Brown Widow Spider Bites
Latrodectus geometricus
Brown Widow Spider: Overview | Brown Widow Spider Bites | Prevention
Health and Medical Disclaimer
Underside of brown widow spider, showing hourglass marking.
Wikimedia Commons, Mfield, Matthew Field,
http://www.photography.mattfield.com, Sept 2009, Los Angeles,CA
The Bite of a Brown Widow Is Venomous
The female brown widow is a venomous spider that injects a neurotoxic venom when it bites its prey. The males do not bite. Experts disagree on the potency of the brown widow spider's venom, with some saying it is more potent than a black widow's and some offering the opposite point of view. The consensus is however, that it is more timid and injects less venom than the black widow spider.
Bites occur usually through accidental contact and pressing of the spider against the skin. Symptoms of a brown widow spider bite include a red mark at the bite site and some pain locally. The bite is not usually life threatening, and is considered less serious than a black widow spider bite.
Differences between Black Widows and Brown Widows:
- The color of the brown widow spider is tan to brown or gray vs. black.
- The egg sac of a brown widow has tiny spikes all over the surface; a black widow's egg sac is smooth.
- Brown widows produce more eggs and offspring than black widows.
- A brown widow's bite is usually less severe than a black widow bite as they tend to inject less venom.
Brown Widow Spider: Overview | Brown Widow Spider Bites | Prevention
Health and Medical Disclaimer
See also: Black Widow Spider, Brown Recluse Spider
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