Categories: Pets

Poisonous Spiders and Caterpillars in North Carolina

It’s a plain fact that bugs are everywhere and North Carolina is no exception. Most people are familiar with bees and wasps, whose painful stings can be bothersome, but rarely fatal unless the victim has an allergy or they are attacked by a swarm. There are, however, bugs who can deliver a single bite that while aren’t immediately deadly, can lead to fatal symptoms if gone untreated. The key is to know what to look for before you get bitten or stung, and know how to treat an unfortunate bite.

There are two poisonous spiders that live in North Carolina, among other places across the United States, that have the potential to cause harm. The black widow spider is probably one of the most well known spiders and the female is easily identifiable. At maturity she will reach a length of 1.5 inches, including her legs, and is glossy black with a signature red hourglass on her thorax. The male of this species is smaller, brown and are non-venomous. The black widow primarily feeds on insects, and contrary to popular opinion does not eat the male black widow upon mating. A black widow’s venom is 15 times more venomous then that of a rattlesnake but due to it’s size it cannot effectively deliver enough of her venom to do much more then produce some rather unpleasant reactions in a healthy human adult, including heartbeat irregularities, muscle cramping near the bite and severe pain among other things. Only in rare and severe cases can it lead to death, unless the victim is a child or elderly. Applying warm or cold compacts to the bite can help with the initial symptoms but it almost always necessary to seek medical attention quickly. Your local poison control center should have information on which hospital or medical facility is prepared to handle a black widow spider bite.

The second poisonous spider found in North Carolina is the brown recluse. A brown recluse is noted for it’s brown color and a violin shaped marking on it’s thorax. As it names suggests, the brown recluse is not an aggressive spider but more apt to hide away and only bite when pressed against human skin in an attempt to defend itself. When living inside houses they often take up residence in cardboard boxes, shoes, dressers and bedsheets of beds not often used, like that of a guest room. Almost always contact with these spiders comes when someone is cleaning out one of these unused spaces. Bites from a brown recluse are rare and not often fatal, with fatalities generally occurring in children under 7 years old. Occasionally a bite may become necrotic and the skin begins to ulcerate. The initial bite is not usually felt, with markings up to 10 inches in length forming over a few days. Mild symptoms before the onset of the rash include nausea and vomiting. Apply ice packs to the bite area to keep any swelling down and seek medical attention if necessary. Since the bite is not immediately noticed it’s not always evident that the bite was from a brown recluse until necrosis begins to set in.

There are two types of poisonous caterpillars in North Carolina, the saddleback caterpillar and the puss caterpillar. The saddleback is easily recognizable by it’s purple saddle shape on it’s green back. The hairs on this caterpillar are poisonous, often producing burning and swelling like that of a bee sting. The pain can last up to two days and is accompanied by nausea in the first few hours following being poisoned. An ice pack can help with the swelling and pain, and those with a sensitivity to insect stings should contact a physician immediately. These caterpillars are most active in August and September, so late summer and early fall gardeners should be aware.

The puss caterpillar is a small wooly looking caterpillar with poisonous spines hidden among their hairs. Most children, and adults alike will see this small creature as an innocuous piece of fluff and therefore are more apt to pick it up and play with it. The stings of a puss caterpillar are among the most severe of caterpillar stings, with severity increasing relative to the size of the caterpillar. What’s more – the caterpillar could have been killed hours before handling it and it can still pack a painful sting. The poisonous spines produce an unknown chemical which causes a lesion to form in the sting area. Cysts form followed by many blood filled lesions, a reaction so characteristic that it is possible to make a diagnosis even without seeing the caterpillar. Immediate treatment following a sting includes removing the spines by placing a piece of tape over the area and slowly pulling it off. Medical attention is necessary to treat the onset of respiratory distress and cardiac problems.

While it’s not always possible to prevent bites or stings, it is advisable to know how to treat a victim, especially if you live in areas where these creatures are prevalent. Fatalities are rare with proper medical treatment and knowledge on how to care for a bite or sting at the onset.