Kentucky Has A Very Venomous Spider That Many Have Never Heard Of

There's a venomous spider that is found in Kentucky that is giving the black widow a run for its money.

We all know that arachnophobia is very real. So many people have a fear of spiders. It doesn't matter how big or small, deadly or not when a person sees a spider they immediately run away. Perhaps that sounds like you. Folks living in Kentucky have probably seen their fair share of spiders. I lived there for about four years when I was in college, and I feel like I saw more spiders in Kentucky than I ever have living in Indiana. That being said, I found out about one spider that can be found in Kentucky that I have never heard of before, and it's bite sounds far from fun.

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Have You Ever Heard of This Spider in Kentucky?

Bird Watching HQ listed six deadly spiders in the United States, and there's one that is commonly found that I had not heard of. It's called the brown widow...no, not the black widow that everyone has heard of and fears. In fact, the brown widow is a spider that the black widow fears. Let that sink in for a second.

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Maybe you are like me and have never heard of a brown widow spider before. These spiders are not native to the United States. They are believed to have originated in either Africa or South America. But now, they are found across the world, typically near buildings in warmer areas. Now that they have made their way to the United States, the map below will show you where they are commonly found.

Bird Watching HQ

See how Kentucky is all shaded in green? That's not good. It means that these dastardly spiders are found in Kentucky!

Now, according to Bird Watching HQ, some identifying characteristics of the brown widow spider include:

<ul><li>Females are .25 – .625 inches in length and are light brown. The abdomen has an orangish hourglass-shaped mark.</li><li>Males are roughly half the size of females. Look for an orange spot on the abdomen that may be broken into two spots.</li><li>The legs on both sexes are light brown with dark brown near the joints.</li><li><em>Also known as the Grey Widow</em></li></ul>

Good News and Bad News About Brown Widows

Let me hit you with the good news about brown widow spiders first. Black widow spiders are being killed off by their more aggressive counterparts, the brown widow. So that's a good thing, right? More good news in regards to brown widows, they are less venomous towards humans than black widows.

That being said, here's the bad news: their bites are still pretty brutal. While they are timid and rarely bite people, it can still happen. Bird Watching HQ says:

In the rare case that a bite does occur, the symptoms include high blood pressure, sweating, vomiting, respiratory muscle weakness, and possible seizures. Sometimes you can develop a very stiff abdomen that may mimic appendicitis. The worst pain is generally in the first 8-12 hours.

While they (allegedly) rarely bite, the best bet is to simply stay away from them. Better safe than sorry. Have you ever encountered one of these in Kentucky before?

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