Crab Spider Bite: Symptoms and Treatment

The venom of the crab spider bite is enough to quickly paralyze or immobilize its prey but not poisonous enough to harm humans

A crab spider bite may be poisonous, but not poisonous enough to harm humans. The crab spider uses its bite to hunt for food and kill its prey prior to sucking it dry.

Crab spiders are abundant in a wide area range of Australia and are usually found in bushes, seeding heads of grasses and in flowers. The color of the crab spider usually is based on the color of the hunting terrain, providing them with a camouflaging feature effective in food hunting and protection for predators.There are large species of crab spiders but all species are not dangerous to humans.

Crab spiders range in size from 4 mm to 12mm. They can be easily recognized — when you nudge them, they expand their legs and move sideways like a crab.

Crab Spider Venom

The potent venom of the crab spider bite is enough to quickly paralyze or immobilize its prey such as when bees land on flowers. The crab spider bite is initiated by their chelicerae or jaws, which are small and slender.

The crab spider is a patient hunter. It remains on a single location even for weeks when hunting for prey. Crab spiders not only eat bees but they also kill flies, mosquitoes, moth and other insect pests, making them beneficial to humans.

Crab Spider Bite Symptoms

The bite of a crab spider is not dangerous to humans, but it can still hurt a lot. Some say a crab spider bite feels excruciating, like a hammer blow to your finger nails. The cut of a crab spider bite may grow to double its original size.

Crab Spider Bite Treatment

If bitten on the nails, the finger of the victim may be discolored while the pain brought about by the bite may reach the hand. The bite symptoms typically subside after a few hours.

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