White Tail Spider Bite: Separating Myth from Fact

White tail spiders are common in Australian households, as they enjoy hiding between pieces of fabric and in cool, tiled areas. White tail spider bites have long been associated with extreme inflammation and skin loss.

White Tail Spider Bite: Separating Myth from Fact

White tail spiders are common in Australian households, as they enjoy hiding between pieces of fabric and in cool, tiled areas. White tail spider bites have long been associated with extreme inflammation and skin loss.

For many years, necrotic skin ulcers have been linked to white tail spider bites, leading to a fear in the general population about white tail spiders. People claim that white tail spiders can be ‘flesh-eating’ spiders, whose bites lead to open wounds that never heal, and even body parts that need to be amputated. White tail spiders were given a bad reputation, likely because they are a common household spider and therefore a spider that people interact with a lot. However, recent findings have shown otherwise. These studies indicate that white tail spiders are actually not to blame for the necrotic arachnidism (extreme inflammation and skin loss) people are so afraid of. Although white tail spider bites may cause discomfort such as inflammation and pain, they are often not as dangerous as they are so commonly perceived to be and are certainly not cause for panic. Many white tail spider bites can be treated at home and symptoms will subside in a relatively short period of time. For more information about how to provide first aid for a White tail spider bite, watch the short video below:

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