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Are black widows spiders bites deadly?

Are black widows spiders bites deadly? I live in California and there are lots of them here.

10 Answers

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  • Runa
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Its possible; their bites have been known to be lethal on rare occasions, but usually with small children. If you are an adult, it may hurt some or make you mildly ill, but chances of it killing you are pretty slim.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Although their venom is extremely potent, (15 times as potent than that of the rattlesnakes; it is also reported to be much more potent than the venom of cobras and coral snakes), these spiders are not especially large. Compared to many other species of spiders, their chelicerae are not very large or powerful.In the case of a mature female, the hollow, needle shaped part of each chelicera, the part that penetrates the skin, is approximately 1.0 mm (around .04 inch) long, sufficiently long to inject the venom to a dangerous depth. The males, being much smaller, can inject far less venom and inject it far less deeply. The actual amount injected, even by a mature female, is very small in physical volume. When this small amount of venom is diffused throughout the body of a healthy, mature human, it usually does not amount to a fatal dose (though it can produce the very unpleasant symptoms of Latrodectism). Deaths in healthy adults from Latrodectus bites are relatively rare in terms of the number of bites per thousand people. Only 63 deaths were reported in the United States between 1950 and 1989.Widow spiders have more potent venom than most spiders, and prior to the development of antivenom, 5% of reported bites resulted in fatalities.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    As I understand it, the female black widow spider is the most venomous spider in North America, but it rarely causes death as it injects a very small amount of poison when it bites.

    Interesting fact, the females kill and eat the male after mating, so if you're a male black widow, try celebacy!

  • 1 decade ago

    They can be if you are allergic or have a strong reaction to the venom. Usually they just cause localized pain and swelling in the area of the bite, which can be quite painful. Infection in the area of the bite can also occur.

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  • ?
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    They are like bee stings or wasp bites. If you are allergic to them or get many at one time they can be deadly. if you are not or don't, then no.

  • 1 decade ago

    Yes,

    You should buy anti spider bite drug

  • 1 decade ago

    here is a website where you can read about them.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_widow_spider

    they have killed people and if you do get bitten, the antivenin only has a 50% chance of working

  • 1 decade ago

    I don't know. Why don't you poke it until it bites you...then, you tell me!

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    they don't kill you they isn't enought poison but they hurt and could make you ill

  • 1 decade ago

    NO they turn u into spiderman

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