Not everyone is a fan of spiders, butor if there are people who are interested in them and want to know their species and the way they survive in the wild, that is why today you will be able to know everything you need to know about the banana spider, its feeding, its characteristics, its reproduction and much more.
Characteristics of the Banana Spider
To start talking about this great spider, we have to know that its scientific name is Phoneutria nigriventer, it and its sister the Phoneutria fera have been classified as one of the most poisonous spiders in the world.
It's not hard to know when a banana spider is present somewhere because it has a dark brown color and some reddish hairs near its jaws where they secrete venom. They have a pair of eyes that are characterized by being elongated towards the front and on each side of their face they have two pairs. more.
It is called this way because it can mostly be found in banana crops, they began to appear in regions of Europe because they were hidden in banana imports at sea level. The banana spider is a spectacular animal according to its physiognomy, they have legs covered with hairs, in addition to having a lot of strength and resistance in them to allow them to have almost exact mobility when it comes to acting.
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Where they live?
usuallyhe is Spiders inhabit Latin American regions such as Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Brazil and Paraguay, but they do not usually stay in one place for long periods of time as spiders normally do. Wild animals. This spider prefers to eventually move through the jungle to find food. Thanks to the color of its body it can be easily camouflaged with the forest and catches its victim by surprise.
In South America there are many dense jungles where this spider makes its way to find an area that is cold and dark to rest during the day; this does not mean that it does not suddenly appear inside a closet or inside some shoes.
Food
The diet of a banana spider is based on meat, that is, they are carnivorous and like any spider, they build a meticulous trap with their web so that the animals fall into it, andsto they do it thanks to the secretory glands that are located in their abdomen; Its web also allows it to climb and serve as a nest for when the breeding season arrives.
Small insects such as moths, mosquitoes, some crickets, butterflies, flies, and even Flying ants they are a delicacy for them, of course their diet depends onand in what season is, since there are times when these foods are scarce and they have to feed on small rodents.
Reproduction
Once the female spider has gone through its molting process, courtship begins on the part of the male in order to conquer the female, and he must be very precise in his courtship since if the female does not like him, she will end up making the decision. to eat it If her courtship has worked, the male mates with her to release sperm with her genitals and in just 27 days or so the female will give birth to her eggs to finally die.
This means that once the hatchlings come out of the eggs they find themselves without any type of protection against predators and totally adrift, which is why since they are born they begin to use their wild instinct together with their sisters who can become more than 1000.
Banana Spider Behavior
As was said in this same context, the banana spider does not usually settle in the same place or in a web for long periods of time, traditional either it spends the day lurking from the jungle floor or under a trunk waiting for night to fall to go hunting. The way a banana spider attacks is by taking an intimidating posture by raising its front legs, after which it attacks its prey by biting it and injecting it with a dose of poison that is fatal.
One aspect to consider is that the banana spider has very poor vision, considering that it is the only one in the spider family that has the ability to distinguish the color of its web in different environments.
Veneno
Speaking a little about the venom of this spider, we must know that it is made up of various toxins, proteins and peptides that directly attack the chemical receptors of the neuromuscular system of the living being that has bitten. If it is the case of a human who has been bitten by it, the first symptoms are a strong burning sensation as if something were burning you, later you will begin to sweat and swell.
If half an hour has passed and the necessary medical attention has not been received, the blood pressure begins to drop until nausea and hypothermia take over the body to the point that vision is lost.
Its venom is also capable of creating side effects in a human, the first symptoms is the loss of muscle mobility accompanied by intense pain that causes the victim a lot of difficulty breathing, if the person is not treated quickly with a doctor they can die due to lack of oxygen; That said, it should be known that for humans, the venom of this spider takes effect in a period of time between 2 to 12 hours.
One aspect to note is that the man who has been bitten by this spider produces an intense erection that causes unbearable pain, so it is best to stay away from them if you have a close encounter; although these spiders do not usually attack humans if they do not bother them enough.
The erection mentioned above can leave sequels to the man if it is not cured in the correct way, andthese effects are erections of the cavernous vessels that do not cover the glans and leave it soft, esto It causes a lot of suffering for the person and constitutes a total risk. In addition to this, this affectation has been the object of study by some Brazilian scientists who use the poison to manufacture medicines through this toxin against erectile dysfunction and thus help from this area.
The most poisonous banana spider in the world is the Phoneutria phera, it lives in the jungles that are part of countries such as Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador; but the one that constantly encounters humans is the Phoneutria nigriventer because it is sheltered among the banana crops that are collected by farmers.