater threat to them than they are to us. They have a quite romantic ritual: the male dances an amazing mating dance so that the female understands that he is not food.
Habitat
This type of spider is distributed throughout the world. They live in regions with temperate climate, incl. in the USA, Southern Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and most of South America. Can be found in dark, dry shelters, dimly lit areas such as barns, garages, basements, closets, hollow tree stumps, rodent holes, and dense vineyard vegetation. They strive to hide in warm dwellings in winter.
Although the black widow spider was not previously known in Russia, last years they were found in the Southern Urals and in the Rostov region. The migration is explained by an increase in air temperature.
Characteristic
Like all spiders, the black widow has 8 legs. Males and females are different. Females are twice as large, with shiny black organs and red markings in the shape of hourglass on the lower part of his round belly. The marking may also be orange-yellow. Males are paler, with red or pink spots on the back. Females are about 40 mm long with elongated legs, their black, spherical bellies are about 9-13 mm.
- The eggs are placed in greyish, silken balls 12 to 15 mm in diameter. The clutches contain from 200 to 900 eggs and are located in a web.
- The spiderlings are completely white at first. Then they become similar to adult spiders, although smaller in size. Photos of black widow spiders are easy to find in literature and the Internet.
- The black widow spider, the photo speaks of their danger, still has enemies. Wasps can sting and paralyze them, and they are also a favorite food of praying mantises. Some birds will eat them, but may end up getting an upset stomach from the poison. Bright red markings on the belly warn potential predators that the spider is a nasty meal.
- Black widows are solitary in nature. They communicate only during mating. They can sometimes be seen hanging upside down in a net, identified by the hourglass on their abdomen.
- The black widow contributes to the balance of the ecosystem by consuming insects such as mosquitoes and flies. It also controls crop pest populations by feeding on insect pests that destroy plants: locusts, grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillars.
Interesting! There are 31 species of Black Widow, including: Latrodectus hersperus (Western Black Widow), Latrodectus mactans (Southern Black Widow) and Latrodectus variolus (Northern Black Widow). There are also red widows and brown widows.
Black widow bite
The black widow spider, whose bite is dangerous and whose venom is 15 times stronger than that of a rattlesnake, fortunately rarely attacks people. Only when a person disturbs his peace. Only bites from females can be considered a threat to human health. And, contrary to popular belief, most victims do not suffer serious harm. Bites from this spider rarely lead to death. Risk group - children, old people, sick people.
After a bite, similar to a pin prick, the pain spreads throughout the body within a few minutes. The effects of a bite from one of the members of this genus depend on the species, but symptoms may include nausea, profuse sweating, severe abdominal and back pain, muscle pain, hypertension, and difficulty breathing. The pain lasts for 8-12 hours, and symptoms are felt for several days. It is advisable to use an antidote. Animals more often suffer from the bite of a male.
Nutrition
Like many spiders, the black widow eats other arachnids and insects that get caught in its webs. The female hangs upside down and waits for her prey. This posture displays bright markings that are a warning to potential predators that it is toxic. The markings, however, do not scare the prey.
The spider eats flies, mosquitoes, midges, beetles and caterpillars. Once prey is caught in the net, the black widow uses its comb-like legs to wrap the prey in silk. Then it pierces its victim with its fangs and injects digestive enzymes that liquefy the corpse. And sucks out the liquid.
Interesting! Like most spiders, the black widow can live for a long time without food. Specimens have been known to survive for almost a year in the absence of prey.
Life cycle
Eggs
A grayish silk ball of eggs with a funnel-shaped exit is attached to the web. Each female builds from 5 to 15 such balls, 12-15 mm in diameter, each of which contains from 200 to 900 eggs. These clutches are fiercely guarded by the mother until spiders emerge from them.
Spiders (babies)
Young spiders emerge from the ball after 10-30 days. Only a handful of them will survive, as black widows are cannibals in the early stages of their lives. They consume other spiders from their brood for nutrients.
The surviving spiderlings undergo molting. At first they are white, then orange, and only after a couple of months they resemble adult male black widows. Surviving individuals leave the network. It will take 2-3 months for them to mature, begin to weave their cloths and get food.
Interesting! Although the life expectancy of black widow spiders is one year, some female specimens live up to three years. Males are usually only 1-2 months old. These spiders live longer in captivity.
Some originals have all kinds of exotic animals at home and even try to breed them. Spiders were also among the chosen ones. In principle, keeping and feeding them is not difficult, there is a lot of information on the Internet, but getting offspring is already a problem.
As for the black widow, one of the most dangerous spiders in the world, experts categorically do not recommend keeping it at home and breeding it for non-professionals.
Chasing the exotic, you forget about the basic instinct of self-preservation. The result can be disastrous, because despite the shyness, 5% of attacks of such a pet end fatally.
Signs of presence
If you suddenly find a black widow’s web or the spider itself in your home or country house, be careful. Indoors, their webs can be removed with a vacuum cleaner. In fields, orchards and vegetable gardens where these spiders have become a problem, gloves should be worn as a precaution against bites. Spiders can be killed using a pesticide spray.
Black widows produce dirty, dense webs. Her canvases are usually located near ground level and under protected overhangs, such as under furniture or a wooden porch on stilts. Red hourglass markings will also indicate the presence of this species.
Class - Arachnids
Squad - Spiders
Family - Web spiders
Genus - Latrodectus
Basic data:
DIMENSIONS
Length: female - up to 25 mm, male much smaller.
Shape and color: The body color is silky black, the bright red pattern on the abdomen varies depending on the species.
I: has a nerve-paralytic effect.
REPRODUCTION
Mating season: warm time. After mating, the female lays fertilized eggs several times.
LIFE STYLE
Habits: black widows (see photo) are solitary spiders.
What it eats: flies, moths, beetles, ants, other spiders.
Lifespan: in captivity for several years, in nature - usually 1 year.
RELATED SPECIES
There are many other spiders of the family of web spiders.
Karakurt spiders live in warm regions all over the world. They are well known for their powerful venom, which spiders use to kill prey and sometimes humans. The black widow is dangerous because it likes to settle near humans. The second name for spiders is karakurt, which means “black death” in Turkic languages.
REPRODUCTION
The male black widow, before going in search of a partner, weaves a small web and rubs the end of his abdomen against it so that drops of sperm appear on it. It then sucks up the sperm with its sexual organ, the pedipalps, which are like small feet. After this, the male is ready to meet his partner. He begins to shake his web as a sign that he is ready to perform a vital function. During sexual intercourse, the male uses the pedipalps to transfer sperm into the female's body. Sometimes only one mating occurs, but the female can store the seed in her body and use it, for example, after a few months. After mating, the female weaves a silk cocoon in which she lays eggs. After some time, small spiders hatch from the eggs, which are miniature copies of their parents and soon become independent.
WHAT DOES IT EAT?
The black widow feeds on flies, moths and other flying insects, as well as ants, beetles and even other species of spiders. She makes a chaotic, three-dimensional web, very often with a short “cap” in which she hides, waiting for prey. The male’s web is smaller than the web woven by the female. While waiting for prey, the black widow from time to time touches the fibers with her limbs. When an insect, flying, gets caught on sticky fibers of the web, it sticks to them. The spider through the web senses even the slightest movement of the victim, who is fighting for his life, so without wasting a moment, he runs out of the shelter and begins to wrap sticky threads around the prey. Then the spider injects poison into the body of the victim together with saliva containing digestive enzymes, and continues to wrap a web around the paralyzed insect.
Over the next few hours, the saliva digests the victim's body and the black widow sucks out its dissolved contents. The spider's muscular stomach acts like a pump. All that remains from the prey is an empty shell.
LIFESTYLE
Black widows (spiders of this genus are also called karakurts, which means “black death” in Turkic languages) live in many warm regions of the world. These spiders prefer the proximity of humans. Black widows love dark, protected places in basements or barns. They can also be found in residential buildings, for example, on the underside of a chair, where spiders sit motionless upside down. Black widows weave irregular webs under floorboards, in piles of garbage and even across the toilet. They lead a solitary lifestyle. Black widows are active at night, so people are attacked only if they are taken by surprise or frightened by something.
The venom released by the black widow spider contains neurotoxins that affect the nervous system and cause severe pain and cramps, making it difficult for mammals to breathe. At the site of the bite of this spider, a small red spot is visible, which quickly disappears. Then a sharp pain spreads throughout the body. Mental excitement sets in. The venom of a black widow is very dangerous for humans, but the bite of this spider does not always lead to death.
BLACK WIDOW AND MAN
These spiders are shy, so they will try to avoid people rather than attack them. They stay alone.
The black widow spider has earned its reputation as a killer, but the number of people killed by its venom is small. According to American statistics, of the 1,291 people bitten by the black widow over 217 years, from 1726 to 1943, only 55 died. Most of the victims were probably children or old people, for whom the venom could cause additional complications. A karakurt bite causes symptoms similar to angina pectoris and tabes.
- The male black widow is significantly smaller than the female. It is not dangerous to humans as it produces only small amounts of poison. The claws on the male's chelicerae are too small to pierce human skin.
- Karakurts were successfully bred at the London Zoo, where males mated with females many times and remained alive.
- There is an opinion that a black widow always eats the male after mating, but this does not always happen. The emergence of such an assumption is due to the fact that after several matings the male becomes so weak that he is often near death. At this time, he cannot escape from the female, and the female eats him.
- In Europe, there is a karakurt, called by the Italians mal-mignatta. Italian name passed into some other languages. A karakurt bite is not as dangerous and painful as the bites of tropical species of spiders, but the consequences are noticeable for up to 3 weeks.
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF THE BLACK WIDOW
Abdomen: silky black with a bright red pattern, often reminiscent of a clepsydra (water clock) in shape. The abdomen of males is narrower and has a finer pattern.
Size: female black widows are much larger than males.
Spider warts: organs on the underside of the abdomen that secrete silky fibers that serve to weave a net and cocoon, as well as to wrap around prey.
WHERE DOES IT LIVE?
These spiders live everywhere in regions with warm climates. By importing tropical fruits, people are unwittingly expanding the habitat of some species.
PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION
Black widows are quite numerous; these spiders do not need protection. The exception is an endangered species found on the island of Madagascar.
Migration of the poisonous Karakurt (Black Widow) to Russia. Video (00:04:44)
In recent years, the poisonous Central Asian Karakurt spiders have increasingly begun to migrate to the southern and central zone of Russia: Rostov region, Krasnodar region) and Southern Urals(Orenburg region) and Ukraine (Kirovograd, Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkov, Lugansk, Kherson regions). They were also often seen in the Moscow region! The reason could be either global warming or simply a hot, dry summer and warm autumn. Global climate change is leading to the fact that the border of the arid zone is steadily moving north. There is also devastation in the countryside when active agricultural work is not carried out. Abandoned fields and farms, where no one will disturb karakurts, are a wonderful place where they breed and multiply. The bite of an adult female can be dangerous to humans and can kill a camel or horse, but the venom is safe for goats and sheep.
Karakurt (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) or steppe spider is a species of poisonous spider from the genus of black widows. Features- thirteen dots or spots on the upper side of the abdomen. Found in desert and steppe zones (Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, coastal Mediterranean Sea, Crimea, Caucasus, as well as America, Australia).
Karakurt females begin to migrate in June-July in search of a suitable place for breeding. And it is at this time that most bites occur. After a person is bitten, a small red spot is visible at the site of the bite, which quickly disappears, but then the poison begins to act, and a sharp pain engulfs the site of the bite. Strong excitement begins, the victim experiences an inexplicable strong fear of death, spasms and suffocation, from which people with a weak heart most often die. After 10-15 minutes, terrible pain appears in the abdomen, lower back and chest, and the legs go numb. Often observed headache, dizziness and vomiting. Characterized by blueness of the face, bradycardia and pulse arrhythmia, and the appearance of protein in the urine. Later, the patient becomes lethargic, but behaves restlessly, severe pain deprives him of sleep. After 3-5 days, the victim develops characteristic skin rashes and the condition improves. Recovery occurs after 2-3 weeks, but weakness usually remains for more than a month. If help is not provided in time, death may occur. So in the Kherson region over the past 25 years - 500 people were bitten. Of these, 10 people died.
After the mating season, the female karakurt kills and eats the male and begins to build cocoons. And in September, intense death of karakurts begins; by the end of October, all adult individuals die, only spiders in cocoons remain to overwinter.
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The most dangerous spider, the karakurt, lives in our house
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After visiting many sites and forums, I found out that this is a pregnant female karakurt\
Black widows attack Russia. Video (00:03:13)
To combat karakurts, arachnologists - spider experts - recommend treating your garden plot with chemicals. It is noteworthy that the black widow does not attack people herself. She can bite if, for example, you step on her. The karakurt poison spreads throughout the body instantly. If you do not go to the hospital in time, death occurs within two days. At the moment of the bite, the victim does not feel pain; it occurs only after 10-15 minutes. Sharp pain appears in the lower back, abdomen, chest, breathing is impaired, and convulsions occur. With timely treatment, recovery occurs in 2-3 weeks. Karakurt is a fairly large spider, reaching 2 centimeters in length. The spider is black in color and has 13 red spots on its back. It is considered the most dangerous spider in Russia. Karakurts are rapidly spreading across dozens of regions of the country. The Volgograd region is now experiencing a real invasion. There are traditionally a lot of them in Crimea. Cases of bites have been recorded in the Urals, Saratov, Orenburg and Novosibirsk regions. According to experts, with such dynamics, the Moscow region is next in line. The rapid advance of the karakurt deep into Russia is alarming, the scale of the danger is impressive: the “kiss” of the black widow is 15 times greater more poisonous than a bite rattlesnake. In several regions of Russia, almost 20 people have suffered from poisonous spiders, six are in intensive care. The poisonous spider has been spotted not only in the south of the country, but also in Novosibirsk and Moscow, where the karakurt (the official name of the insect) is driven by the heat from its traditional habitats - the Central Asian steppes. By the way, they tried to settle in the Moscow region a couple of years ago. Fortunately, it hasn't worked out yet.
Spider Karakurt black widow Black Widow spider. Video (00:14:08)
South Carolina Found some spider after poison was sprayed. We poisoned the spiders, and then this was our find.
Black Widow - Black Widow Spider (Encyclopedia of Animals). Video (00:06:13)
When meeting any spider, everyone’s instinct, developed over thousands of years, is triggered: a feeling of fear appears.
And not in vain, because meeting him can have unfavorable consequences, especially if you come across a specimen that is almost at the top of the toxicity rating among all arachnids.
And his name is: black widow.
The most poisonous spiders in the world TOP 10. Video (00:04:00)
Rating The deadliest spiders in the world
Most poisonous spider in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the “Brazilian Wandering Spider.” The spider got its name because it does not sit in one place and does not weave webs, but actively moves in search of food. Another extremely dangerous spider is the Black Widow, or in our language Karakurt, which can be found in the Caucasus and Crimea.
I present to your attention the rating of the 10 most poisonous and dangerous spiders on planet Earth
10. Yellow spider Sak (Cheiracanthium Punctorium)
9. Fringed Ornamental Tarantula
8. Chinese Bird Spider
7. Mouse Spider
6. Brown and Chilean Recluse Spider
5. Redback Spider
4. Black Widow (Karakurt)
3. Sydney Funnel Spider
2. Six-eyed sand spider.
1. Brazilian wandering spider
The black widow spider is very unusual and in some way is a collective term, since about 30 species of arthropods are hidden under it. These creatures became famous because some representatives of this genus are distinguished by their ability to secrete an extremely toxic poison that can cause severe intoxication in humans and even cause death. Wherever this segmented creature lives, people are well aware of the degree of its danger.
The black widow is a very unusual spider
Representatives of this order are found almost everywhere where climatic conditions quite soft. They are widespread in the countries of East and South Asia, America, and North Africa. Some of them are found in Australia and Oceania. Only a few species can live in the northern regions, which are not as dangerous as their heat-loving counterparts.
The spider seems rather inconspicuous, so often a person, due to his own carelessness, becomes its victim. Adults reach 2 cm in length. The female black widow is larger than any of her mates. Despite their increased toxicity, these creatures are characterized by an unremarkable appearance. Local residents in many regions with tropical climate they know what this black spider looks like, sometimes living next to a person’s home, but even this does not always save them from a chance meeting.
The chitinous covering on the paws and cephalothorax is varnished black. Some varieties do not have additional decorations. The most poisonous representative of this genus has a characteristic hourglass-shaped mark on its abdomen. The spot has a reddish tint. The rich red color of this element is very eye-catching and helps many predators determine the degree of danger of the spider.
In some varieties the spot has a pink tint. The steotoda, called the false black widow, is no less dangerous to humans. Despite the external similarity of the creatures, the spot on the abdomen of this spider has a white or orange tint.
Spiders of this species have from 6 to 8 eyes, but they see very poorly and mainly receive all the necessary information by assessing the vibration that comes from various living objects.
A true black widow has short legs that resemble a comb. These creatures have curved bristles on their hind legs. This structure of the legs is necessary for the spider to throw a trapping net when attacking prey.
In addition, black widows weave extremely untidy horizontal chaotic webs. It allows the spider to sense the slightest movement of the victim caught in it. Females of this species are larger and more venomous than males.
A healthy adult can quite successfully survive an attack by this spider. At the site of the bite, extensive tissue death can occur due to their impregnation with toxins.
Typical general manifestations of black widow damage include:
- mild erythema;
- muscle spasms;
- severe pain in the bite area and in the abdomen;
- salivation;
- increased sweating;
- hypertension;
- anxiety;
- headache;
- tachycardia;
- parasthesia;
- vomit;
- urinary incontinence;
- dyspnea.
Some victims of this spider develop kidney failure. Because black widow venom is neurotoxic, it can leave a person with serious injury. nervous system, which may not have the most favorable effect on his mental state.
For children and the elderly, attacks by these creatures often have fatal consequences. Only timely administration of an antidote can reduce the destructive effect of spider venom on the body.
Only females of this species are characterized by increased aggressiveness. The male, as a rule, flees if he is attacked, and therefore is considered less dangerous to humans.
Gallery: black widow spider (25 photos)
Black widow spider (video)
Black widow lifestyle
These creatures are extremely whimsical in choosing a home. They often settle in the grass of open steppe space, and also in ditches, ravines, cracks in the ground and tree hollows, and rodent burrows. Under certain circumstances, these arthropods can live in people's homes. These spiders got their name because often after mating, the female spider attacks her partner, which ends tragically for him. However, this does not happen in all cases.
Strong males who have mated for the first time in their lives are quite capable of running away from their partner in the future. However, multiple sexual acts deplete their reserves, so when already on the verge of death, they often become victims.
Despite the fact that all black widows, regardless of gender, are immune to poison, weakened males do often become a nutritious snack for their partners. After mating, the female begins to produce offspring. Like other types of spiders, it weaves a cocoon in which it carefully wraps its young.
The spiders usually leave the nest after 8 days. However, they need to moult many times to become sexually mature. Life cycle Spiders living in the northern hemisphere have a longer lifespan.
Black widows are very effective predators. Their diet includes all types of insects, including praying mantises, which are significantly larger than themselves. But often small lizards and amphibians end up in spider webs. Such delicacies are not very common in the spider’s diet, since the enzymes that the black widow spider injects into the body of the victim do not always allow the digestion of large prey.
Black Widow (video)
Attention, TODAY only!
Spider karakurt or black widow in the photo as in life it looks quite harsh. And not in vain. Since the venom of this spider is 10 times more dangerous than the venom of a rattlesnake. The most unpleasant thing is that this spider previously lived only in America, later the black widow settled the territory of the southern Dnieper region, and starting in 2009, the spiders expanded their habitat, appearing in most cities in Ukraine and parts of Russia. And this is not surprising, since the black widow spider moves with the wind. To do this, he weaves himself a so-called poutine - a parachute.
Karakurt is quite easy to recognize, as it is the blackest spider in the world. He is "pot-bellied" and moves very slowly and clumsily. Feature Karakurt females are characterized by the presence of red spots on the abdomen; the number of these spots in an adult is 13. The female karakurt has a round body resembling a bean. The length of the female, taking into account the length of the legs, is 2-3 cm. The male black widow or karakurt is more active, but much smaller in size. Its body is only 4-7 mm and has an oval shape. Unlike the female, the male has red specks on the back.
Black widow spider photo, which is better to see at least once. Since a karakurt bite is very dangerous, it is almost impossible to detect it immediately, since before the “meal” the spider injects an anesthetic, numbing the bite site. And after 15-17 minutes a person can be completely paralyzed, so everyone who is bitten needs emergency help.
It is reassuring that spiders do not hunt people, but bite them for self-defense, thereby demonstrating a natural reflex. However, it is not always possible to notice their presence; spiders go out to search for food in the fields. This is where they may come across people who accidentally disturbed them during the hunt. Karakurts feed mainly on beetles and locusts. Most often the female bites. Female karakurts weave their webs in dark places - abandoned houses, garages, piled up boards.
Interesting fact! Why do you think the karakurt was nicknamed the black widow? The thing is that to fertilize one female karakurt, from 12 to 17 males are needed. During the mating season, males line up, each of them dances their mating dance and fertilizes the female, after which they try to quickly run away, since after sexual intercourse the female mercilessly eats her partner. The lucky ones still manage to escape, but the last one is 100% eaten by the female. At one time, the female is able to fill from 2 to 5 cocoons, each of which contains about 500 eggs. To do this, she needs strength and nutrients, which are contained in karakurt males.
Present great danger for a person. But these predators are huge and will not go unnoticed. You should know that creatures that are difficult to notice can pose a much greater danger, because they are no larger in size than a five-ruble coin. One of these is the karakurt spider. In this article you will find a description and photo of the karakurt spider, and also learn a lot of new and interesting things about this spider from the genus of black widows.
Karakurt looks like a medium-sized spider. Karakurt females are significantly larger than males in size. The female karakurt grows 2 cm in size, while the male karakurt is only 0.7 cm in size.
Karakurt looks quite unusual. The karakurt spider has a black body and red or orange spots on its abdomen various shapes. Both male and female karakurt have this coloration. Sometimes there may be a white outline around the spots. Often, upon reaching maturity, the karakurt spider can acquire a completely black color without spots.
Where does the karakurt live?
Karakurt lives in Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, on the territory of Iran and Afghanistan, along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, in North Africa, in southern Europe and Ukraine. In Russia, karakurt lives in the southern regions. The karakurt spider is especially common in Astrakhan region, Krasnodar region and Crimea.
During particularly hot periods, this spider can migrate to the northern regions, but in such areas the karakurt lives only before the onset of winter. The most favorable living conditions for karakurt are those areas with hot summers and warm autumns. Karakurt lives in desert and steppe zones, in wastelands, salt marshes, ravine slopes and abandoned buildings.
Karakurt bite
The poison of the karakurt is quite strong, so a bite from a karakurt can be fatal. Fortunately, the karakurt attacks only if it is disturbed. Karakurt poison affects both animals and humans. The karakurt bite is not immediately noticeable and manifests itself within 10-15 minutes. During this time, the karakurt poison is already spreading throughout the body and the first signs of toxic poisoning begin to appear. Symptoms of a karakurt bite begin with a burning pain that spreads throughout the body. Typically, patients complain of severe pain in the chest, abdomen and lower back.
Also, a karakurt bite has the following symptoms: increased heart rate, shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, headache, trembling, vomiting, sweating, spasms in the bronchi and urinary retention. In the later stages of poisoning, a person begins to experience blackouts and delirium. Cases of death have been recorded in people and farm animals that were bitten by karakurt.
Experts say that people with strong immunity can more easily withstand a karakurt bite than those weakened by illness or those with allergies. It should be remembered that the highest concentration of venom in black widows occurs during the mating season and after laying eggs; in other seasons, bites are less terrible. Males, in principle, do not pose a danger, since they do not possess poison and, due to their small size, cannot bite through the skin.
To neutralize the effects of karakurt poison, anti-karakurt serum is used. Novocaine, calcium chloride and magnesium hydrogen sulfate are also administered intravenously, which give positive results. If it is impossible to get medical help, you should cauterize the karakurt bite with a burning match. But this must be done no later than 5 minutes after the bite. You can also cauterize the bite site with a hot metal object. Since the spider bites through the skin to a depth of only 0.5 mm, the heat destroys the venom that has not had time to be absorbed. But even after cauterization, you must seek medical help.
Livestock suffers from karakurt bites, especially camels and horses. These animals often die from karakurt poison. Once every 10 years, a mass reproduction of the karakurt spider occurs; during these years, livestock farming suffers large losses. Now karakurt is destroyed with the help of insecticides that are sprayed on the soil. Of course, the poison of the karakurt is not aimed at causing harm to humans or livestock, but serves the spider only to obtain food. Karakurt eats various beetles, flies, locusts, cicadas and grasshoppers.
The karakurt spider is called a black widow, since the female karakurt kills her husband after mating. But the black widow of the karakurt will not much outlive the eaten spouse, because with the onset of cold weather the female dies.
Karakurts become capable of reproducing at the beginning of summer and begin migrating in search of partners. With the onset of heat (July-August), females and males of karakurt arrange temporary mating networks. After which the female karakurt looks for a secluded place to set up a den, where she can place cocoons with eggs.
Such places often become various depressions in the soil, abandoned rodent holes, as well as drainage of ventilation systems. At the entrance to the lair, she stretches a chaotically intertwined web. The female karakurt hangs 2-4 cocoons in the den, where they will survive the winter.
In April, the karakurt cubs will leave their cocoons. With the onset of summer, mature karakurt cubs will go in search of partners. Despite the fact that the karakurt spider is very prolific and has a very strong poison, it still has enemies in nature. The enemies of the karakurt spider are hedgehogs, wasps and riders. It is also common for karakurt eggs to be destroyed by herds of sheep and pigs, who simply trample them.
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