In recent weeks, experts have warned of the appearance of the false black widow spider in the Canary Islands . To learn more about the dangers that this animal poses to health, a group of researchers from the University of Galway have carried out a study based on the effects suffered by Bear Styles, a boy of only eight years old.
The little boy, a native of Cambridgeshire (United Kingdom), and his family, have lived a real nightmare after Bear Styles was bitten by this type of spider and ended up in hospital. According to the analysis carried out by the researchers, although the venom of the false black widow is not fatal to humans, it can lead to serious health complications if the proper treatment is not administered.
False black widow: characteristics
It is a small spider, whose body has a rounded shape and is dark brown or black . As with other types of arachnids, the male is smaller than the female. Their life expectancy is six years, although males do not usually live more than two years and the vast majority die after mating.
The false black widow bears some resemblance to the black widow, which is why the two species are often confused. However, the first does not have any drawing on the abdomen.
It is an animal whose reproduction is oviparous , so that it reproduces through the eggs. The female lays three packets of eggs, each of which contains between 40 and 100 eggs.
How is the bite?
According to the researchers, the venom of this spider simply causes an itching and stinging sensation in the affected area . Although the venom is not fatal, it can seriously affect health as it carries a type of bacteria resistant to antibiotics in its fangs.
Therefore, an incorrect use of antibiotics can end up causing them to have no effect against bacterial infection. Even so, the experts send a message of tranquility since, as they point out, they are exceptional cases. In the vast majority of people the bite of the false black widow is limited to a simple itch and stinging.
In Spain the false black widow is found in the Canary Islands, and to date there have been no cases of bites in the Peninsula.
