The Brazilian Wandering Spider (Phoneutria fera) is an
aggressive and highly venomous spider. It was first discovered in Brazil hence
its name. However, this genus is known to exist elsewhere in South and Central
America.
Brazilian Wandering Spiders are extremely fast, extremely
venomous, and extremely aggressive. These large and dangerous true spiders are
ranked among the most venomous spiders known to man. In fact, the Brazilian
Wandering Spider is the most venomous spider in the World! In South America,
these true spiders are commonly encountered in peoples' homes, supposedly
hiding in peoples' shoes, hats, and other clothes. The Brazilian Wandering
Spider does not remain on a web, rather, it wanders the forest floor, hence the
name. The Brazilian Wandering Spider has another distinguished common name -
the Banana Spider. The Brazilian Wandering Spider was given the name
"Banana Spider" because there have been cases where these spiders
unintentionally appeared on banana boats heading for the United States. The
Brazilian Wandering Spider should be held in the highest respect.
Type: Both
terrestrial and arboreal.
Growth: Fast
speed.
Temperature:
75 to 80° F.
Humidity:
Around 80%.
A very
aggressive and nervous temperament.
The Brazilian Wandering spider is a member of the Ctenidae
family of wandering spiders. The
Brazilian Wandering spider appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records 2007 and
2012 for being the most venomous animal. In this particular genus, there are
five known similar species whose members are also highly venomous. They include
some of the relatively few species of spiders that present a threat to human
beings.
Brazilian Wandering Spider Characteristics: The Brazilian wandering spider can grow to
have a leg span of up to 4 - 5 inches. They are large hairy spindly-looking
spiders who have eight eyes, two of which are large. Brazilian wandering
spiders are fast-moving spiders, their legs are strong and spiny and they have
distinctive red jaws which they display when angered. The Brazilian wandering
spider is not a Tarantula. Brazilian wandering spiders are not even in the same
family group. Tarantulas are harmless to humans and are mostly ambush killers
who wait for prey to come to them. Brazilian wandering spiders are active
hunters. Brazilian wandering spiders and Tarantulas only have one thing in common;
it is occasionally found within shipments of bananas.
Brazilian Wandering Spider Habitat and Spider Webs: The Brazilian Wandering spider is so-called because
it wanders the jungle floor, rather than residing in a lair or maintaining a
web. This is another reason it is considered so dangerous. In densely populated
areas, the Brazilian Wandering spider will usually search for cover and dark
places to hide during daytime, leading it to hide within houses, clothes, cars,
boots, boxes and log piles. This usually causes accidents when people disturb
them.
Brazilian Wandering Spider Diet: Adult Brazilian Wandering
spiders eat crickets, other large insects, small lizards and mice. Spiderlings
of this species eat flightless fruit flies and pinhead crickets.
Brazilian Wandering Spider Reproduction: All spiders produce silk, a thin, strong
protein strand extruded by the spider from spinnerets most commonly found on
the end of the abdomen. Many species use it to trap insects in webs, although
there are many species that hunt freely such as the Brazilian Wandering spider.
Silk can be used to aid in climbing, form smooth walls for burrows, build egg
sacs, wrap prey and temporarily hold sperm, among other applications. Brazilian
Wandering spiders reproduce by means of eggs, which are packed into silk
bundles. The male spider must (in most cases) make a timely departure after
mating to escape before the females normal predatory instincts return. Mature
male spiders have swollen bulbs on the end of their palps for this purpose and
this is a useful way to identify whether the spider is male or female. Once the
sperm is inside the female spider, she stores it in a chamber and only uses it
during the egg-laying process, when the eggs come into contact with the male
sperm for the first time and are fertilized. The Brazilian Wandering spiders’
life cycle is 1 - 2 years.
Brazilian
Wandering Spider Venom: Bites from the Brazilian Wandering spider may result in
only a couple of painful pinpricks to full-blown envenomed. In either case,
people bitten by this spider or any Ctenid should seek immediate emergency
treatment as the venom is possibly life threatening. The Phoneutria fera and
Phoneutria nigriventer (two species of wandering spider) are the two most
commonly implicated as the most vicious and deadly of the Phoneutria spiders.
The Phoneutria not only has a potent neurotoxin, but is reported to have one of
the most excruciatingly painful envenoms of all spiders due to its high
concentration of serotonin. They have the most active venom of any living
spiders.
One of their members, the Brazilian Huntsman, is thought to be the
most venomous spider in the world. Brazilian wandering spiders are certainly
dangerous and bite more people than any other spiders.
*Note: ALL true spiders have a certain amount of venom. This
species happens to have very strong venom. If you get bit by it, you may very
well die. This is one of the reasons that people should not handle this spider.
This spider is extremely dangerous!
Note: This is the
forth in a series that I am doing on Spiders, enjoy - Bird
