But that certainly doesn’t mean the rest of us are immune to this danger, children however have a higher risk of developing complications from a venomous spider bite, and extra precautions should thus be taken. To minimise the risk, both for yourself and your children, it is extremely beneficial to know how to identify these venomous local spiders, what common signs and symptoms of these specific spider bites are and what do if someone is bitten:Not only is this night-dwelling spider considered by many experts to be South Africa’s most dangerous spider, it is also estimated to be responsible for nearly three quarters of all reported spider bites. Full Name: Sac Spider (Family Miturgidae) Other Names: Huis Sakspinnekoppe. Their venom is cytotoxic, which means that it kills cells and causes tissue breakdown and blistering at the bite site. T here are over 1800 known spider species in South Africa and many tend to be out and about in the warmer summer months. Phidippus Carolinensis Jumping Spider … These are free living spiders often found in plants and in houses where they build a silk sac under which they hide or lay eggs. Sac spiders are light brown with a black face and range between 4 and 12mm. These are free living spiders often found in plants and in houses where they build a silk sac under which they hide or lay eggs. Classification: MEDICALLY IMPORTANT. Especially with South African ‘spider season’ being upon us with spiders and spider bites in South Africa increasing during the warm summer months, it’s more important than ever to be aware and prepared!Knowledge on spider and spider bites in South Africa is especially important when you have kids. Once, this family was a large catch-all taxon for a disparate collection of spiders, similar only in that they had eight eyes arranged in two rows and conical anterior spinnerets that touched, and were wandering predators that built silken retreats, or sacs, usually on plant terminals, between leaves, under bark, or under rocks. Little ones tend to run around and explore all sorts of hideaways and hard-to-reach spots, thereby putting them at an increased risk of getting bitten by a spider. Not only is this night-dwelling spider considered by many experts to be South Africa’s most dangerous spider, it is also estimated to be responsible for nearly three quarters of all reported spider bites. Let’s take a closer look at both of them.Now that you know which spiders make up the ‘Spider Big 5’, here are a couple of South Africa is home to over 3,000 known species of spiders, many of which are found in our homes, gardens and natural surroundings.South Africa is home to over 3,000 known species of spiders, many of which are found in our homes, gardens and natural surroundings.Spiders and spider bites in South Africa: What parents need to know: In order to equip you with the necessary knowledge on which South African spiders are venomous, namely the BIG 5 of dangerous spiders, we have prepared this spider and spider bite in South Africa guide to help you out.While most of the spider species found in South Africa are harmless, there certainly are a few that are incredibly venomous. Despite disputes, this species does possess a cytotoxic venom and bites can result in tissue damage and should be treated as an open wound. Sac spiders belong to the family Clubionidae and are thought to be responsible for the majority of spider bites in Africa. . They were blamed for 70-80% of nasty bites but this has been an assumptive diagnosis due to tests done on rabbits. The sac spiders of the family Clubionidae have a very confusing taxonomic history.
Most are pretty harmless and have an important environmental role helping to control pesky flies, mosquitoes and other flying insects. 10:54. The many different species of sac spiders living in South Africa are nocturnal hunters that retreat daily to protective silk sacs built underneath bark or stones. Long-legged sac spiders do not have the enzymes to cause necrosis. This certainly earns the Sac Spider the number 1 spot on the big 5 spider list. But that doesn’t mean that the mere mention of the dreaded ‘S word’ doesn’t strike fear into even the bravest of us. It is an aggressive spider but is not implicated in spider envenomations in South Africa. There are no deaths from this species.Map indicating the distribution of Sac spiders, within Southern Africa.We are the leading training provider of Snake Awareness, First Aid for Snakebite, and Venomous Snake Handling courses in Africa, as well as the largest distributor of quality snake handling equipment on the continent.Includes first aid information, snake identification features, snake removals information, free information posters, and more.Sign up to have our free monthly newsletter delivered to your inbox:Before you download this resource, would you like to join our email newsletter list?Snake Awareness and Handling – Gauteng – 29 August 2020Snake Awareness and Handling – Western Cape – 19 September 2020Snake Handling Bootcamp – Western Cape – 20 September 2020Snake Awareness and Handling – Gauteng – 26 September 2020Snake Handling Bootcamp – Gauteng – 27 September 2020Common Purple Glossed Snake vs Bibron’s Stiletto SnakeEastern Natal Green Snake vs Western Natal Green SnakeSpotted Skaapsteker (Striped form) vs Striped Skaapsteker