The black widow is a spider that virtually everyone knows about. Little do people know that the brown widow spider is out there as well. Its bite is also rather significant. The symptoms of brown widow spiders are similar in nature to their more famous cousins, but they tend to be a bit less intensive. Still, it is important to know the symptoms of brown widow bites and to get the medical care necessary when bitten.

Symptoms

Brown widow spiders are of the same family as the black widow spider. The brown widow's venomous bite is generally not as serious as the black widow. As such, the symptoms are often much more tolerable. Still, they can include pain, rigidity in the muscles of the abdomen and legs, swelling, nausea, vomiting and in severe cases a sharp rise in blood pressure. Generally, the symptoms of the brown widow tend to stay localized to the bite site, whereas the black widow's symptoms are more widespread.

Significance

Brown widow spider bites are becoming more common. The venom of the brown widow may be twice as potent as the black widow, experts believe, but the brown widow is less inclined to inject larger amounts of venom. Children, the elderly and anyone who has a compromised immune system are at risk from brown widow spider bites.

Identification

Knowing the difference between the black widow and the brown widow is important. The black widow is shiny black, while the brown widow is any color from sandy to black depending on age. The brown widow also has various markings on its back when it is younger and is a bit smaller than the black widow. The brown widow has legs that are two-toned with alternating sections of colors. Finally, the black widow has a bright red hourglass while the brown widow has one of yellow or orange. If you are lucky enough to find the egg sac of the brown widow, you will notice that it has spikes where the black widow sac is smooth and pear-shaped.

Misconceptions

Many people think that the brown and black widow are the only two widow spiders. The truth is there are four species in America, and several in other countries, as well. The southern black widow, northern black widow, red widow and brown widow are found in America. The red back spider is another noted widow spider that is found primarily in Australia.

Prevention/Solution

To avoid experiencing the symptoms of the brown widow spider, one should avoid putting bare hands anywhere that the brown widow likes to hang out. This includes wood piles, rock piles, trash piles, darkened parts of your home, under shelves and even in your basement. When you put on clothes that have been in storage, always check them for spiders. This is the most common way to get bitten by spiders in general, and the brown widow is no exception.

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