Black widow in Ukraine: expert talks about the danger of karakurt

With the arrival of heat in Europe, species of spiders dangerous to humans are becoming more active. In Ukraine, an expansion of the range of the karakurt, a spider from the genus of the so-called black widows, is also being recorded.

This was reported by “Telegraph” with reference to a comment by arachnologist, Doctor of Philosophy and employee of Kherson State University Anastasia Iosypchuk.

According to the expert, black widows are a separate genus of spiders called Latrodectus, which includes over 30 species. The most famous of them are distributed mainly in America, but some species also live in Europe and Asia.

Iosypchuk explained that American species of black widow spiders do not currently pose a threat to Ukraine. In particular, the species Latrodectus geometricus, Latrodectus hasselti, and Latrodectus hesperus were introduced to Europe with cargo, but were unable to form stable populations.

At the same time, Ukraine has long had its own representative of this genus – the karakurt (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus). This spider traditionally lives in the south of the country, but due to climate warming, it is gradually moving north.

The arachnologist noted that the venom of spiders of the genus Latrodectus affects the human nervous system. After a bite, severe pain, convulsions, breathing problems, loss of consciousness, and in some cases, fatal consequences can occur.

According to Iosypchuk, deaths after a karakurt bite are rare if a person seeks medical help in a timely manner.

The expert also emphasized that a person may not even notice a karakurt bite at first. However, within a few minutes, sharp pain, cramps, and a deterioration in well-being appear.

Black widows are preyed upon in the wild by birds, reptiles, and other arthropods. In particular, pompilid wasps paralyze spiders and use them as a breeding ground for their larvae.