Are The Spiders In Durham, NC Dangerous?

Harmless Spiders

While all spiders have fangs, some spiders don't have the ability to bite you. A good example of a harmless spider species are the long-legged spiders that get into your basement or hang out in your garage. While certainly creepy and unwanted guests, they don't present any threat to you, your kids, or your pets.

Spiders That Bite

There are many spiders that can bite you. Some bites will be mild and will only hurt about as much as having someone pinch you. Some bites can feel like a sharp pain, like a bee sting or having someone poke you with a needle. While certainly uncomfortable, this pain will subside and you won't have any serious symptoms. Most spiders don't have venom that is strong enough to make you sick. At most, you'll have a red bump and a rash. It may even itch.

What You Should Know About Bug Bites

Do you know that most bites that people think are spider bites don't actually come from spiders? Yup. If you wake up with one bite on your skin, and it turns into an itchy welt, there is little chance that you were bitten by a spider while you slept. Sure, it can happen. But here are a few things you need to consider:

• Most spider bites are likely to wake you up. Spiders don't bite like many other bugs do. They don't stick you with their mouthparts and suck your blood out. They actually bite you—with fangs.
• Spiders aren't attracted to you. They won't get into bed with you on purpose. They don't consider you to be a food source.
• A spider can bite you if you startle it. But, it is difficult to startle most spiders. If you move during the night while a spider is crawling on you, it is likely to just scurry off your skin without biting you. Most spiders are docile toward humans and can even be handled without biting—though we don't recommend handling spiders. 
• The most important factor to consider is that bug bites don't appear immediately. Welts and rashes can take hours or even days to form. You can get bitten by an outside pest, such as a mosquito, and not know it until the next day. This could make you think that you were bitten in the night when it is actually not the case. Why does this happen? Because welts, redness, rashes, and itchiness are caused by an allergic reaction. This reaction can take time to occur and worsen.

What Makes A Spider Dangerous?

All spiders have venom, but as we've already discussed, most spiders don't have a venom that is strong enough to harm you. In our Durham service area, the two spiders that present a medical threat are black widow spiders and brown recluse spiders. These spiders are often referred to as venomous spiders or poisonous spiders.

Black Widow Spiders — A bite from a black widow spider will always result in localized pain. If the bite is dry (meaning the spider did not inject venom) the bite will not result in harmful symptoms. If the wound is envenomated, then flu-like symptoms can result. Severe reaction to the venom of a black widow spider can be life-threatening. Seek medical attention if you have any symptoms associated with a black widow spider bite.

Brown Recluse Spiders — It is likely that you are aware of the necrosis that can result from a brown recluse spider bite. What you might not know is that this necrosis (or tissue death) can be mild or severe, or that it can take as long as two weeks for the bite wound to ulcerate. It is also important to understand that only a fraction of brown recluse spider bites result in a spreading necrosis that leads to a disfiguring wound.

Even Venomous Spiders Can Be Harmless

Black widow and brown recluse spiders aren't looking to bite you. In fact, they're both quite reclusive. If you see these spiders on your property, you don't need to be fearful. Sure, it's a good idea to contact a licensed professional and have your property inspected, but you don't need to worry about these spiders hunting you down and harming you.