Are You Sick?

Symptoms of a Spider Bite

• Most spider bites cause local pain, redness and swelling. It's like a bee sting reaction.
• A few spiders (such as the Black Widow) can cause a more severe reaction.
• It is helpful to note what the spider looked like, if it was seen on the skin or around you.
• If you can, capture the spider in a jar with a lid. It will help you identify the spider. Only do this if it does not risk getting another bite.

Cause of Spider Bite Reactions

• Most spiders have tiny fangs. They inject venom into the skin.
• The venom is what causes all the symptoms.

Types of Spider Bites

Black Widow Spider Bite

• A shiny, jet-black spider with long legs. Total size 1 inch (25 mm).
• A red (or orange) hourglass-shaped marking on its under-side.
• Causes local pain and swelling right away.
• Sometimes, you can see 2 fang marks at the bite site.
• Severe muscle cramps (and stomach cramps) occur within 1 to 6 hours. These last 24 to 48 hours.
• Rarely causes death. Exception: bitten by several spiders.
• Note: many are dry bites (no venom) because the fangs are small.
• The brown widow spider is related to the black widow. It is found in southern US.
• Brown widow spider bites are treated the same as black widow bites.

Brown Recluse Spider Bite

• A small brown spider; total size ½ inch (12 mm).
• A dark violin shaped marking on top of its head.
• Causes pain at the bite. Blisters form within 4 to 8 hours.
• The center becomes bluish and depressed (crater-like) over 2 to 3 days.
• Skin damage may require skin grafting in 10% of cases.
• Other symptoms such as fever, vomiting, muscle pain can occur. No life-threatening symptoms occur.
• Brown recluse spiders are hard to identify.

Non-dangerous Spider Bites

• More than 50 spiders in the U.S. have venom. Their bites cause reactions that are not serious. This includes pain or redness at the bite site.
• The bites are painful and swollen. This often lasts for 1 or 2 days. They can feel and look like a bee sting.