Facts About the Deadly Banana Spiders

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‘Banana Spiders’ are deadly and highly poisonous. It is useful to keep informed about these harmful insects to keep yourself protected. The species are of two different nature whose scientific names are ‘Phoneutria’, found in Central and South America, and the other one is ‘Nephila Clavipes’, found in North America. Among both species, the former one is more deadly and poisonous than the latter. Bananenspinne, Wandering Spider and Kammspinne are the other names by which phoneutria species are also known as.

The South American banana spiders, also known as ‘phoneutria’, are the most dangerous. They are 1.3 inches long and is quite big and aggressive. Though the dense rain forests are their primary home, they can also be located in the cities. From 1970 to 1980, this spider caused for hospitalization for about 7,000 people in the southeastern parts of Brazil.

This species of banana spider has poison that acts as neurotoxic on the nervous system of human body. These poisons are equivalent to the poisons of the ‘Red Back Spiders’, also known as ‘black widows’. If a phoneutria bites, then immediate medical care is to be provided. This is because anti-venom has yet been discovered to cure the poison. The symptoms of this spider’s bite are that of cold sweat, pain, and uneven heartbeat.

The North American ‘Nephila Clavipes’ banana spiders have poison that is similar to the poison of the ‘black widow’, but its poison are not so harmful as those of the ‘black widow’. These spiders have a stretched-out body, resembling a banana shape and its color is also black and yellow. The body of the female spiders is large with a length of around 1.1 inches or 33 cm, whereas the male counterparts are around half the size of the females.

These North American spiders generally prefer areas that are sunny and are found in tall trees. They tend to build their web across pathways and cover quite a large area with the shape of an orb. They are gold-colored and are quite stronger than other spider’s web.

Some of this spider’s other names are: the ‘golden orb weaver’ or the ‘writing spider’. Sometimes, it is confusing to distinguish between the yellow and black ‘garden spider’ and this North American spider. The garden spider is also called a ‘writing spider’ because its web has a criss-cross pattern This spider may not be very harmful but it is advisable to consult a doctor if you are bitten by it because it can cause some allergic reactions, which can be deadly.