You do not have to travel to an exotic location to encounter those tiny deadly creatures. There are plenty creepy crawlers in our back yards or on a hiking trail that you should be aware of. Some of the most dangerous insects are right under our feet and we have no clue about them. Some of the deadly bugs to watch out for are spider and scorpions. 

When a black widow bites, there victim is injected with protein venom that attacks the nervous system. The bites are very large and can be very painful. A black widow spider bite is said to feel like a pinprick, although victims may not realize that they have been bitten. Sometimes double fang marks may be seen at the location of the bite. The most common localized symptoms of a black widow spider bite are immediate pain, burning, swelling, and redness. A black widow spider bite gives the appearance of a target, with a pale area surrounded by a red ring. Severe muscle pain and cramps may develop in the first two hours. Severe cramps are usually first felt in the back, shoulders, abdomen and thighs. Other symptoms include weakness, sweating, headache, anxiety, itching, nausea, vomiting, difficult breathing and increased blood pressure. Young children, the elderly and those with high blood pressure are at highest risk of developing symptoms from a black widow spider bite. Only the female spider is dangerous to humans.

The Black Widow Spider

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Northern Black Widow Spider

Photo by Tom Murray; 2006

If you are bitten by a black widow, please do not panic. There have been no reports of deaths in the United States from a black widow in over 10 years. Very often the spider will not inject venom into its bite but has the capability to. Wash the wound very well with soap and water to help prevent infection. If muscle cramps develop, take the patient to the nearest hospital. Some victims, especially young children or seniors may be admitted overnight for observation and treatment if needed. There is a treatment for a black widow spider bite symptoms. Black widow spider antivenin is seldom necessary.

Although the spider is mostly found in the southern United States , it may be seen throughout the US . Five species are common to the US , with two of them being the most common. The southern black widow has the shiny, black, globular abdomen with the distinctive red hourglass on the underside. The northern black widow has a row of red spots down the middle of the upper surface of its abdomen and two crosswise bars on the undersurface. The markings can also be yellow or white, and the spider itself may be brown or have red legs. Black widow spiders are nocturnal and, thus, are active at night. They prefer dark corners or crevices. They are said to avoid human dwellings; these spiders generally live in trash, closets, attics, woodpiles, garages, unused structures and other dark places. Only the female black widow bites humans, and she bites only when disturbed, especially while protecting her eggs.

The brown recluse spiders are native to the United States . The brown recluse spider is found mainly in the central Midwestern states southward to the Gulf of Mexico . The brown recluse spider is not aggressive, and it normally bites only when crushed, handled or disturbed. Some people have been bitten in bed after inadvertently rolling over onto the spider. Others have been bitten after accidentally touching the spider when cleaning storage areas. Some bites occur when people put on seldom used clothing or shoes inhabited by a brown recluse.

Brown Recluse Spider

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In the mature brown recluse spider as well as some other species of recluse spiders, the dark violin marking is well distinct, with the neck of the violin pointing toward the bulb like abdomen. The coloration can range from light tan to dark brown, and is covered with numerous fine hairs that provide a velvety appearance. The long, thin, brown legs also are covered with fine hairs, but not spines. Adult brown recluse spiders have a leg span about the size of a quarter. Males are slightly smaller in body length than females, but males have proportionally longer legs. Both sexes are venomous.

The physical reaction to a brown recluse spider bite depends on the amount of venom injected and an individual's sensitivity to it. Some people are unaffected by a bite, as others experience instant or delayed effects as the venom kills the tissues at the site of the bite. Many brown recluse bites cause just a little red mark that heals without event. 

The bite may feel like a pinprick or may go unnoticed. Others feel a stinging sensation followed by intense pain. Infrequently, some victims experience reactions that may include restlessness, generalized itching, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, or shock. A small white blister usually initially rises at the bite site surrounded by a swollen area. The affected area enlarges and becomes red, and the tissue is hard to the touch for some time. The lesion from a brown recluse spider bite is a dry, blue-gray or blue-white, irregular sinking patch with ragged edges and surrounding redness.

Some bites of the brown recluse spider can result in a painful, deep wound that takes some time to heal. Fatalities are extremely rare, but bites are most dangerous to young children, the elderly, and those in poor physical condition. When there is a severe reaction to the bite, the site can erupt into a hole in the flesh due to damaged, gangrenous tissue. The open wound may range from the size of an adult's thumbnail to the span of a hand. The dead tissue gradually sloughs away, exposing underlying tissues. The sunken, ulcerating sore may heal slowly up to 6 to 8 weeks. Full recovery may take several months and scarring may remain. It is difficult for a physician to accurately diagnose a "brown recluse bite" based simply on wound characteristics. It is necessary to have the spider for a positive identification.

If you are bitten, remain calm, and immediately seek medical attention. Apply an ice pack directly to the bite area to relieve swelling and pain. Collect the spider, if possible, for positive identification by a spider expert. A plastic bag, small jar, or pill vial is useful and no preservative is necessary, but rubbing alcohol helps to preserve the spider. An effective commercial antivenin is not available. Some physicians administer high doses of cortisone-type hormones to combat systemic complications. Treatment with oral antibiotics has been suggested to reduce the degree of tissue damage. However, an effective therapy has not yet been found in controlled studies.

Control of indoor infestations of spiders can take a long time and can be difficult. Because humans have little patience for this pest, it tends to be widely dispersed within infested buildings, and it seeks secluded sites. Control of spiders, including the brown recluse, is best achieved by following an integrated pest management approach.

Preventing spider bites is the best way to avoid a bad situation. Shake out all clothing and shoes before getting dressed. When going to bed at night, inspect your sheets and pillows; also check your bath towels before use. Always wear sturdy gloves when handling firewood, lumber, and rocks. Just for safety precautions, check the gloves you do wear before you begin your work. Once a week, it may be smart to remove your bedding for washing and move anything under your bed for weekly inspection to be on the safe side. When handling cardboard boxes, handle with care due to spiders hiding under the flaps of a box. Install tight-fitting screens on windows and doors; also install door sweeps. Seal or caulk cracks and crevices where spiders can enter the house. Install yellow or sodium vapor light bulbs outdoors since these attract fewer insects for spiders to feed upon. Use plastic bags to store loose items in the garage, basement, and attic. Use sticky traps or glue boards to capture spiders. Dust and vacuum thoroughly to remove spiders, webs, and egg sacs and dispose of the vacuum bag in a container outdoors. Use a rolled up newspaper or fly swatter to kill individual spiders.

Scorpions are members of the class “Arachnid a” and are closely related to spiders, mites, and ticks. They are commonly thought of as desert dwellers, but they also live in Brazilian forests, British Columbia , North Carolina , and even the Himalayas . These hardy, adaptable insects have been around for thousands of years, and they are nothing if not survivors. There are almost 2,000 scorpion species, but only 30 or 40 have strong enough poison to kill a person. The many types of venom are effectively tailored to their users' lifestyles, however, and are highly selected for effectiveness against that species' chosen prey. Scorpions have a difficult time living without soil, they are burrowing animals.

Scorpion

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Scorpion’s sting, they don't bite. Scorpions sting with a poisoned hook on their tail, which is typically raised prior to an attack. There are many types of scorpions in Arizona . Staying calm makes it easy to treat a scorpion sting. Even if you are stung by the Arizona bark scorpion, “the most dangerous of the Arizona scorpions” it is not likely to be fatal. Local medical centers are familiar with the treatment. The stings of North American scorpions are rarely serious and usually result in pain, minimal swelling, tenderness, and warmth at the sting site. However, the bark scorpion which is found in Arizona and New Mexico and on the California side of the Colorado River has a much more toxic sting. The sting is painful, sometimes causing numbness or tingling in the area around the sting. Serious symptoms are more common in children and include abnormal head, eye, and neck movements; increased saliva production; sweating; and restlessness. Some people develop severe involuntary twitching and jerking of muscles. Breathing difficulties may occur.

Scorpions are nocturnal animals and, therefore, typically only emerge at night. They often hide in dark cracks and vegetation. It is necessary to watch out for dark hiding places indoors such as inside cupboards, under a bed, or in shoes. The stings of most North American scorpions require no special treatment. Placing an ice cube on the wound reduces pain, as does an ointment containing a combination of an antihistamine, an analgesic, and a corticosteroid. The anti-venom is available only in Arizona .