Arachnophobia, or the fear of spiders, is the second top phobia in the U.S. In most cases, this fear is irrational, as most spiders are non-venomous and relatively harmless. However, if you ever come across any of these spiders, it would be perfectly rational to be afraid because these are the spiders with the most dangerous bites.
On this list there are probably some familiar names, such as the tarantula and the black widow. While both are infamous, both are far from the deadliest spiders in the world. In fact, despite its large size and infamous reputation, the tarantula doesn’t even have a fatal bite for those who aren’t allergic. For most, a tarantula bite doesn’t result in anything worse than an itchy rash. The black widow on the other hand is much deadlier, as its bite produces a litany of undesirable symptoms such as fever or breathing problems, and an untreated bite may lead to death if not tended to within an hour.
While that seems like a dangerous bite, it’s certainly not the most dangerous. The Brazilian Wandering Spider, native to northern South America, has a venomous bite that must be treated within thirty minutes. A single bite can cause paralysis, chills, asphyxiation, and as if that wasn’t enough, it even causes painful erections!
Just like spiders, snakes are known for how venomous some of their species can be. Brush up on identifying and treating dangerous snake bites while you’re on the topic.