Spiders come in different shapes, colors, and sizes.
The sight and thought of spider bites can be intimidating especially for those with arachnophobia.
Well, maybe not as bad as you think at least for banana spiders.
Do banana spiders bite?
Yes, they do.
How poisonous is their bite?
Let’s take a little moment to unravel this together.
Before we look at how poisonous they are, know few general things about Banana spiders.
They usually have a strong web and are otherwise called by different names such as golden silk spider, calico spider, writing spider, giant wood spider, or golden silk orb weaver.
The male and female are very different in color and size which is why they are referred to as dimorphic.
By nature, they attract and eat insects such as bees, moths, mosquitoes, flies, and small butterflies.
Interestingly, banana spiders are aggressive and are not likely to attack for a bite except it feels threatened.
It may have derived its name from the art of being mostly found on banana trees.
Although, it often spread its web in a secluded but warm place.
While the banana spider may look scary, science has confirmed that they are shy and tend to avoid humans except they are provoked.
When banana spiders are provoked or feel threatened and they bite the person in question, is it a death sentence?
Well, to properly answer this question, we may need to consider types of banana spiders.
It appears that some banana spider types have harmless bites compared to others.
It is worthy of note that different regions of the world have different banana spiders and they may behave differently.
Here are four banana spider types and few details about them;
— Cupiennius
This banana spider type can be found in central and south America.
It is also called a hunting spider and the venom is a bit dangerous.
Cupiennius has eleven species found scattered across different countries.
— Golden Silk Orb-weaver Spiders
This banana spider type is impressively big with a strong web.
They are usually found in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
Their venom is harmless.
So, when you see them, don’t panic.
Just admire them and go.
— Trichonephila clavipes
They have a threatening look but aren’t aggressive.
They bite only when provoked or threatened.
The venom may cause redness of the area bitten but it is harmless.
They can be found in northern and central America.
— Brazilian Wandering Spider
This is otherwise called Phoneutria.
From its name, it can be found in Brazil.
It has a very dangerous venom.
Anyone bitten by a Brazilian wandering spider should be given medical assistance immediately to avoid complications.
Banana spiders types may be more but not all are certainly poisonous.
The ones with mild venom will normally cause redness on the bitten area with or without little pain.
The dangerous ones may result in breathing problems, body pains, etc if left untreated immediately.
Banana spiders, whether poisonous or not are not aggressive.
If you don’t cause them any inconvenience, they will mind their business.