Can the various types of house spider bite?

Question

If so, can they be harmful to humans? ........(not the poisonous variety)

Answer 1

Im not too sure hunni, all I know is that Im REALLY scared of spiders =(

Answer 2

I agree with most of what WOMBAT has said. However, even though the Brown Recluse has a potent venom, it is difficult to identify a bite by this spider as their bites are almost painless. Symptoms do not appear until hours after the initial bite. In fact, many bites that have been labeled as being caused by a Brown Recluse may have been inflicted by one potentially dangerous spider he did not name, the Yellow Sac Spider. Although you could not confuse the two spiders if you saw them, the potency of their venoms are comparable and the Yellow Sac Spider is much more willing to bite than the Brown Recluse.

You would know if you got bit by a Wolf Spider, their bites can be quite painful.

As far as House Spiders, they are not dangerous, although they can and will bite if threatened. In fact, all spiders will bite it they feel that they are in danger. The only spiders that seem to have a curiousity, and will not willingly bite are some of the Jumping Spiders. In fact, if you hold out your hand to them, they are likely to hop right on. They are one of my fave spiders. If you hold your finger in front of them they will raise their front legs and head off the ground in a defensive posture and will hold their ground. Unlike the Orb Weavers, that are so shy, it is hard to get a photo of them up close and personal.

Anyway, I am rambling now.

I am not disputing WOMBAT's comments, just adding a little to it.

btw.....No spiders are poisonous, but all of them are venomous, there is a difference.

Answer 3

It depends on where you live.

In the US, there are only two kinds of spiders that are potentially dangerous.

-Black Widow Spiders:"Latrodectus mactans", or "L. hesperus"
http://www.desertusa.com/july97/du_bwindow.html

-Brown recluse spiders: "Loxosceles reclusa"
http://spiders.ucr.edu/recluseid.html

Black widow spiders are very easy to identify. They are jet black, shiny, and have a characteristic red-orange "hourglass" marking on the underside of their abdomen. These spiders are very shy, unaggressive, and typically only bite humans in self defense, when their nesting sites are disturbed.

Black widow venom contains a nerve toxin, "Latrotoxin." The bite is likely to be quite unpleasant, but since the spiders have so little venom, very rarely life threatening.

Brown recluse spiders are often confused with harmless spiders, such as huntsman spiders, wolf spiders, and funnel web spiders. If you think you've been bitten by a brown recluse, you should try to capture the offending spider in a small jar or film canister, so it can be correctly identified.

The bite causes pain, persistent swelling and, tissue damage, and may cause a small but long lasting skin ulcer. In fact, most cases of skin ulcers and lesions which are attributed to L. reclusa, are actually caused by staph infections, and should be treated with antibiotics.

As another user put it, 99.95% of house spiders are harmless.

It is possible,though exceedingly unlikely, that if you were bitten by one of the larger household spider, such as a wolf spider, that you might develop a severe allergic reaction. Realistically, it is more likely that you will accidentally fall to your death through an open manhole in the middle of the street. Small spiders do not have fangs long enough to penetrate the skin.

Hope that makes sense......
~W.O.M.B.A.T.

Answer 4

No, not an ordinary house spider. If you've had a bunch of bananas from the West Indies, however, and the spider is huge and hairy, be afraid, be very afraid...

orlok
http://www.fatbananafeet.com

Answer 5

All spiders bite, just household ones cant pierce the skin!! Also it would b very unlikely ahouse spider bit u! and even if it did you would be unlikely to feel it! Theres a sta like 99% of spiders are harmless!! its something like that n e way!!

Answer 6

I know they bite! I put my foot in my shoe and felt something bite my toe, took my foot out and there was a spider in my shoe - it was very painful for a couple of days, really sore. (never been bit by a spider before, didn't know they bite)

Answer 7

all spiders bite! if you are hyper allergic to them, they may cause you to have anaphylactic shock but i doubt it

Answer 8

Various are the worst kind!

Answer 9

normally they will run away or play dead. i have picked them up many times and never had a bite. they just run

Answer 10

yes, I'm sure one bite my dogs nose when he caught it, cause he dropped it again, pretty quick
lol