What really happens when you get bitten by a Black Widow?

Wondering what it would feel like to be bitten by a spider with potent neurotoxic venom? In the words of survivors: 'extremely painful.'

Black Widow (Latrodectus sp.)

For those who've experienced it, the pain is said to start innocuously enough, almost like being stung by a bee. The problem comes in when the neurotoxic venom begins to spread and the additional effects it produces kick in. One victim of a widow bite described waves of warmth moving through his chest followed by intense muscle spasms as the pain moved up to his heart. Another, who's symptoms lasted longer with no antivenin administered describes 'sweating, slurring and hallucinations.' These are common neurotoxic symptoms, essentially the effects of compounds which hijack your own nervous system.

The venom

So what exactly is going on here that causes widow venom to have these effects? Widow venom contains toxins called latrotoxins (named for the genus). The most powerful of these, alpha-latrotoxin, binds to sites in the membrane of the pre-synapse of neurons and causes a flood of acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter) to be released. As acetylcholine controls muscle movements, this influx in turn causes the extremely painful cramping that results from a widow bite. Interestingly enough, we as humans employ this very same method in many pesticides. Pesticides in the carbamate and organophosphate classes destroy cholinesterase which is responsible for breaking down acetylcholine and thus cause similar twitching, spamming and convulsion in poisoned insects.

A massive release of Acetylcholine into your synapses is what makes a Widow bite so painful

In the most severe cases additional symptoms such as breathing difficulties, dangerously high blood pressure and fainting can occur. Dying from a Widow bite is exceedingly rare.

Chances are...

The likelihood of being bitten by a widow in the first place is really extremely low. In a study conducted at Linda Loma University, California, scientists subjected Widow spiders to a number of simulated attacks with 'gelatin fingers'.

In cases where the spiders' webs were poked, spiders generally retreated, even at a rate of sixty intrusions per minute. Only when the fake fingers were used to squeeze the spiders directly did they defend themselves by biting. In the same study, the researchers demonstrated that Widows, like many other venomous species, can also control the amount of venom delivered with a single bite. So even if they do bite, there's a good chance that bite is going to be a venom free 'dry' bite.

As someone who used to mess around with both Black and Brown Widows pretty much all the time as a kid, I can add my own little bit of evidence insofar as I've never been bitten. And I used to let these little guys climb all over my hands while I watched in fascination.

So, as far as spiders go, Widows may have a nasty venom, but your chances of getting bitten are slim. Your chances of dying if you do, are even slimmer. Mainly, its just going to hurt. Probably a lot.

Well, until next time, Happy Steeming People
The Wise Fox

Sources:
You can find general info on widow bites here:
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/09/what-it-feels-like-to-get-bitten-by-a-black-widow-spider/279739/
https://www.livescience.com/49333-why-black-widow-spider-venom-is-so-potent.html

And an article on the 'poke a spider' study here:
http://theweek.com/articles/450455/secret-strategy-behind-black-widows-bite

Image credits:

1. http://insect-identification.com/what-happens-when-you-get-bit-by-a-black-widow/
2. https://sites.google.com/a/macalester.edu/nerve-agents/home/acetylcholine-and-vx
3. http://thoseposters.com/posterGallery.php?view=&page=143