Among the representatives of the wolf spider family there are really interesting specimens, for example, tarantulas - large poisonous araneomorphic spiders that became famous during the Middle Ages. The genus of tarantulas includes 220 species, of which the most famous are the South Russian tarantula, which lives in Russia and Ukraine, and the Apulian tarantula, originally from the Italian city of Taranto, which gave common name to all representatives of the genus.
South Russian Tarantula or Mizgir.
Tarantula Apulian (female). 
South Russian Tarantula or Mizgir. 
Tarantula Lycosa aragogi, endemic to Iran. 
Contrary to popular belief, a tarantula bite is not dangerous to humans, causes only slight swelling and resembles a wasp sting. But in the middle of the 15th century they did not think so and attributed terrible misfortunes to large spiders living in the vicinity of Taranto. It was believed that a person bitten by a tarantula would inevitably go crazy and end his life in terrible agony, so people invented the same ridiculous antidote for a spider bite. According to the authoritative opinion of healers of those times, only crazy dancing to the point of exhaustion can save a person from death, and interestingly, this is how the world came to know the tarantella - one of the most famous Italian folk dances.
What does a tarantula look like?
In the photo, the tarantula strongly resembles a tarantula spider, but the latter is a mygalomorphic spider and is particularly large in size.
Tarantulas - pretty big spiders, growing up to 10 cm in length with a body weight of about 90 g. The size of the legendary Apulian tarantulas usually does not exceed 7 cm, southern Russian relatives are much smaller and grow up to 2.5 - 3.5 cm. Females of any species are larger than males.
The fluffy body of the tarantula is formed by two sections: the cephalothorax and abdomen, connected by a thin hollow bridge - a stalk. Top part The body is covered with a dense chitinous shell, the stomach remains defenseless. There are 4 pairs of eyes on the head, allowing one to see the blurry outlines of prey at a distance of 20 - 30 cm.
The long legs of predators are densely strewn with sensitive hairs, which play an important tactile role in searching for prey and protect the spider from natural enemies. When in contact with human skin, the hairs can cause an allergic reaction.
South Russian tarantula or Mizgir: close-up view of the muzzle. 
South Russian Tarantula or Mizgir: macro photography. 
South Russian tarantula or Mizgir: macro photography. 
The protective coloration allows tarantulas to successfully camouflage themselves against the background of the surrounding landscape. Apulian tarantulas are painted in dark colors with a light edging; the abdomen of females is red, decorated with one longitudinal and several transverse ones. black and white stripes. You can recognize the South Russian tarantula in the photo by its black belly and brown-red top.
Habitat and lifestyle
Tarantulas are typical inhabitants of deserts, semi-deserts and arid steppe regions of Eurasia, Central and South America, North Africa, Australia.
These nocturnal predators during the day prefer to hole up in burrows up to 60 cm deep, camouflaged by fallen leaves. Tarantulas do not build trapping nets, but use cobwebs to frame the walls of the burrow, and females weave a cocoon from threads to bear offspring.
Tarantula hole, steppe of Kherson region. 
With the onset of darkness, tarantulas go out hunting, lying in wait for prey right in their hiding place or wandering around the surrounding area. The tarantula's hunting method is characteristic of most wolf spiders: the predator pounces on prey, paralyzing or killing it with its poison, and then sucks out the contents.
Tarantula hunting without leaving its hole. Uzbekistan - 04/05/2008. 
The basis of the diet of tarantulas consists mainly of insects and their larvae: flies, cockroaches, crickets, beetles, as well as smaller representatives of their own order. Enlarged photos of tarantulas eating their prey are quite impressive.
Meadow moth in the arms of the South Russian tarantula. 
Reproduction
The mating season of these spiders occurs at the end of summer - beginning of autumn. The male, having noticed the female, begins a kind of dance, invitingly shaking and tapping his especially developed forelimbs. The female responds something similar and folds her front legs, which becomes a signal for the male to mate. Upon completion of the process, the male hurries to retreat, and the fertilized female hibernates in a tightly sealed burrow.
Which brings some confusion.
Tarantulas live in arid areas: steppes, deserts. During the day, they hide in vertical burrows, the depth of which reaches 60 cm. At night, spiders climb to the surface and actively move along the ground, hunting insects. Tarantulas do not weave trapping nets and use the web only as a covering for the walls of the burrow and in the construction of the egg cocoon.
Like other spiders, only flexor muscles are present in the limbs of tarantulas: extension occurs under the pressure of the hemolymph. In this regard, the wounded spider becomes lethargic.
There is a species of spider common in the area around the city of Taranto (or Tarantum to the Renaissance people) which during the 15th century was attributed to the cause of a strange disease called Tarantism (Gertsch 1979). According to legend, the bite of such spiders led to illness, and anyone bitten was doomed to death, and the only cure was considered a special dance - the tarantella. Now, several centuries later, opinions are expressed that the tarantella was a simple excuse for some closed feasts, which the authorities of that time could condemn.
Problems with the translation of the term tarantula
In a number European languages, particularly in English, the word tarantula is often used to refer to tarantulas (the family of the largest spiders), and sometimes to all large spiders of any species. In this regard, confusion often arises when texts are translated incorrectly. In modern biological systematics the taxa “tarantulas” and “tarantulas” do not overlap; Tarantulas are classified as mygalomorphic spiders, while tarantulas are classified as araneomorphic.
The most famous species
Apulian tarantula
The most outstanding and world-famous species is the Apulian tarantula ( Lycosa tarentula). Relatively great view 60 mm long. Distributed in the city of Taranto, Italy, where the name comes from. The Apulian tarantula is one of the species that lives in vertical burrows. It gained its fame due to the fact that in the Middle Ages it was considered poisonous. There were legends about it, passed down from generation to generation, and the emergence of various epidemic diseases was associated with it. It has now been proven that this species is not poisonous. In Italy they believed that it was poisonous, and they even came up with a medicine against the poison: you had to dance until the end of your strength, and so it appeared tarantella dance.
South Russian tarantula
Another species already known in Russia is the South Russian tarantula ( Lycosa singoriensis) with a body length of 2.5 to 3.5 cm. It lives in burrows, and is known for the fact that individuals of this species have a dark “cap,” which makes it almost impossible to confuse it with other species of wolf spiders.
Sources
- // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional ones). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
- Zoology of invertebrates / ed. V. Westheide and R. Rieger. M.: T-vo scientific publications KMK, 2008.
- Large encyclopedic dictionary "Biology" / ed. M. S. Gilyarov. M.: Great Russian Encyclopedia, 1998.
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See what “Tarantulas” are in other dictionaries:
Several species of large poisonous spiders of the genus (Lycosa) family. wolf spiders (Lycosidae). Distributed in deserts, semi-deserts and steppes of southern Europe. parts of the USSR, the Caucasus, Kazakhstan and Middle East. Asia, along river valleys, in some places they penetrate into forest zone. Naib,... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary
Modern encyclopedia
Several species of large poisonous spiders. Distributed mainly in deserts, semi-deserts, steppes. The South Russian tarantula is found in the south of the European part of Russia; The length of the female is up to 3.5 cm. It feeds on insects, lives in burrows, the depth of which ... Big encyclopedic Dictionary
Collective name referring to various types spiders belonging to the family. tarantulas, Lycosidae, and belonging to the genera Lycosa (subdivided into the subgenera Trochosa and Tarentula, which are taken by some scientists to be independent genera), ... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
Tarantulas- TARANTULAS, several types of poisonous spiders. Widely distributed, live in burrows. The bite is painful, but not dangerous to humans. The South Russian tarantula (length up to 3.5 cm) is found in deserts, semi-deserts and steppes. In Yugo Western Europe famous… … Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
TARANTULAS- (Lycosidae) represent the largest and most dangerous spiders. They are found in a wide variety of places, in depressions in the soil, under stones, in living quarters and outbuildings. Apulian tarantula (Lycosa tarantula) Bite... ... Insect life
Several species of large poisonous spiders. Distributed mainly in deserts, semi-deserts, and steppes. The South Russian tarantula is found in the south of the European part of Russia; the length of the female is up to 3.5 cm. It feeds on insects, lives in burrows up to depth... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
- (Lycosa) genus of arachnids of the family. Lycosidae; includes species whose females are capable of inflicting a very painful bite on humans, causing local inflammation; distributed in deserts and semi-deserts, as well as in steppe and forest-steppe zones... Large medical dictionary
There is an interesting etymological story to which the tarantula spider owes its name. All sources give an example from Italian Era Renaissance.
In those days, in the city of Tarento they were very afraid of one of our spider species; it was believed that its tarantula bite was almost fatal. To alleviate the fate of those bitten, it was prescribed to move a lot and randomly, supposedly in this case the poison would be neutralized. Subsequently, these chaotic movements began to be performed to music, and thus one of the most popular dances was born - the tarantella, and the spider itself was called the tarantula.
Whether this is true or not, it is not possible to check now, but the spider turned out to be not so deadly - it does no more harm than from a bee or a hornet, although in the photo the tarantula spider looks scary.
The terrible beauty of the tarantula
Biological certificate
Now let's move on to the description of the tarantula, the characteristics of its behavior, nutrition and reproduction, let's give it brief description as a representative of the animal world.
Scientific classification and lifestyle
The genus of tarantulas belongs to. They live mainly in burrows, in which they spend all daylight hours, and at night they go out hunting. These arthropods also weave a web, but they use it not as a trapping net, but as a decoration for the walls in their underground apartments and for arranging an oviposition cocoon.
By the way! The depth of a tarantula's burrow can reach 60 centimeters, and some species are even capable of going a meter deep before the onset of cold weather!
Tarantulas are often confused with, which is greatly facilitated by the fact that in some languages the word “tarantula” is used to refer specifically to representatives of this family, and even if we ignore the differences in size, these arthropods are similar to each other.
Remember! Tarantula is from the wolf spider family, tarantulas are from the tarantula family!
The main difference between the two families is the structure and functioning of the chylicerae. In wolves they move towards each other, in tarantulas they move in parallel.
Description
What does a tarantula look like? These are quite large spiders, reaching a leg span of 30 centimeters. Males are always slightly smaller than females. The bodies of spiders are covered with hairs of gray, brown or brown color, depending on the species.
The largest sizes are tarantulas representing South America; their European relatives rarely exceed a body length of five centimeters.
An interesting question is about the organs of vision of representatives of this family. Curious lovers of the animal world are often interested in how many eyes a tarantula has. We answer - he has eight of them, which allows you to view the entire panorama around both horizontally and vertically.
Nutrition
It is also important to know what tarantulas eat. This is especially true for those lovers of arthropods who are going to breed them in their own apartment. And what, as the character in “The Twelve Chairs” said: “Who cares for a mare!”
So, night Hunter feeds on everything that is shorter. It could be an insect, an arachnid of another species, or even small mammals and birds. Digestion in tarantulas, like many other spiders, is external. First, the predator introduces poison and digestive juices into the body of the victim, which decompose the tissues of the victim, and only then absorbs the digested substrate.
Spreading
The question of where tarantulas are found is the most popular among arachnophobes, people who are afraid of spiders. In this regard, residents of central Russia and regions with similar or more severe climatic conditions can be calm. Here the tarantula can only be found in various zoos and apartments of enthusiasts and Spider-Man fans.
But in the south of our country, our neighboring states, the south of Europe, the African, Asian and American continents, tarantulas are found in large numbers.
Reference! Currently, scientists have identified more than 200 species of tarantula spider.
Reproduction
Tarantula spiders reproduce like representatives of other spider families, but they still have their own characteristics. First of all, this is the famous mating dance, by which the spider recognizes the male of its own species. In general, the mating process can be divided into the following stages:
- At the end of summer, the male decides that it is time to extend his tarantula lineage and goes in search of a female.
- Having found the intended bride, he begins to perform a ritual dance.
- She, in turn, takes a closer look at the gentleman, and if she decides that he is the man of her dreams and belongs to the same species, she begins to respond to him, copying the dance steps.
- After such identification, mating itself occurs, after which the groom hurries to quickly retreat before the missus decides to eat him. It must be said that in this respect, male tarantulas are more agile than representatives of the male population of other spiders.
Warm solar heat The female's body begins to form eggs, up to 700 pieces depending on the species. At the end of this process, the female weaves a cocoon from the web directly on her stomach, where she places the formed eggs.
So she carries her offspring on herself until the young begin to hatch. Sensing this moment, the young mother gnaws through the cocoon and releases her children into the wild.
However, the babies do not leave their mother, but move onto her back, where she carries them until they learn to feed themselves.
Bites
Here we will reveal the secret of whether the tarantula is dangerous for humans. There is no doubt that a spider bites painfully; in any case, those who were bitten noted that it was similar to being stung by a bee.
One of effective ways What to do if you are bitten by a tarantula is to use the antidote contained directly in the spider’s body. It is enough to crush the animal and lubricate the bite site with juices, then the pain will decrease and the wound will heal faster.
To the question of whether the tarantula is poisonous or not, we will also answer in the affirmative, otherwise how would it kill its victims. However, its venom is not dangerous for humans unless there is an individual intolerance or allergy to bites.
Types of spiders
As we mentioned above, there are over two hundred species of tarantulas, even just listing them Latin names will take up quite a lot of space, so in our review only those that are most popular among lovers of these animals will be mentioned.
South Russian
It is also called mizgir, as the name suggests, it is found in the south of our country. Depending on the external conditions The coloration of this individual of this species varies from gray to brown. Females reach three centimeters in size, males are a centimeter to one and a half smaller.
With climate warming, the habitat of southern Russian tarantulas is gradually expanding; soon we will meet them in middle lane, then the prefix “south” can be discarded.
Apulian
The Apulian tarantula, also called the real one, is twice as large as the domestic species. Females of the Puglian reach a size of seven centimeters.
This type of spider is widespread throughout the Mediterranean countries, both in southern Europe and northern Africa. The burrows of this spider are located in rocky shores and rocky beaches.
Brazilian
The Brazilian tarantula has a beautiful coloration. It is small, three centimeters long, its body is colored in various shades of brown, and there is an elongated light stripe on the head and back.
The distribution area of the handsome man is the countries of South America: Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina.
Spanish
The Spanish tarantula was previously considered one of the subspecies of the Apulian spider, which shares the same habitat with it. More recently, the Spanish spider began to be considered an independent species; this happened only in 2013.
Polyastomy
This species is adjacent to Brazilian spider, but different from the last one gray hairs covering the body, but in size it is similar to its neighbor and has a three-centimeter body, excluding the length of the legs.
Leocarti
This tarantula is from the Australian continent. a small gray-brown spider, the body length of the female is only 1.2 centimeters, and the males are nine millimeters long.
Black-bellied
This species of tarantula lives on the islands Pacific Ocean, in Japan and Taiwan. The brown body of females barely reaches two centimeters in length, the male is half a centimeter shorter. The spider's abdomen is black, which determined its name, and there are two dark stripes on the back.
At the end of our story about unusual spiders We invite you to watch a fascinating video about a tarantula spider hunting a mouse.
Among the wolf spiders there are interesting, surprising representatives. For some, their appearance is terrifying, while for others, on the contrary, they seem incredibly beautiful. Large araneomorphs poisonous spiders entitled tarantulas They are an incredibly beautiful furry creature, which in the old days was considered poisonous and dangerous to humans.
Tarantula tarantula
A lot has changed since then. It has been proven that tarantulas are not too dangerous to humanity, but this does not stop some people from looking at them with caution. Just the sight of him makes you shiver involuntarily, even at photo of a tarantula.
Tarantula bite although not fatal, it can cause some trouble. After it, the victim may experience a feverish state.
Sometimes, judging by the numerous literary descriptions noticed aggressive behavior these spiders. But this does not mean that such behavior is characteristic of all their representatives.
Tarantula bite
In fact, they live more according to the law - “don’t touch me, and I won’t touch you.” And to a greater extent they can bite only for the purpose of self-defense. By the way, according to eyewitnesses, the bite of these spiders resembles a wasp bite. They don't make that stuff large quantity toxins, which could negatively affect the health of the person who was bitten.
Description and features
The body of this invertebrate creature has a head and cephalothorax with a hairy surface. This arachnid arthropod has as many as 8 eyes, with the help of which the tarantula can see in all directions. It is brown or black in color with red spots or stripes.
As for sizes, spiders are small, medium and large. On the American continent there are tarantulas with dimensions of 10 cm and a paw span of up to 30 cm. European inhabitants are slightly smaller. The average size of females is usually 2-3 cm. Males are a couple of cm larger.
Spiders have 8 legs and 2 fangs. These spiders have many enemies in nature. They provide food for foxes, coyotes, birds, lizards and snakes. All of them, as one, do not miss this opportunity to feast on a tarantula.
On the legs of spiders you can see claws that help them climb up hills. Being in wild environment, they can not only move on the ground, there are times when spiders need to climb a tree or some other object.
The hairy covering of the invertebrate's body, which is easily removed, serves as good protection for the spider during a possible enemy attack. When you touch it, the predator’s body begins to itch very much. Interesting feature Tarantulas use a silk thread with which they protect their possessions along with their eggs.
The spider has an amazing ability to pick up the slightest vibration emanating from the approach of enemies or prey. When a threat approaches, the tarantula hides. In cases of danger, they make sounds like the teeth of a comb vibrating. And the tarantula will wait in ambush for the victim heard by vibration until it approaches.
Female tarantulas eat the males after mating. Therefore, their life expectancy is always shorter. In offspring, on the contrary, the chances of survival double, thanks to the satiety of the female.
In general, if we talk about the survival rate of these spiders, it is at a very low level. More than half of these invertebrates die from predators in the first years of their existence.
U different people different attitudes towards the appearance of spiders. For some, they are repulsive and disgusting, while others consider them original and damn attractive creatures.
In many countries large tarantula spiders are found in some of the most popular pets. For their use, special glass aquariums are used, and they are fed with animal food.
IN wildlife these spiders prefer to live in deserts, tropical forests and meadows. There are these creatures on almost all continents of the earth's planet. The only exception is Antarctica.
Tarantula lifestyle
Burrows large tarantula can be seen everywhere, most often the mountain slopes are covered with them. The depth of the burrows varies, ranging from 50-60 cm deep. At the entrance to the tarantula's burrow you can see a small roller, which somewhat hides the entrance from prying eyes.
During the daytime, spiders prefer to hide in burrows. And when night falls, they go out hunting. Spiders protect their burrows from the winter cold using cobwebs and dry plants. All the walls in their home are shrouded in cobwebs. With its help, they are able to determine by vibration what is happening on the earth's surface.
As soon as the spring warmth is felt, spiders come to the surface and bask under sun rays.
Reproduction and lifespan
Towards the end of summer, tarantulas become sexually mature. At these moments, males go out in search of females in the hope of mating. But these searches do not always end with the fulfillment of their desire. Sometimes the male may simply be eaten by the female. Therefore, in order to stay alive, they must not lose their vigilance for a single second.
When they meet, the males begin some kind of flirting. They actively vibrate their abdomen and move their forelimbs, giving a chance to understand their aspirations.
A female who is not against mating begins involuntary repetitions of all the movements of the male. After mating has taken place, it is advisable for the male to quickly retreat, otherwise he risks being eaten by a hungry spider.
The fertilized female has no choice but to fall into hibernation in a well-walled hole. And only the arrival of spring makes it come to the surface.
In the abdomen exposed to the rays of the sun, offspring are formed in the form of eggs in the female. She lays already ripe eggs on the web she has prepared. The number of eggs depends on the species of tarantula. Their average number is about 400 pieces.
South Russian tarantula
The eggs are in the ripening stage. At the same time, the female builds a large cocoon, places her eggs there and attaches them to herself. The cocoon is on the spider until the first movements of the babies in it.
The female remains to gnaw the cocoon and help the offspring get out of it. Newborn spiders are in no hurry to leave their mother. They climb onto it and are placed there in several layers.
They live this way until the babies are able to eat on their own. After which the females have another mission - she needs to get around as far as possible more territory and scatter your offspring over it. Tarantulas can live up to 20 years.
Nutrition
All insects and animals that are smaller than the tarantula are at risk of being eaten. They do not stray far from their burrow to hunt. They draw in their victim and are already having their meal at home. This happens somewhat unusually for them.
Spiders do not have teeth, so when they approach their prey, they pierce a hole in it, through which they inject their special remedy to dissolve all the insides of the victim. And after that they suck out the dissolved contents without any problems.
What to do if bitten by a tarantula?
The toxicity of tarantulas depends on many factors - their species, gender, age, time of year. For example, in April spiders are not particularly active. They just woke up and are practically in no danger.
There are fewer spider bites, and they are not very toxic. In mid-May, spiders begin to lay their eggs and become more active. Aggression awakens in them and along with this toxicity increases.
The beginning of June is characterized by a 3-fold increase in toxicity. It is at this time that spiders mate and migrate. Exactly this dangerous time. Only in September does the toxicity of tarantulas decrease.
In essence, the venom of these invertebrates is not great danger for people. The only exceptions are people prone to allergies and small children.
A tarantula bite may be accompanied by local pain, redness of the skin at the site of the bite, swelling, general malaise, drowsiness, and increased temperature. For some, these symptoms include dizziness and nausea.
Apulian tarantula
The bite site is under no circumstances cauterized. The bite should not be cut. This can lead to infection. Scratching is also contraindicated. You must first wash the bite with an antibacterial or regular soap, after an antiseptic.
Applying cold can reduce the pain comparatively. A large amount of water will help quickly remove toxic substances. And taking antihistamines will relieve allergies. In case of sudden deterioration in health or bite of small children, it is better to call an ambulance.
Although tarantulas inspire fear in many people, they are still peaceful creatures. You can find the largest of them, the size of which is no less than an average plate.
Directors instilled fear in people to a greater extent with their horror films with tarantulas in leading role. The spiders were named after the city in Italy, Tarento. There were a lot of these creatures there. A variety of diseases have been attributed to their bites. Experts recommended smearing a spider bite with its own blood, which contains an antidote.
Kinds
Brazilian jet black tarantula considered one of the best pets. They are calm, impressive and obedient. In their popularity they are not inferior to any spider. They live for at least 20 years.
Brazilian jet black tarantula
They can decorate not only a zoo, a school living area, but also a home interior. Due to the fact that the venom of spiders, including these species, is toxic, it is not recommended to take them with bare hands.
South Russian tarantula It is distinguished by its aggressiveness and speed. He does not forgive bad attitude towards himself. This type of spider is not recommended for people who know little about these creatures. They have increased jumping ability. To protect themselves and their home, they can jump 20 cm high.
In general, he is unpretentious and interesting. Apulian tarantula most common in European countries. Its dimensions are slightly larger than those of the South Russian one. It is considered the most poisonous of the tarantulas.
Going on holiday to warm countries, you need to be extremely careful. Local flora and fauna are not always hospitable to humans. These include the tarantula - an arachnid creature with a rather terrifying appearance. While defending its cocoon with laid eggs, the spider may consider a person an enemy and attack. Therefore, it is important to know what a tarantula bite is.
Tarantulas live in warm regions. The most poisonous is the Apulian tarantula, which lives in Italy, in the vicinity of the city of Toronto. The size of the female reaches up to 8 cm in length. But this type of spider is also found in the south Russian Federation, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. This tarantula is called the South Russian or Mizgir. He smaller in size(2-3 cm in length) and is not as poisonous as its Italian counterpart, but meeting with it will also be unpleasant. Can a tarantula be considered dangerous to humans?
A little about tarantulas
These large spiders belong to the class of wolf spiders; they do not weave webs to catch their prey, but hunt it in the style of predators. The arthropod lies in wait for its prey and pounces on it, releasing poisonous substance into the body of the prey. The main food of spiders are various insects and small animals.
Arachnids reproduce in late spring and early summer. At this time, spider venom is considered the most toxic. The fertilized female weaves a web in her burrow and then lays eggs in it. The cocoon with eggs is attached to the spider's belly. When the offspring hatch, they continue to be on the mother's body until the little spiders begin to feed on their own.
Many people are interested in the question: is the tarantula dangerous for humans? These insects do not pose a serious threat to human life, although their bites are quite painful. Having met a person, a female spider can attack him only in order to protect her offspring. These arachnids are often confused with the tarantula spider, which is quite larger and more fearsome than the tarantula.
What does a spider bite look like?
The most susceptible to insect bites are young children, the elderly and people suffering from allergic reactions. For an adult healthy person A tarantula bite is manifested by the following symptoms:
- at the site of the bite you can clearly see 2 small punctures;
- pain from an arthropod attack is comparable to the bites of several bees or a hornet;
- the affected area turns red, a slight swelling appears (see);
- itching and burning occurs in the bitten area;
- There may be a slight rise in body temperature, which will soon stabilize.
Please note: the tarantula is dangerous to humans only when an allergic reaction occurs. In this case, the symptoms appear more severe and complications may occur:
- the area affected by the bite swells;
- formation of bubbles is observed;
- there is severe pain that does not go away over time;
- body temperature rises to critical levels;
- the person begins to feel sick and may experience vomiting (see);
- severe headaches;
- , general weakness of the body;
- heart rate increases, and blood pressure falls;
- a feeling of numbness first in the limbs, and then throughout the body;
- labored breathing;
- loss of consciousness.
Attention! If you have allergies, you should never hesitate! A person who has been bitten must be taken to a hospital as soon as possible. medical institution where he will receive professional help.
How to help with a tarantula bite
After a spider attack, you should not leave things to chance (see). The injured person must be given first aid. The bite site is washed with warm soapy water and treated with any antiseptic (alcohol, peroxide). To eliminate pain, it is recommended to apply to the site of the tarantula bite cold compress. Either ice or a cold water bottle will do.
After eliminating the pain, you can lubricate the bitten surface of the skin with an ointment containing an antibiotic (Levomycetin, Levomekol) or an anti-inflammatory ointment. If antihistamines are available, be sure to give them to the victim. It is better for the bitten person to ensure complete rest and consume plenty of warm liquid.
The bitten limb can be raised upward, this will prevent swelling from accumulating in one place. Do not scratch the site of a tarantula bite, otherwise you may infect bacterial infection into the wound. To relieve itching, it is better to lubricate the affected area with insect bite gel, which has a cooling effect. The patient must be closely monitored, and as soon as symptoms arise serious symptoms allergies, show a doctor.
Advice! The area bitten by the tarantula should not be burned with a hot object. It is also not recommended to cut the affected area. It is impossible to extract the poison in this way, but it is easy to introduce an infection.
Prevention of bites
To avoid an insect attack, you must follow the following rules:
- Do not stop overnight in nature, in places where there are a lot of dry branches, fallen trees and stones.
- Don't walk on the ground barefoot.
- The overnight tent must be tightly closed with a screen.
- Shake out your things before getting dressed and putting on your shoes.
- Children need to be explained that under no circumstances should they tease or catch a spider they see. An angry spider is capable of jumping up and can bite a person.
- If the tarantula does bite, you can try to crush the spider and smear its blood on the bitten area. The arthropod's blood contains an antidote to its poison.
A few facts about tarantulas
In ancient times, residents of Italy considered tarantula bites fatal. There was only one way to avoid death - dancing. The bitten residents began to dance, waving their arms and legs until exhaustion. This is how the famous dance “Tarantella” appeared.
Many people keep these arthropods as pets. Tarantulas do not require special care and live for quite a long time. A female spider can live next to a person for about 30 years.
In nature, tarantulas are very attached to their home. When a spider goes hunting, a web is attached from its burrow to the body of the arthropod. If the web accidentally breaks, the insect may become lost in orientation and then not find its lair. If this happens, the spider digs a new home for itself.
Tarantulas are capable of regenerating their limbs. If a spider loses a leg in a fight with another individual or while hunting for prey, a new one grows in place of the lost limb after some time. The regrown tarantula's foot is smaller in size compared to the rest of the legs.
Conclusion
A tarantula bite is quite unpleasant, but not fatal to humans. In an adult healthy person, the bite goes away after 4 days, and after that there are no symptoms of the spider attack. The more difficult ones who suffer from allergic reactions. For them, an arthropod attack can result in severe health complications. However, you need to be extremely careful and, if possible, avoid any encounters with the spider. Tarantulas can bite humans, watch the video.
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