Black and white spiders in the house: how do they breed and what do they eat? The most amazing and beautiful spiders in the world Names of spider species.

Over 1 thousand species of spiders live on the territory of Russia. Some are quite often found in residential areas and the proximity to them does not pose a threat, others can only be seen in conditions wildlife, but it is advisable to avoid contact with them. Their full list is quite large, and therefore today we will focus only on a few - we will talk about those who really deserve attention. What are they - the most famous, and dangerous spiders Russia?

Safe Species

It should be noted right away that absolutely all spiders are poisonous, but only a few will be dangerous for human health - arthropods with highly toxic poison. In this chapter we will consider those whose venom is deadly exclusively to insects.

house spiders

These are perhaps the most famous and most common spiders living in Russia. They got their name due to the fact that they love to coexist with a person very much - they can be found in a private house, in a city apartment, and in outbuildings. This spider usually weaves a funnel-shaped web in dark corners under the ceiling or in more secluded places, for example, somewhere behind a closet. The owner himself usually sits in the center of the hunting net and patiently waits for prey to fall into it. And as soon as the victim is in the web, the spider runs up to it with lightning speed and immediately straightens it out.

You can recognize a house spider by the following signs:

• integuments are colored yellowish-gray or brownish-gray;
• on the back there are usually brown spots folded into a pattern;
• legs are dark brown in color, their length is about twice as long as the body;
• the size of the females is about 12 mm, the male - no more than 10 mm.

Spider knitters

There are quite a few types of knitters, and these spiders are more common in Russia than others. They are distributed throughout the country and live exclusively in natural conditions. Their trapping nets are circular in shape and have very large cells. Because of them, at first glance, it may seem that such a web is not suitable for hunting. However, it is not. The net is designed for a specific victim, namely centipede mosquitoes, which are a favorite delicacy for knitters.

The knitter spider has the following description:

• elongated body;
• legs are long;
• chelicerae are covered with numerous outgrowths;
• females are usually about 10 mm in size, males are somewhat smaller.

It is interesting! In danger, the knitter spider stretches its legs along the body and becomes like a tiny straw. If you disturb him, he will immediately throw himself down like a stone and try to hide!

Who should be afraid?

Other arachnids also live on the territory of Russia - their poison is very toxic and delay after a bite is fraught with serious health consequences. And in order to protect yourself and know in which cases you should immediately seek medical help, it is advisable to know such representatives of the spider kingdom “by sight”.

cross spiders

The diet of spiders of this species includes mainly flying insects: hornets, flies, butterflies, mosquitoes, bumblebees and bees. Hunting takes place with the help of a web. The cross immobilizes the caught prey with poison, entangles it with cobwebs and injects digestive juices into the wound. After a while, he eats the partially digested contents of his prey. If the spider is not hungry at the moment, then it hangs the prey on the edge of the trapping net in reserve.

These spiders are distributed throughout central Russia. Often they are found in spruce, beech and pine forests, as well as in raised bogs, less often in gardens, arable land and meadows.

• females are about twice as large as males with a body size of about 20-25 mm;
• the main color depends on the ambient light,;
• the body is covered with a layer of a waxy substance necessary to prevent the evaporation of moisture;
• the cephalothorax is covered with a dense "shield", on the front of which there are 4 pairs of eyes.

As a result of the bite of the cross, an infection can be introduced into the wound, so you should seek medical help without fail and as soon as possible.

hyracanthids

Hiracanthids belonging to the species Cheiracanthium punctorium are dangerous for humans. You can find them in the herbage and in the thickets of shrubs. These creatures have won the title of the most poisonous spiders in central Russia.

It is interesting! Some types of chiracandids are characterized by matriphagy - hatched spiderlings eat the female that guards them!

Hiracanthids do not weave trapping nets, as they are wandering hunters. Activity is shown exclusively at night. They react tactilely to the victim - when the insect touches the legs of the spider, it attacks it with one sharp jump. The diet usually includes leafhoppers, caterpillars, moths, aphids, grasshoppers and some types of mites.

Description:

• integuments are colored yellow, light brown, sometimes greenish;
• body size is from 5 to 15 mm;
• the abdomen is oval, slightly pointed at the end;
• the front pair of legs is about twice as long as the body.

After a bite of a spider of the Hiracanthid species, intense burning pain occurs in the affected area, which soon spreads over almost the entire corresponding segment of the limb. In this case, itching or "locking" of the muscles is not observed. A few minutes later, the lymph nodes that stand in the way from the bite site begin to "whine" and swell. A little later, edema develops in the affected area and mobility is impaired. Sometimes there is difficulty in breathing. The pain disappears after about 10-20 hours, local symptoms - after 1-2 days.

Karakurt

This is the most poisonous spider that lives in Russia. belongs to the genus. Its body is painted black and has 13 red spots with a white border. Adult individuals no longer have spots - their body is painted, as a rule, evenly in black glossy color. The body size of the female can be from 10 to 20 mm, the males are much smaller - their dimensions usually do not exceed 7 mm.

Such poisonous spiders as karakurts are found in the following regions of Russia:

• Saratov;
• Kurgan;
• Orenburg;
• Rostov;
• Novosibirsk;
• Volgograd.

Despite the fact that karakurts are considered the most dangerous spiders in Russia, they do not attack a person for no reason, but bite solely for the purpose of self-defense. After a bite, the poison acts immediately and after a quarter of an hour the pain spreads throughout the body. Particularly strong pain occurs in the abdomen, chest and lower back. At the same time, a strong tension in the abdominal muscles is felt. The victim may experience shortness of breath, tremor, increased heart rate, increased heart rate, headache, nausea, dizziness, pallor or flushing of the skin.

In Russia, anti-karakurt serum is used to treat the consequences of the bite of these poisonous spiders.

In hot years, karakurts are also found in the northern regions, for example, in the Moscow region; sometimes they rise to much higher latitudes, where they can live until winter

South Russian tarantula

Another fairly well-known and at the same time the largest spider in Russia is. The size of females reaches 3 cm, males - 2.5 cm. Their covers are painted in gray, brown, brown or red, usually with a pattern on the upper side of the abdomen. The body is densely covered with short hairs.

These spiders prefer a dry climate and settle mainly in forest-steppe, steppe, semi-desert and desert zones. The South Russian tarantula digs a vertical hole for itself, about 40 cm deep, and lines its inner walls with a layer of its own web. Hunts from a hole, focusing on the shadow of an insect passing by. When the prey is nearby, he jumps out of his hiding place and immediately bites the victim.

Apart from southern regions in large numbers were seen in such regions of Russia as:

• Saratov;
• Astrakhan;
• Kursk;
• Belgorod;
• Lipetsk;
• Orlovskaya;
• Tambov.

As for their toxicity, South Russian tarantulas are not particularly dangerous. After a bite in the affected area, as a rule, there is a slight swelling. Sometimes the skin in this place becomes yellow and retains this shade for two months. The poison of these spiders does not cause death in humans, but certain health problems can still be observed.

Like the karakurt, the South Russian tarantula does not attack itself, but attacks only when a threat arises. However, in any case, it is highly undesirable to provoke it - being in an aggressive state, this spider is able to jump about 15 cm in height and plunge its chelicerae into the enemy's body with lightning speed.

It is the South Russian tarantula that many fans of the exotic choose. In keeping, these spiders of the south of Russia are quite unpretentious, and all that is required is a vertical terrarium, high bedding, food and pure water. But be careful with him and do not provoke aggression, remember that the tarantula will definitely protect itself and its home.

Spiders are a rare exception in nature, when a whole detachment of animals is obligate predators. All species of spiders, except for one, feed only on living organisms, which they themselves catch. Dead insects and small animals are not of interest to arthropods.

On a note!

Scientists believe that there are 42,000 species of spiders living on the planet today. But how many spiders are in the world, in fact, no one can say with certainty. Even today, small species of animals are discovered almost every year, and there are still enough forests and jungles that have not been fully explored on the planet. Spiders are masters of disguise.

Varieties of spiders differ from each other in size, length of legs, shape and size of chelicerae, and toxicity. The spider may be covered with bristles or be smooth. Can weave a trapping web or dig minks. But all types of spiders have common features that allow them to be classified as arachnids.

General morphology

Interesting!

Real spiders are always equipped with spinning glands.

At the head office are:

• the first pair of limbs, transformed into chelicerae;
• the second pair of limbs are pedipalps, which perform the functions of touch and help the spider catch and hold prey;
• eyes;
• mouth opening.

• black widows, including karakurt;
• Brazilian running spiders;
• brown recluse spider.

Black widows are so named because the female eats the male after mating. Spiders of this genus are distributed on all continents. Prey is caught using the web as a lasso. Not all species of this genus are dangerous to humans. The American black widow received the greatest celebrity.

There are 5 species of black widows on the northern continent. The main color of these spiders is black with red spots on the abdomen.

This genus of spiders can be distinguished by a characteristic feature: long legs, which are clearly visible in the photograph.

The name of the spider is of Turkic origin and in Russian means "black worm". The "classic" black karakurt Latrodectus tredecimguttatus lives in the southern regions of the continent, including the Mediterranean and Crimea. In connection with global warming began to come across in Azerbaijan, in Altai and in the Novosibirsk region. The ideal habitat for this karakurt spider is warm autumn and hot summer.

The name and photo of the spiders are somewhat inconsistent: this type of karakurt has large red spots on the dorsal side of the abdomen. Coloration can vary greatly: Eurasian species interbreed and the spider can be pure black.

On a note!

There is a white karakurt (Latrodectus pallidus). Since white karakurts look uncharacteristic for these types of arthropods, you can ignore them. White karakurts are less venomous than black karakurt, but their bite can cause trouble for children or people suffering from allergies. The habitat is combined with the territory on which the black karakurt lives.

Oceania and Australia

Three species, one of which is introduced to Southeast Asia. The Australian black widow is also considered one of the most dangerous species.

Latrodectus geometricus

A species of black widow, common on all continents. The color on the dorsal side is brown. There is a red spot on the underside of the abdomen. Paws are yellow-brown with black stripes on the folds. Of all the black widows, the least poisonous and dangerous only for children and the elderly.

Until 2010, the black widow was considered the most poisonous spider, but took away the prize cup from her. The genus of Brazilian wandering spiders has 8 species. The distribution area is very limited: the tropics of South and Central America. The hunting method is active. The web is not weaved.

Interesting!

The last species was discovered only in 2001.

The venom of soldier spiders in the final stage causes muscle paralysis and suffocation. When poison enters the bloodstream, in 85% of cases, after a bite, cardiac arrest occurs.

Lives on the North American continent. Leg span can be 6-20 mm. Color brown, dark yellow, gray. One of the species in which the eye is less than 8. Only 3 pairs, which can be seen in the close-up photo of the cephalothorax.

It is nocturnal, hiding under roots and stones during the day. The hunting method is active, but weaves nets that it uses as shelter. Likes to settle in human housing. May accidentally crawl into bed at night. If you crush it, it will bite.

The consequence of bites is the development of a necrotic ulcer. The affected area heals for 3 years. To lethal outcome a bite can result if the victim is a child or a person with a weakened immune system.

Medium venom spiders

The bite of such arthropods is not fatal, but can bring trouble in the form of swelling of the limbs and a painful bite site. These types include:

• banana;
• tarantulas;
• spider sak;
• wasp spider.

The bites of these animals cause local irritation. With a very large dose of poison, swelling of the limb is possible.

Banana

Large woody, spinning the largest cobwebs. They have several names:

• giant tree spider;
• gold spinner.

Body length 1-4 cm. Paw span 12 cm. Poison is not fatal for humans. A spider bite causes a local allergic reaction: burning, blistering, redness of the bite site. Symptoms go away within a day.

They belong to the family. The most famous are two species: South Russian and Apulian tarantula. The common name of the South Russian tarantula is. Large arthropods that do not weave trapping nets. They are nocturnal, attacking small invertebrates and other spiders. During the day they hide in vertical burrows with a diameter of 1-1.5 cm and a depth of up to 0.6 m. Animals have a gray protective color. The abdomen is covered with bristles. Paws of medium length.

Distributed in the southern dry steppes of the Eurasian continent. Tarantulas are especially poisonous in the spring after hibernation, until they have had time to waste the poison. But you have to try hard to get a bite from this arthropod: first remove it from the hole, and then grab it with your bare hand. Defensively, it is capable of a vertical jump, but at the first opportunity it will try to hide.

Interesting!

In English-speaking countries, tarantulas are called large tarantula spiders.

The second name is . Originally inhabitant of the southern regions. But the abnormal heat led to the fact that the arthropod began to be found in middle lane Russia. The spread is facilitated by the unhealthy predilection of saka for the smell of oil. It often climbs between the tubes of the car's propulsion system. Air vents are clogged with cobwebs.

The animal is not large: 0.7-1.5 cm. The span of the paws reaches 2.5 cm. The color is yellow-brown. It has impressive chelicerae with very long needles. This is a device for active night hunting. What a sack looks like can be seen in the photo of the spider below.

Saka venom causes soft tissue necrosis. Other signs of poisoning may include nausea, headache, heat. The bite site becomes inflamed.

She is a wasp spider. Belongs to the family of orb-weaver spiders. The "wasp" got its name for the characteristic color of the abdomen. In terms of the number of species, it is second only to jumping spiders and linifiids. The range of the argiope is limited to 52°N.

On a note!

- one of the species that have mastered the flight on the cobweb.

Hunting is passive. At dusk weaves round trapping nets. Feeds on flying insects. The bite is painful. May cause local irritation.

Safe spiders

Representatives of this group either cannot bite through human skin, or their venom is too weak to cause harm. These spiders include:

• crosses;
• haymaker;
• brownie;
• horses.

Most spiders are not interested in humans. They live in nature and want only one thing: that no one touches them.

tarantulas

The largest spiders. The champion is the goliath spider: a tarantula whose body length reaches 10 cm. The paw span is 28 cm. The body is covered with red-brown thick bristles. The tarantula is not dangerous to humans, but falling bristles can cause an allergic reaction.

Crosses

- large spiders with a very large triangular abdomen. On the back there is a characteristic pattern in the form of a cross, which gave the name to the whole genus of cross-spiders. An inhabitant of gardens, forests, parks and other green spaces. Conducts passive hunting for insects, weaving circular nets. The cross itself makes itself a shelter from rolled leaves.

Bites are harmless. Even a child feels like a slight pinch. But the cross is able to discourage the baby from grabbing the spider with his hands.

haymakers

Haymakers have already become not, but "domesticated" and do not want to leave a person's housing in any way. For humans, they are completely safe and cannot even pinch. Externally, haymakers look like a kosinozhka bug, but have an elongated body, divided into two parts. The bug has a round body.

On a note!

Weaves a chaotic web in all corners with deadly diligence and annoys people not with bites, but with the need to constantly remove the fruits of his labors.

Brownie

Belongs to the family. Distributed everywhere. Often settles in a human dwelling. The female is 7-12 mm in size, the male is 6-9 mm. Color brown. Weaves funnel webs. It is not aggressive towards people, but if you put your finger in its shelter, it can bite. There will be no consequences from the bite.

horses

- one of the most large families. Distributed everywhere except Greenland. Spiders of this family are capable of jumping and actively hunt during the daytime. Horses have a well-developed hydraulic system that allows them to change blood pressure and extend their limbs. Thanks to this adaptation, they can make jumps many times greater than their own size.

Interesting!

The family of horses is notable for the fact that it has the only species of spider - a vegetarian. Bagheera Kipling lives in Central America and feeds on acacias of the genus Vachellia. But this spider is not a pure vegetarian either. During the drought period, they can switch to feeding on individuals of their own species.

Peacock spider

The original endemic of Australia from the family of horses. A small spider of very bright coloring. The name was given for the complete copying of this bird: a bright male and a modest female. When caring for a female, the spider spreads its tail. It spreads the lateral shields of the abdomen and raises the hind legs with the abdomen up. In the absence of a female, the spiders wrap their scutes around the abdomen.

Tramp

They got their name because they do not weave nets and hunt, attacking prey from an ambush. The structure of the eyes and the methods of hunting are similar to wolf spiders. The female uses the web to weave a cocoon into which she seals her eggs. The female carries the cocoon with her on her back.

hunter

Belongs to the sparassid family - hunting spiders. The body can reach a length of 2 cm. Variations in color from yellow-brown to dark brown. There is a white stripe on the sides of the body. Distributed in temperate climates in Eurasia. Lives on the banks of water bodies. A distinctive feature is the ability to move through the water and even dive if necessary. The second name of the hunter is the fisherman, since the spider can catch and kill small fish. He has nothing to do with the person.

green spider

It is impossible to determine the toxicity of this arthropod, since the “green spider” species does not exist in nature. Different animals from different genera have this color:

• jumping spiders;
• hunter spiders;
• lynx spiders.

All of these are in Russia. To decide how dangerous the bite of a green spider is, you will first have to find out which family it belongs to.

crab spider

It is also difficult to determine what exactly we are talking about. The ability to move sideways is possessed by arthropods from three families at once:

• neocribellatae;
• Thomisidae ();
• Philodromidae (isopod sidewalkers).

On a note!

A separate species of "crab spider" does not exist, but all spiders from these three families do not pose a danger to humans.

arachnids

In dry regions Central Asia and Africa live large arthropods, which are often mistaken for spiders. These are salpugs. According to tracing paper from English, they are also called. But unlike spiders, salpugs have teeth, they do not have spider glands and are not poisonous.

Salpuga is a large animal that can catch up and kill not only invertebrates, but also small lizards. The chelicerae of large salpugs are so powerful that they can bite through a human nail. No real spider can do that. Although salpugs do not have poison, their bite can be very dangerous. On the chelicerae of these arthropods, particles of decaying flesh remain. After a bite, you can get blood poisoning.

Spiders cause many, although they are one of the most harmless and useful inhabitants of the planet. Spider lovers consider them "kittens".

Spiders are arthropods that belong to the arachnid class. Representatives of this class, today, there are about 40 thousand species. They differ from each other in the way of life, appearance, type of food. A wide variety of spider species are found in nature: the smallest and harmless spiders (0.37 mm), as well as the most dangerous spiders and even the most poisonous spiders in the world (up to 25 cm). And in this article we will tell you about several amazing and interesting species.

Spider tarantula - Theraphosidae

The tarantula spider is perhaps the largest spider in the world, or rather the family of tarantula spiders (Theraphosidae). Some members of this family can reach 30.5 cm in leg span, such as the king baboon, black and purple tarantula. The body of tarantulas is always densely covered with long and short hairs. Body color can be gray-brown or bright colors(red, blue, red). Tarantulas live in countries with a hot climate (Africa, South America, Oceania, Australia). These spiders inhabit abandoned bird and rodent nests or burrow near tree trunks. Active mainly in the evening. Then they go hunting or catch a running prey nearby. Tarantulas feed on insects, small birds and rodents. These spiders breed in late summer. The female lays her eggs in a web cocoon, which she carries with her and does not lose sight of. They protect the offspring, so that the spiders that come out of the cocoon sit on the mother's abdomen for some time. But soon they begin to lead an independent life. The poison of the tarantula paralyzes the victim and decomposes its insides, then the spider sucks out the contents of the victim's body. For humans, the poison of the tarantula is not dangerous, but quite painful. The bite site bakes, hurts and swells, sometimes turns yellow. But these symptoms go away after a few weeks.

Spider spider - Araneus

Crosses are members of the Orb Weaver family (Araneidae). They belong to the contract reticulum spiders. They have an egg-shaped convex abdomen, on which there is a pattern in the form of a cross. Body color from gray to red. They are covered with long setae, sparsely located along the body and densely covered with short, fine hairs. The length of the body in the male is 10-11 mm, in the female - 17-40 mm. About 30 species of crosses live on the territory of the CIS and Russia. These spiders are active in the evening. They deftly weave a web, where many small insects come across. Mating and oviposition occurs in autumn. The female lays her eggs in a web cocoon and hides it under the bark or other secluded place. In the spring, spiderlings emerge from the cocoon. By the end of summer, a new generation of spiders grows up, and their mother dies. The cross spider is poisonous, but it is not dangerous for humans. His bite is painful, but the burning and swelling at the bite site disappears after a few hours.

Karakurt spider - Latrodectus tredecimguttatus

This is not a big black spider at all. The body of the female (10-20 mm) is completely black, from which she is also called the black widow, the body of the male (4-7 mm) is also black, but with bright red spots on the abdomen (usually 13 spots ). The karakurt spider lives in Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, in North Africa, Southern Europe, Kazakhstan, in southern Russia and Ukraine. They prefer the slopes of ravines, virgin sagebrush, wastelands, banks of ditches. Karakurts populate abandoned rodent burrows and ventilation systems, braiding the entrance with cobwebs. In such dens, females and males mate in late summer. The female lays her eggs in a cocoon of cobwebs and hangs it in her lair. In spring, spiderlings emerge from cocoons. Karakurt feed on small insects. Their venom is toxic to large animals and humans. There is burning and swelling at the site of the bite. After 10-15 minutes, the poison spreads throughout the body and the person experiences pain in the chest and abdomen. Dizziness, nausea, sweating, palpitations, delirium also occur. And if you do not provide medical assistance in time, a fatal outcome is possible (in most cases). Karakurt bites the skin only by 0.5 mm, therefore it is recommended to burn the bite site with a lit match within 2 minutes after the bite.

White karakurt - Latrodectus pallidus

Image of white karakurt

This is a white spider, with long legs and a round abdomen. The abdomen is white or milky, with 4 depressions. Legs and cephalothorax yellow or light brown. The white spider has a body 10-20 mm long. Females are larger than males. White spiders weave a web in the form of a cone, which is connected to trapping net. They live in North Africa, the Middle East, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. The white karakurt spider is not aggressive, but its venom is toxic and can cause complications. Children and the elderly are most affected by the poison. Toxicological studies have shown that the venom of the white karakurt resembles the venom of the karakurt (Latrodectus tredecimtugattus). If you are bitten by this spider, you should consult a doctor.

Camel spider - Camel spider

The camel spider has many names: phalanxes, bihorks, salpugs, hairdressers, barbers, wind scorpion. Body (5-7 cm) slightly oblong, light and dark red, densely covered with long, fine hairs. The body shape of a camel spider is similar to a scorpion, especially with its chelicerae (pincers). With them, he is able to bite through a human nail and even small bones of birds. Also, with his chelicerae, he cuts hairs and feathers from his victims and puts them in his dwelling. The camel spider lives in the desert regions of Asia, Africa, America, and Europe. Phalanx spider nocturnal predator. It is practically omnivorous and carnivorous, feeding on various insects, rodents, lizards. The eyes of camel spiders are like those of scorpions: 2 compound eyes in the middle and one each on the sides of the cephalothorax. Compound eyes are highly responsive to movement, so these spiders are incredibly fast, up to 53 cm/s (1.9 km/h).
The camel spider is not venomous, but it has an incredibly painful bite. And also on its chelicerae, the remnants of the tissues of the previous victim can rot, which can cause serious inflammation.

Jumping spiders - Salticidae

Jumping spiders or jumping spiders are a family of araneomorphic spiders, which includes 610 genera and 5800 species. live in tropical forests, in deserts, semi-deserts, in the temperate zone of forests and in the mountains. These are small spiders, up to 2 cm long. The body is pubescent. These spiders have well developed eyesight. They have 8 eyes, thanks to which they see 360º degrees. Jumping spiders differ among themselves in body shape, color and range. There are such types of jumping spiders:
- the golden jumping spider lives in the territory of the southeast Asian countries, and is characterized by a long ventral part and a large first pair of legs. The body has a very peculiar golden coloration. The length of the male rarely exceeds 76 mm, and the females have more large sizes;

- Himalayan jumping spiders are the smallest spiders. They live high above sea level, in the Himalayas, where their only prey is random small insects that blow onto the mountain slopes. strong wind;

- the green horse spider lives in New Guinea, New South Wales and Queensland. Often found in Western Australia. The male has a very bright color, and his body is decorated with long "whiskers" of white color;

- a red-backed species of a horse spider to settle in relatively dry areas. The red spider is often found on coastal dunes or oak woodlands in North America. These red spiders are unique in that they are able to build tubular-type silk nests under rocks and on the surface of vines;

- the Hyllus Diardi species has a body up to 1.3 cm long. Compared to other species of horse spiders, it does not weave a web, therefore, to catch prey, it attaches a silk thread to some support, and then jumps from such a kind of "bungee" to its sacrifice;

- the ant jumping spider looks very similar to an ant and is most often found in tropical zones from Africa to central Australia. Body color can vary from light yellow to black.

Jumping spiders are unique in that they can jump long distances (20 times their body size). Before jumping, they cling to the substrate with a web (thus securing their jump), then push their body out with their hind legs. Jumping spiders are absolutely harmless to humans. They have poison, but it does not affect humans, and their bite is almost painless.

Argiope Bruennichi or spider wasp - Argiope bruennichi

Argiope has a second name spider wasp, as the color of the body and the shape of the abdomen resembles a wasp. Body length 2-3 cm (leg span). The abdomen is elongated with bright stripes, the colors yellow, white, black predominate. The legs are long, thin, mostly in an X-shaped position. The wasp spider lives in Kazakhstan, Asia Minor, Central Asia, China, Korea, India and Japan, North Africa, South and Central Europe, in the Crimea, in the Caucasus. These spiders are also quite common in Russia. Argiope belongs to the family of orb-weaving spiders (Araneidae). It is typical for these spiders to weave a wheel-shaped web, and to have a stabilimentum (zigzag pattern) in the center. This is a forest spider. He very often settles on lawns, forests, gardens, in tall grass, between tree branches. The wasp spider feeds on various insects. Mating occurs after the female molts, while the integument of her body remains soft. The female lays her eggs in a large cocoon (outwardly resembling a seed box of plants) and places it next to the trapping web. Spiderlings emerge from the cocoon at the beginning of autumn and settle downwind on cobwebs. For humans, the wasp spider is not dangerous. Its venom may cause only slight redness, swelling and pain, but these symptoms pass very quickly.

Wolf spiders - Lycosidae

Wolf spiders are a family of araneomorphic spiders with 2367 species. The body color is usually gray-brown. The body is covered with small short hairs. Some species reach more than 3 cm (legspan). The wolf spider lives almost everywhere except Antarctica. He prefers moist forests, meadows, hiding under fallen leaves, stones, wood. They don't spin webs. These are earthen spiders, so they live in a hole, which is only covered with cobwebs inside. If this is a private sector, you can easily stumble upon it in the basement. If there is a garden nearby, it can easily get into your cellar. Active at night. The wolf spider preys on insects or catches those who run near its hole. This spider is a good jumper. He can jump on the victim, insuring himself with a cobweb. Mating takes place in summer. After mating, the female lays her eggs in a cocoon that she wears at the end of her abdomen. After 2-3 weeks, the spiderlings emerge from the cocoon and climb onto the abdomen of the mother's mother. So they sit until they learn to get their own food. The wolf spider is not dangerous to humans. Its sting is equivalent to a bee sting, which causes itching, swelling and redness, which quickly pass.

Harvest spiders - Pholcidae

This family contains about 1000 species of spiders. Harvest spiders have a small body and long thin legs. Body size 2-10 mm. Leg length reaches 50 mm. Body color grayish or reddish. Harvest spiders are ubiquitous. Some species live in people's homes. There they find warm and dry places, mostly near windows. They feed on small insects. These spiders weave a large web in a chaotic manner. The web is not sticky, but when the victim tries to get out of it, it becomes even more tangled. After mating, the females lay their eggs in a web cocoon, which they attach to the side of the trapping nets. For humans, spiders are absolutely harmless. Their venom is harmless and the bite cannot be felt.

Goliath tarantula - Theraphosa blondi

This giant spider is considered the largest in the world. The span of his legs reaches 30 cm. In Venezuela (1965), one of the representatives of this species was listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Its leg span was 28 cm. It is believed that the leg span of Heteropoda maxima is even longer, up to 35 cm. But this species has a small body and long thin legs. So he is small against the backdrop of a massive goliath.
The body of the goliath is light or dark brown densely covered with short hairs. They live in burrows, the entrance of which is covered with cobwebs. This huge spider lives in the tropical forests of Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, northern Brazil. It feeds on various insects, rodents, frogs, lizards and even snakes. The life expectancy of females is 15-25 years, males - 3-6. These spiders are amazing in that they are able to make a hissing sound by rubbing their chelicerae; the ability to shake off the hairs from the abdomen in the face of the enemy, which cause swelling of the mucosa. Also, the goliath tarantula has large and sharp chelicerae (pincers), with which it can bite very painfully. Their poison is not dangerous for humans, the symptoms are the same as after a bee sting.

Runner Spider (Spider Soldier, Banana, Wandering Spider) – Phoneutria

The Brazilian runner spider is the most venomous spider in the world. The length of its body reaches 15 cm. The body is pubescent, gray-brown in color. It lives in Central and South America. The runner spider feeds on insects, frogs, lizards, small birds. Lives in burrows, under leafy litter. But very often secluded places in people's houses become his dwelling. It is often called banana due to the fact that it is often found in banana boxes. These scary spiders have an incredibly toxic venom that causes instant death, which is why they are the most poisonous spiders in the world. Their venom contains the neurotoxin PhTx3, which paralyzes all the muscles in the human body, causes suffocation, and then death. Only 2-6 hours pass between bite and death. Old people and children are most affected by the venom of the runner spider. To date, there is a vaccine that neutralizes the effect of the poison, therefore, in the event of a bite by a runner spider, it is urgent to consult a doctor.

As you can see, the representatives of arachnids are so different: some of them are pleasing to the eye, and at the sight of others, blood freezes in the veins, some can be picked up or taken at home as a pet, and some sow fear and bring instant death. Now you know which types of spiders are absolutely harmless, and which ones you need to stay away from. The good news is that dangerous species of spiders are not found in our area, but mainly in tropical countries. But you never know what can happen... Nature is absolutely unpredictable.

Spiders belong to the animal kingdom, but everyone is used to the fact that they are insects, so we will sometimes call them that too. Most often, spiders do not settle next to a person, but they have long adapted to peaceful coexistence nearby. Now at least a tiny spider lives in every house. About 42,000 species of spiders live on the entire planet, most of them in areas with a warm climate. In the CIS countries and Russia, there are less than three thousand species of spiders, but many of them weave their webs in human dwellings, most often in dark, inaccessible corners. Many signs are associated with the appearance of spiders in the house, and we could not ignore this topic.

Signs - a spider in the house

If spiders are wound up in the apartment, many people, on the one hand, feel disgust and even fear, on the other hand, they think about whether to kill the spider in the apartment or leave it, or maybe take it out into the street? This is associated with many superstitions and signs.

• Why do spiders appear in the apartment? According to popular belief to prosperity and rapid success.
• If suddenly a spider fell on a hand or on a head - this is for profit and money.
• If you saw a spider descending along a thread, a sign portends an imminent arrival at your house of guests or a letter.
• But if spiders in the house (which is time to get used to and not be surprised) are found at night, you need to wait for unpleasant events.
• If the spider in the apartment wove a web right above the bed. What does it mean? This is also no good, most likely the owners will suffer failures and illnesses.
• Many people are wondering if it is possible to kill spiders? According to folk wisdom killing a spider leads to trouble and misfortune. But just imagine if your room is all entangled in cobwebs, insects will fall into a plate of food, crawl over you at night. More than a bad picture. So do not torment yourself with the question why the spider cannot be killed, especially according to another version, on the contrary, you will get rid of sins.

Whether you believe in omens or not, you still don’t need to leave an insect in the house, then take it and throw it out into the street. Now let's get to know this arthropod closer.

Spiders in the apartment - types, photos

Almost all spiders are predators, their diet consists of small animals and insects. Most often, they hunt with the help of a web, when the victim is caught in the net, the spider injects poison and digestive juice into it, and after a while sucks out the solution, which is food for them. Usually, the owners learn about the presence of a spider by the appearance of a web. They prefer warmth and dryness, and to be disturbed as little as possible. Several varieties of spiders live next to humans. So, what kind of spiders live in an apartment?

Spider - haymaker

The long-legged, window spider or haymaker has a small round or oval abdomen up to one centimeter, 6 or 8 legs up to five centimeters long. Its nets are randomly arranged in corners, near windows, often hanging upside down. Insects, getting into the web, get more and more stuck in it. The spider lies in wait for the victim and, after injecting poison, leaves it in reserve or eats it.

Spider haymaker photo

Gray and black house spider

Small spiders in the apartment are a black spider or a gray one. Their total size is about 14 mm. Their web resembles a pipe, after the victim damages the network, they restore it, so you can often see not just a grid, but complex weaving patterns. As a rule, the female waits for the prey.

Black spider photo

Spider - tramp

The tramp has an oval body and paws big size. A distinctive feature of the species is the absence of a web. The spider attacks the victim, injects its poison, eats it and goes on. He doesn't stay anywhere for long. In Russia, this type of spider is safe, but in the tropics, the secret secreted from their glands leads to poisoning and skin problems.

Spider - tramp, photo

Spider - jumper

If a jumping spider is wound up in the apartment, this is a jumping spider. Its difference is that it has 8 eyes arranged in three rows. The pattern on the body is varied, as well as the colors. Easily moves on glass, thanks to small claws and hairs on the paws. By the way, he is a vegetarian and eats only acacia.

Spider - jumper, photo

The remaining species of these arthropods are very rare in houses and do not settle next to a person.

Where do spiders come from in the apartment

In old houses, spiders occupy attics and basements, and from there they make their way to other rooms.

Are spiders dangerous

All (with rare exceptions) spiders are poisonous. But the harm from the bites of spiders living in our apartments for humans is minimal, due to the small fragile body structure and small fangs. After a bite of a karakurt, the human body will undergo neurotoxic effects. And the most great danger from domestic species - necrosis. But most often neither inflammation nor intoxication occurs. The bite site only needs to be treated with an alcohol-containing agent or hydrogen peroxide.

How to get rid of spiders

Before you think about how to get rid of spiders in the house, you should find out who serves as their food source, who needs to be taken out for company with arthropods. The fight against spiders does not always occur with the help of pesticides. To get started, try simple and effective ways, since they do not form colonies and do not multiply at a record rate.

• Find out the reason for the appearance of spiders and start the fight against small insects.
• Get rid of the cobwebs with a broom or vacuum cleaner. Be sure to empty the contents of the bin outside, otherwise the spider will get out and continue to weave its webs. The simplest device for collecting cobwebs is a stick with a rag wound around it.
• If there are too many spiders, they managed to lay eggs, which you need to look for in secluded places, for example, on furniture from the side of the walls. Sweep them up and flush them down the drain.
• Seal cracks and crevices, glue wallpaper where necessary, install mosquito nets and mesh on ventilation grilles.
• Regular cleaning will prevent the appearance of spiders.
• After repair, not a single spider usually remains, since the smell of paints and varnishes is unbearable for them.
• Spiders are repelled by the sharp smells of chestnut, hazelnuts and oranges, mint, eucalyptus. You can crush the fruits and scatter them around the room or add drops of the substance to the spray bottle and regularly spray the apartment.
• Scatter diatomaceous earth on the skirting boards, falling on this substance, the insect quickly dies.
• Highly effective ordinary vinegar. Add a few drops of vinegar to water, pour into containers and arrange around the apartment.

Spider chemicals in the apartment

If the number of spiders in your home has become frighteningly large, you can not do without the use of chemicals. Universal aerosols against spiders are ineffective. Use household preparations based on pyrethroids. Be careful when spraying, do not forget about safety measures and follow the instructions. Also remember that the poison only works when it hits the spider's body.

A well-established tool that is suitable for fighting spiders - "Good FOS". The drug is an acaricidal agent that allows you to destroy arachnids with a 100% guarantee. The tool is safe for humans, but it acts with lethal force on insects.

Easy to use "Butox 50". The drug is sprayed where there are especially many spiders, left for 20 minutes, then the room is ventilated and cleaned. If you decide to use Neoron, be careful, it is very dangerous to use it near food products.

It happens that the use of aerosols is impossible for some reason - small children, pets, and so on. Then it is advisable to use pills - traps, inside of which poison is placed. In addition to other methods of control, it is recommended to place glue traps in corners, behind cabinets, under low furniture.

To prevent such a problem as a lot of spiders in the apartment, regularly carry out high-quality cleaning, ventilate and knock out mattresses and pillows - this way there will be less dust at home. Flush lighting fixtures, pay more attention to hard-to-reach places - in corners, under furniture, in cabinets, especially if you rarely use them. And remember that a spider is more of a useful creature than a pest, so let all methods of struggle be gentle.

Big spider in the apartment

Only a few people like spiders. These little creatures are often referred to as "disgusting", "nasty" or "creepy", but in fact they absolutely do not deserve such a bad reputation. Most spiders are completely harmless to humans. Moreover, many of them are beneficial to humans, because they destroy pests in our homes and gardens. If we still haven't managed to convince you to stop hating these tiny creatures, then the twenty-five adorable spiders that we will tell you about below will convince you that even spiders can be cute, or at least entertaining.

25. Elegant golden jumping spider (Golden jumping spider)

This species of jumping spider, found in Southeast Asia, is known for its long abdomen, long first pair of legs, and unique coloration. Males usually only reach about 0.76 centimeters in length, females are slightly larger.

24. Spider-walker, masquerading as bird droppings (Bird dung crab spider)


This spider is notable for its unique camouflage method. Its body is covered with growths and warts, which make it look like a piece of fresh bird droppings. The spider enhances the imitation of bird droppings by pulling its legs closer to the body and lying motionless on the leaf for many hours.

23. Spiny orb weaver


This spider gets its name from the prominent spikes on its abdomen. These spiders, reaching over 2.5 centimeters in diameter (as measured from spine to spine), are generally harmless to humans.

22. "Smiling" spider (Smiling spider)


The body length of this spider is only 0.5 cm. It is notable for the fact that a pattern resembling a smiling emoticon is clearly visible on its yellow body. The "smiling" spider is endemic to Oahu (Oahu), Molokai (Molokai), Maui (Maui) and the island of Hawaii, where it lives in tropical forests at an altitude of 304 - 1981 meters.

21. Water spider, or silver spider (Diving bell spider)


This species of spider, best known as the water spider, is the only spider currently known to spend its entire life underwater. Like other spiders, it breathes air, which it draws into a bladder held by hairs on its abdomen and legs. Males of this species are approximately 30 percent larger than females, which is quite unusual for spiders.

20. Himalayan jumping spider


The Himalayan jumping spider is a tiny spider that lives high in the Himalayas. These spiders have been found at altitudes exceeding 6,705 meters above sea level. Its only source of food at such extreme heights are random insects blown by the wind onto the slopes of the mountains.

19. Arrowhead spider


This spider is a brightly colored arachnid with a leg span of only 2.5 centimeters. These tiny creatures, completely harmless to humans, can be found in spring, summer and autumn. They hide in low shrubs about 60 to 90 centimeters above the ground in thickets, wetlands, gardens, and grass swamps.

18. Argiope Brünnich or wasp spider (Wasp spider)


Like all orb weaving spiders, this spider is not venomous. Wasp spiders weave their web between the grass at a height of up to 30 centimeters. Adult females are much larger than males.

17. Theraphosa Blond or goliath tarantula (Goliath bird eating spider)


The Goliath tarantula is the second largest spider in size (after the giant huntsman spider) in terms of its leg span, however, in terms of body weight, it is the largest in the world. Despite its name, the spider does not usually eat birds, it feeds on insects. It is poisonous, but its venom is relatively harmless and its effect is comparable to that of a wasp sting.

16. Green jumping spider


Found in Queensland, New Guinea, New South Wales, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, this species is one of the largest jumping spiders. The males are strikingly brightly colored and adorned with long white "whiskers".

15. Golden orb-web spider (Writing spider)


This species, which is commonly found in most countries of Central America and regions of the Antilles (from Mexico to Panama), is distinguished by bright, saturated colors of the abdomen. Females are three to four times larger than males. Their leg span can reach more than 12 centimeters.

14. Ladybug mimic spider


These spiders are believed to mimic ladybugs because ladybugs are not palatable to birds and other predators and are generally avoided by predators. Despite its adorable appearance, this little creature actually belongs to a group that includes tarantulas and black widows.

13. Red-backed jumping spider

Found in relatively dry environments such as the coastal dunes or oak woodlands of western North America, the redback jumping spider is one of the largest and most commonly found jumping spiders. This species builds conspicuous tubular silk nests on the ground under rocks and pieces of wood and sometimes on vines.

12. Spider-mason or spider-digger (Trapdoor spider)


Stonemason spiders are notable for their unique hunting technique. These medium-sized spiders build burrows with a hatch-like door, which they usually make of earth, vegetation, and silk, and then lean halfway out of the burrow to wait for their prey.

11. Hyllus Diardi (Heavy jumping spider)


Like other jumping spiders, this species does not build webs. Instead, it hunts on the move, attaching a silk thread to some kind of support before "bungee jumping" onto suitable prey. The body length of this spider reaches 1.27 centimeters.

10. Peacock spider


This species of spider, whose habitat is limited to certain areas of Australia, is one of the most colorful and vibrant. Colored in bright shades of red, blue and black, the males have a trapdoor with white hairs on their abdomen that they can pull down. They use it to attract females during the mating season.

9. Spider-Ogre (Ogre-faced spider)


These spiders, which live almost all over the world in the tropics, got their name from the supposed resemblance of their appearance to that of the mythological creature, the ogre. Spiders make a web that they hang between their front legs and when prey approaches, they stretch the web, which becomes two or three times its original size, and throw it over the prey.

8. Hersiliid spider (Tree stump spider)


This species of spider, native to South America, is known for its unusually shaped belly that looks like a growing branch. This feature is likely used either as a hunting method or as a hiding place from predators.

7. Spider-horse, imitating an ant (Ant - mimic jumping spider)


Ant-mimicking spiders are mostly found in the tropics from Africa to Australia, with some species also found in the New World. Their color varies from black to yellow, depending on what kind of ants they imitate. One African spider species mimics one species of ant when immature and a very different species as an adult.

6. Horned orb-weaver (Long-horned orb-weaver)


Orbweb spiders are three-clawed flat web builders with a sticky coil of silk to catch prey. As a rule, in the evening, the spider eats the old web, rests for about an hour, and then spins a new web in the same place.

5. Australian garden orb weaver


Found throughout the coastal regions of Australia's eastern states, these spiders are notable for their ability to change their color with each molt to better match the background they rest against during the day.

4. Viciria with a wide jaw (Wide - jawed viciria)


This spider lives in garden foliage and in the wastelands of Singapore and Indonesia. Both sexes reach approximately 0.76 - 1.27 centimeters in length. Viciria is a colorful member of the jumping spider family.

3. Mirror spider (Sequined spider)


This spider, also known as the Australian stained glass spider, is found throughout the Australian states. These spiders are one of the smallest species. The body length of males is approximately 0.3 centimeters, and females - 0.4 centimeters.

2. Eight-spotted crab spider


This species of spider, discovered in Singapore in 1924, is one of the most colorful. Its body length is approximately 2.5 centimeters, and it is also one of the most large species sidewalk spiders.

1. Regal jumping spider


The royal jumping spider is the largest jumping spider in North America. The body length of the male is 1.27 centimeters, and the female is 1.52 centimeters. Males and females are easy to distinguish. Males are always black with a pattern of white spots and stripes. Females often have a similar pattern. However, they differ in color, and their color varies from shades of gray to bright orange.