How to Recognize Poisoning From a Black Widow Bite

Black widow spiders do not often bite people, but when they do, the bite is painful and is unlikely to go unnoticed. For some people--young children and the elderly, in particular, black widow spider bites can be dangerous. Various species of black widow spiders can be found worldwide, with several commonly found in the continental United States. Since black widows like to live where humans live, learning the signs of life threatening poisoning from a black widow spider bite is important.

Instructions

    • 1

      Assess the bite sufferer for signs of life threatening distress. Unconsciousness, disorientation, chest pain, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, mouth or throat, or impairment of circulation in any body part, signals a need for emergency medical attention.

    • 2

      Capture the spider for identification, if you can. A mature female black widow's abdomen is round, shiny black, about 3/8 inches in diameter, with a red marking on the underside. Often the marking is an hourglass shape, but it may also appear as two red dots. In some species of black widow, a row of red markings appear on the top of the abdomen, with a cross shaped red marking on the under side. The female black widow is more venomous than the male. A mature male black widow spider's abdomen is elongated, about 1/8 inch, often with brown and white longitudinal markings on the sides. The male may have red markings on the underside of the abdomen. Some experts claim the maile does not ever bite humans. Immature black widow spiders are harmless and will have markings that resemble the male. The legs of the black widow spider are long and usually black, though in some species the legs may be brown or red. The black widow usually hangs upside down in its web, making the underside of the abdomen easy to see.

    • 3

      Assess the bite sufferer's discomfort at the local area of the bite. A black widow bite will usually cause acute pain and possibly itching, at the site of the bite.

    • 4

      Watch for signs of severe reaction. Abdominal pain, muscle cramps, chest pain, back or shoulder pain, nausea, vomiting and dizziness, as well as increased blood pressure and heart rate are signs of a severe reaction to a black widow bite. Severe reactions to the bite of a black widow are more common in the very young and the elderly. Any of these generalized symptoms following any spider or insect bite, even in a healthy adult, warrants emergency medical care.

    • 5

      Look for the characteristic appearance of a black widow bite. After a twenty minutes to two hours, the bite of a black widow will produce a small, slightly raised pale bump, surrounded by a red area. Inflammation may last several days and will usually be painful. If other symptoms are absent, pain may be relieved with cold or warm compresses and over the counter pain relievers.