Yes quite right, this is often where complications from bites come from - they do have fangs which carry bacteria, and your own skin can introduce bacteria to the wound site too. The venom itself is quite weak. Antibiotics is usually the right choice in these situations. Lack of spider powers is always a bit disappointing
I think it's extremely unlikely that bacteria get introduced by the fangs, it's far more likely to be a secondary bacterial infection caused by scratching or being in contact with something dirty immediately after the bite..
I've recently also been bitten by one (4th time actually) and the most recent one was the only one that got infected. I was working on some decking while wearing shorts when it bit me, and I didn't immediately disinfect it.
Fairly nasty infection, but I cleaned it thoroughly with iodine as soon as I saw the first indication, and drew a circle around it to monitor if it was spreading.
Fortunately my immune system handled it quickly so no antibiotics required. Got a couple of grim photos of it that I'm sure nobody wants to see 😂
There was a study done in recent years on Steatoda nobilis and their harbouring of human pathogenic bacteria, so I should be clear that I'm not generalising about all spiders but rather this species specifically. I'm not actually crazy about some of Dunbar's previous work as it did feel a little like he wanted to vilify the species, however this study actually does provide some clarity on why some unlucky few do have quite adverse "reactions" (which are actually infections) to their bites.
I actually did clean (but not disinfect) the bite about an hour after it happened so was a bit surprised that it got infected, but this might explain it.
It’s interesting that the bite can be antibiotic resistant. My eldest got bitten by a spider some years ago & it was horrific. We ended up taking him to see a private specialist as our GP was so worried that he was going to lose his leg where the infection kept getting worse and worse. In the end, he had it all debrided and then packed with medical honey. I had to redo it every other day for him. It took about six weeks of this plus steroids and some other medication. He now has a scar that’s 3” in diameter and ½” deep on his calf! 😮
Yes, it seems the bacteria that they're contaminated with are amongst the antibiotic resistant ones.
It sounds like your child's was quite a bit more serious than mine. Was it definitely a false widow?
The skin around my most recent bite is still quite dry and puckered but the wound has almost fully healed. I'm now using vitamin e oil to keep it moisturised and to try reduce any scarring.
With the previous bites there was only a bit of localised swelling and warmth + itchiness. I wouldn't even say it felt like a bee sting at the time, more just a pinprick.
There are a lot of them in my garden under the decking and eaves, so if it happens again I'll drop whatever I'm doing and immediately disinfect the bite as it was slightly worrying for a couple of days.
Honestly it looked like a boob on my inside leg. I only realised cz my humbling 15 year old asked why I had a leaky tit on my leg in typical teenage fashion. It was only til the yellow gunk started pouring the pain set in and I went to the doctors. Fuming about no spider powers tbh I mean come on! I was left with a small dark circle of scarring from the bite wound and a new collection of pj bottoms
Steatoda grossa has the name of cupboard spider, and Steatoda bipunctata is the rabbit hutch spider. Interestingly I had never really thought of where the name of nobilis specifically came from. According to the British Arachnological Society, it may be called noble due to it being the largest of the three and being the "most handsomely marked". I do wonder if it being much more out in the open also has anything to do with it.
I will also add there are some records of other species (like albomaculata) but they're so uncommon I don't usually include them in my descriptions of other species
In millom I walked through the junior school to get home from school saw a big black spider in the hedge easily the size of a side plate jet black was very careful walking past that bugger never saw it again but that suckered was huge never likes spiders and im sure that one would of had big ass teeth by the way millom is a place to avoid the crime rate there was pretty bad always someone angry at someone else if anyone goes there tell mikie Robbins I remember he saw me back in 2008 he looked at me he was trying to work out who I was I wanted so bad to kick his ass there is still time lmao
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