Black Widow versus Brazilian Wandering Spider

Brazilian Wandering spider, which belongs to the Phoneutria genus, has the most toxic venom in the world which is not comparable to Black Widow spider (Latrodectus genus).Both Brazilian Wandering and Black Widow spiders are commonly found in Southern America.

Black widows are black in color with large round abdomen which has red hourglass. They have a body length of fifteen millimeters and a leg span of approximately thirty five millimeters. On the other hand, Brazilian Wandering spiders grow sometimes to the length of a human hand with a leg span of about four to five inches. Their body shape resembles a banana with its body color ranging from brown to yellow. They have far haired body with the most distinctive aspect being the famous red chelicerae.

It is rare for a female Black Widow spider to leave her web which she uses to catch her prey. She reconstructs her web, from her silk, in regular basis and can capture large insects which are injected with venom by the spider to kill them for feeding. After feeding the prey and sucking all its fluid, the spider releases the carcass to the ground. The female Black Widow spends most of her day hanging upside down the web where she protects her egg sac. On the other hand, Brazilian Wandering spiders do not have webs but spends most of their time looking for prey.

Mostly, Brazilian Wandering spiders search for their prey in the jungle at night. They hide in termite moulds, in banana, under rocks and fallen logs and in bromeliads during the day. On the other hand, Black Widow spiders are mostly found under wood piles, in boxes, and in any unbothered places.

Female Black Widow spider has venom which is very poisonous to people. Despite this reputation, it usually tries to escape rather than bite, unless it is pressed, cornered or protecting its eggs. The male Black Widow does not bite but instead can be eaten by the female after mating and laying eggs. This is because his venom becomes inactive and stops developing as the male matures making it less dangerous. It is important to note that the female Black Widow only mates once in her lifetime and if the male survives after the mating, it lives comfortably eating prey trapped by the female (Julie 4). Its bites are sharp and painful and medical attention should be sought immediately. Symptoms as a result of biting disappear after some days and its bites are not fatal. On the other hand, Brazilian Wandering spiders do not resist biting anything disturbing them. Their bites are fatal therefore a person should seek medical attention immediately after the bite.
