Spiders of Crimea - a selection of photos of the most interesting and dangerous arachnids

With the arrival of spring, everyone tries to make an outing into nature: go hiking, have a picnic, go to the lake, or just take a walk on the grass.

Few people think about the fact that poisonous spiders live in Crimea, whose jaws can bite through the skin and inject their poison into the body. Every year, dozens of people end up in Crimean hospitals due to spider bites.

Karakurt - a poisonous inhabitant of Crimea

The karakurt is recognized as the most dangerous representative of spiders.
It feeds on insects. Favorite habitats are rodent burrows, from which the spider easily expels the inhabitants. Even if the mouse decides to resist the karakurt, it instantly dies from its bite. Also settles between stones, in rock cracks. It places its trapping nets in the grass, in the steppes and even in summer cottages. From Turkic the name “karakurt” is literally translated as “black worm”; a photo of the dangerous spider of Crimea is presented above. What does the most dangerous spider in Crimea look like:

• Sexually mature females are rich black in color with a glossy sheen, up to 2 cm long.
• The length of males does not exceed 7-8 mm.
• Juveniles and males have 13 red spots on the abdomen. Sometimes they are framed with a white border.
• Two pairs of eyes help to navigate well during the day and at night.
• Random networks are located mainly near the ground.

Karakurts are very prolific. Periodically, at intervals of 10-12 or 25 years, there is a massive outbreak of population growth. They spend winter time in cocoons, several of which are suspended in nests. In mid-spring, the young generation appears and is carried away on the web by the wind. At the end of June, having become sexually mature, females and males look for shaded places and weave nets for mating.

Interesting! Due to the bloodthirstiness of the female during mating, the karakurt is also called a black widow. The mating games of the female are very peculiar - at the end of the process, she eats the male. The female has an excellent appetite: her network for mating can simultaneously contain up to 5 candidates.

The males' life cycle ends in mid-July. After mating, females look for new places, weave a network and lay offspring. After the last laying of eggs they die.

How karakurts bite

Representatives of the black widow genus are not characterized by aggressiveness towards humans. Only if they sense danger do they defend their lair - only in emergency cases are they able to attack people. Most often, this type of spider in Crimea bites accidentally. This is due to the peculiarity of their reflexes. When pressed on the abdomen, they release poison; for this reason, a spider crawling on the body should not be slammed, but carefully thrown off.

The greatest threat to humans is the female karakurt, while males, due to their small size, are not able to bite through human skin

On a note! After picnics or trips to nature, it is recommended to inspect things, as spiders can easily get into them. It is best to walk through thickets of grass in closed high shoes, and to work in summer cottages and fields with gloves.

The concentration of poisonous components in karakurts is 15 times higher than in a rattlesnake. This feature is due to the fact that spiders wage a constant fight against rodents and other small mammals, and to neutralize them a strong poison is needed. In humans, the probability of death after a bite is 2-4%. The poison has a neuroparalytic effect.

Symptoms of a karakurt bite:

• the appearance of severe burning pain, which intensifies and spreads throughout the body within 15 minutes;
• difficulty breathing;
• dizziness, possible bluish discoloration of the skin on the face;
• disturbances of heart rhythm and kidney function;
• cramps, muscle spasms in the abdominal area;
• depressive state, the appearance of a feeling of irresistible melancholy and fear of death.

On a note! The sensations of the bite field depend on the person’s pain threshold. There are cases when people in a dream did not notice at all that they had been bitten by a spider.

What to do if you are bitten by a karakurt:

• The most effective way to eliminate the consequences of a bite from the most dangerous spider in Crimea is to administer a serum. However, it is not always available at medical centers. In its absence, an intravenous injection of potassium manganese or calcium gluconate is administered. The need for a second injection is determined by the condition of the victim.
• In the field, the cauterization method, which was developed by Marikovsky, is used. Immediately after the bite, in order to neutralize the effect of the poison, 3 matches are applied to the wound (heads to the wound), and the fourth is set on fire. High temperature destroys the protein structure of the poison and thereby avoids poisoning the body.

Appearance and dimensions of the cross spider

Almost every person has repeatedly encountered representatives of the genus Araneus. These arachnids got their name due to their distinctive characteristic feature. On the spider's abdomen, light spots form a kind of cross. The coloring of the crusaders depends on the environment. The sunny the spider’s habitat, the lighter its color.

Like all representatives of the arachnid order, the body of the spider is divided into a cephalothorax (prosoma) and abdomen (opisthosoma), connected by a movable stalk. The body is covered with a durable cuticle containing chitin and proteins. There are arachnoid warts on the spider's abdomen.

Crusaders have four pairs of simple eyes located on the cephalothorax, which provide them with all-round vision. However, their eyesight is poor. They see only blurry silhouettes and approaching shadows. Sensitive hairs, trichobothria, located over the entire surface of the body help spiders navigate their environment. There are especially many of them on the limbs. Eight walking legs are attached to the cephalothorax, as well as jaws - chelicerae and pedipalps.

• Chelicerae are designed to capture and puncture food. They consist of two segments and end in claws. When capturing prey, the crossfish injects a nerve agent from venom glands located at the base of these limbs.
• Pedipalps serve as an organ of touch for spiders. With their help, they hold and feel their prey. The functions of the pedipalps also include reproduction, since their terminal segment contains the copulatory apparatus, which is filled with seminal fluid before mating.

The sizes of cross spiders are small, and they differ significantly among individuals of different sexes. Males grow no more than 1 cm, adult females reach 2–4 cm in length. During their lives, crusaders change their chitinous cover several times, and molting occurs at regular intervals.

The myth of grasshoppers and grass

The collection of multi-colored beetles includes both the famous May beetles and the bronze beetles with which they are confused (while the bronze beetles are emerald green, the May beetles, also known as chafers, are brown).

Bronzovka

Khrushchev larvae feed on vegetation and can damage tree roots, while bronzovka larvae feed on humus. Next to the May beetles in the biologist’s collection are scarabs and stag beetles, 50% of which are from the Voronezh region, the rest from the Far East and South Asia. One of the local species of stag beetle is affectionately called the common stag beetle.

Grasshoppers, locusts and locusts are presented in a separate box. As Sergey notes, grasshoppers are not harmless herbivores at all, but predators that eat butterflies and even their relatives. They just “snack” on grass for variety. So the words of the children's song about the intellectual grasshopper who “ate only grass and didn’t touch a booger” are just a fiction.

– Orthoptera are divided into two large groups: short-whiskered and long-whiskered. The latter include grasshoppers and crickets, and the short-haired ones include locusts. Therefore, a mustache is one of the ways to distinguish them from each other,” the biologist explained.

Mexican grasshopper Nesoecia sp

A separate biologist stand displays the “skins” of stick insects, scorpions, mantises, and tarantulas, which they left behind when molting.

The skins will also become exhibits at a future exhibition.

Beautiful and unusual entomofauna of the peninsula

The most beautiful insects in Crimea live not only in protected areas. Unusual specimens are found in parks, squares and even in private plots.

• Scolia giant wasp. The species is on the verge of extinction and is therefore listed in the Red Book. The size of the female reaches 5.5 cm. Against the background of a black body, wide purple wings and a bright yellow sternum look impressive. The entire body is covered with black and red hairs. The insect not only has beautiful bright colors, but also an extraordinary lifestyle. Scolia larvae parasitize the larvae of rhinoceros beetles, as well as beetles. The insect builds numerous tunnels in the soil, looks for a victim, paralyzes it and lays one egg at a time. So the offspring of Scolia do not experience a lack of nutrients, gradually eating away the insides of the host, consuming vital organs only at the end. Giant scolia are not only a decoration of the Crimean entomofauna, but are also among the largest insects in Crimea.
• The Xylocopa is a solitary hunter bee, often called the purple bumblebee because of its coloration. The size of the insect reaches 3 cm. The body is black metallic, densely covered with black hairs, decorated with small transparent wings with a purple tint. It does not have an aggressive disposition; it ignores human presence.
• The largest butterflies in Crimea are the Saturnia pear, also known as the peacock-eye, with a wingspan of 15 cm, swallowtails with a wingspan of up to 95 mm, podalirium, which has a wingspan of 7.2 cm, and polyxena (wingspan of 5.4 cm). In addition to their size, butterflies are distinguished by the original pattern on their wings. Seeing polyxena is very rare, as the species is on the verge of extinction. Only 4 species of vines serve as food sources for the caterpillars of this butterfly.
• Several species of hawkmoth butterflies have been preserved in Crimea: oak, oleander, etc. Occasionally, a rare species is found - the Death's Head. The individual is notable for having a pattern on its chest that resembles a human skull. The Death's Head caterpillar is also characterized by a memorable appearance - bright yellow, yellow-blue, yellow-lemon with blue oblique stripes. At all stages of development, hawk moths of this species are capable of making sounds.

Insects of Crimea

• Mantises. The size of individuals reaches 7.5 cm in the female. Males are somewhat smaller. The color depends on the surrounding vegetation and varies from brown to green shades. There is also a rare, unusual species of praying mantis in Crimea - the striped empusa. The insect is difficult to see, despite the fact that it reaches 6.5 cm in length. The body of the mantis is so thin that it looks more like a stick or a blade of grass.
• The Crimean ground beetle is one of the most beautiful beetles in Crimea. Color green, blue tones. The coarse-grained covering of the body creates an optical illusion that the insect changes its color and shimmers in different shades.
• Grasshopper Akrid. The harmless insect captivates with its size. Females grow up to 8 cm.
• Speaking about the insects of Crimea, one cannot help but recall the night singers - cicadas. Unlike crickets, their singing can only be heard during the daytime. Only males are endowed with singing abilities. The females are silent.
• Rhinoceros beetle. A rather rare specimen, which leads to a reduction in the number of Scolia. Only males have a horn. Insects grow up to 5cm. The shell appears varnished, long legs protrude from under it, and the abdomen is densely covered with hairs. The larvae of the rhinoceros beetle are very similar in appearance to the larvae of the cockchafer, which is why they are often destroyed.
• Stag beetle. No less beautiful than a rhinoceros. It is smaller in size than its fellow giants from Europe. Females also lack horns. Rarely found in mountain forests. Red Book insect.
• The dragonflies of Crimea deserve special attention. Entomologists have studied 60 species of these insects. All of them are predators and amaze with their variety of colors. Among the large specimens, the most notable are the large rocker, the lattice dragonfly with blue wings, and the emperor's watchman.

A description of all the insects of Crimea would not fit in a multi-volume encyclopedia. Entomologists have been studying them for more than 200 years, but more and more new species are still being discovered.

Not insects, but very dangerous

Arachnids and centipedes are often considered dangerous insects of Crimea. And although they are not six-legged, they belong to other orders and superclasses, they cannot be ignored. Moreover, the toxicity of these creatures is much higher than that of the insects of the peninsula. People who prefer a “seal” holiday on the beaches have nothing to fear - the chances of meeting a dangerous creature are almost zero. But tourists planning to go hiking, forays into the mountains, or steppes are advised to familiarize themselves with photos and descriptions of poisonous arthropods.

Karakurt

The most dangerous spider in Crimea belongs to the genus of black widows. The most poisonous females, especially high concentrations of poison are observed during the breeding season. The meeting with the karakurt ends with contemplation of the walls of the hospital ward. If left untreated, death can occur.

Interesting!

It is no coincidence that spiders are called black widows. After mating, the female simply devours the suitor.

The spider’s favorite habitats in Crimea are steppes and stone rubble. But it is often found in public gardens and parks. The largest number of black widows is on the west coast in the area of ​​Cape Tarkhankut.

On a note!

The location of karakurts can be determined by the abundance of horizontal webs on the ground.

Memorable appearance:

• the size of males is up to 7 mm, females are larger - up to 2 cm;
• spherical abdomen black with 13 red spots;
• 8 long legs.

Karakurts do not choose people as hunting objects and are not distinguished by their aggressive disposition. But if they feel threatened, they are capable of biting. Most often this happens when a spider is accidentally crushed while relaxing in nature.

After a karakurt bite, a burning pain immediately appears, quickly spreading to the abdomen, lower back, and chest. There may also be tremors, difficulty breathing, dizziness, and nausea.

Important!

The victim must be taken to a medical aid station, where he will be given an antidote. Within 2 minutes after a spider bite, you can use P.I. Marikovsky’s method - cauterize the bitten area with a burning match head. However, if there are no skills, the victim also risks getting a burn. In any scenario, the black widow victim needs qualified medical care.

Karakurt and tarantula

Tarantula

The South Russian tarantula is widespread in Crimea. A spider from the wolf family, commonly known as Mizgir. Lives in forest-steppe and steppe zones. A frequent visitor to gardens and vegetable gardens. What it looks like:

• dimensions do not exceed 3 cm;
• color reddish-gray above, black below;
• a characteristic feature is a spot on the head that resembles a cap;
• the body is densely covered with bristles, giving the spider a shaggy appearance.

May bite accidentally. The pain after a mizgir bite is comparable to a wasp or bee sting. Swelling may occur in the affected area.

On a note!

In some victims, the skin around the tarantula bite turns yellow. The natural color of the skin is restored within 2 months.

Allergy sufferers may experience difficulty breathing, dizziness, weakness, apathy, and surges in blood pressure. It is necessary to wash the wound, give plenty of fluids and take the victim to a medical facility.

Solpuga

A creature from the phalanx order of the arachnid class. Common names are camel spider, hairdresser, barber.

Interesting!

Residents of African countries are sure that salpugs cut the hair of animals and people and then use this material to decorate their nests.

They choose arid areas for habitat. The length reaches 5 cm. Powerful chelicerae add to the menacing nature of the creature. Not a single arachnid can boast of such elastic and powerful limbs, capable of cutting even a thin bird bone.

Salpugs are nocturnal predators, so lovers of evening recreation in nature may well be in their field of vision. The prognosis for a bite is favorable. There will be no death. However, the arachnid bites through the skin of the chelicermi, on which remains of rotting food remain. The wound must be treated with an antiseptic to avoid infection.

Important!

Salpugs are under state protection, so they cannot be killed.

Salpuga and angiope

Argiope

A beautiful spider, which can be distinguished from a wasp only by its long legs. Due to its color it is also called tiger, zebra, wasp. Like all spiders, it is not without poison. An argiope can bite accidentally, but it does not pose a mortal danger. Swelling occurs in the affected area. If allergic reactions occur, antihistamines must be taken.

Ticks

Of the 23 species of ticks in Crimea, 4 species are carriers of encephalitis. They live everywhere among low-growing bushes and grass.

Important!

The largest number of encephalitis ticks was recorded in the mountainous and foothill regions of the peninsula, in the forested areas of Alushta, Yalta, Simferopol, and Bakhchisarai. There are two peaks of activity: from May to June and in August-September.

If you are bitten by a tick, you need to carefully unscrew it clockwise using a thread for this purpose, or go to the nearest medical center to remove the offender. At the end of the procedure, the tick must be placed in a container and taken to the laboratory for examination. This measure will make sure that the aggressor was not a carrier of encephalitis, Lyme disease, or borreliosis.

Scolopendra

Another creature that is not an insect, but can instill fear in impressionable people. The Crimean scolopendra from the order of ringed centipedes primarily lives in the natural environment, but often crawls into residential buildings. Found in almost any part of Crimea.

Unusual appearance:

• Color of golden, yellow, olive shades.
• Length reaches 15 cm.
• Round eyes and long antennae are clearly visible on the head.
• Along the body there are short, but very fast and almost constantly in motion limbs.

Interesting!

How many legs a centipede has depends on the number of segments, which is influenced by the age and species of the individual. Scolopendra always has an odd number of pairs of legs and theoretically there can be 15 or more. The record holders for the number of legs are giant centipedes, which have 171 pairs.

The Crimean scolopendra is active at night. If he feels aggression, he begins to attack. The scolopendra bite is painful, immediately causing redness and swelling. In people with bronchial asthma, reduced immunity, allergies, it can provoke an attack of suffocation, fever, and rash.

Tick ​​and scolopendra

Distribution of the species

Residents of hot regions and deserts know firsthand what a phalanx is. Their habitat is very wide. In Russia they are widespread throughout the Crimean Peninsula and the Caucasus. Many species of salpugs live in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and other regions of Central Asia. This type of spider, the salpuga, is also known in Europe, especially in Greece and Spain.

A small insect cannot bite through human skin, but a large phalanx is capable of this, and the sensation is very painful. In most cases, salpug bites pass without any consequences. But there are cases when inflammations form, which are quite difficult for those who are bitten. The phalanx does not have poisonous glands, but rotting food debris accumulates in the chelicerae, which get into the wound when bitten and cause infection.

Salpugs are a very common species of spider and that is why they have many scientific names. People, observing the life of spiders and their habits, gave them common names. Among them:

1. Solfugi.
2. Phalanxes.
3. Bihors.
4. Camel spider.

“Wind Scorpion” and many other “names” are directly related to the life of these insects. Solpuga runs very fast. The shape of their body allows them to reach speeds of up to 16 kilometers per hour and also jump up to 1 meter in height. Because of its speed, the spider was called the “scorpion of the wind.”

The phalanx squad is a large army of spiders, which consists of 13 families. It has 140 genera and a thousand species.

Due to its rather large body size, covered with bristles and “hairs” and lightning-fast movements, the phalanx looks very intimidating to its opponent. And combined with the sound it makes, the sight can scare anyone.

The color of the phalanx depends on the habitat. And since salpugs are inhabitants of desert and arid regions, most of them have a color ranging from whitish to brown. More often these are yellowish tones. The exception is individuals that have a variegated coloration.

The most common types of phalanges

• Common salpuga or common galleod. Large insects with a yellowish abdomen and a gray or brown back. An active nocturnal resident that hides under stones or in burrows left by other small animals. Hunts at night on small insects, including scorpions and other arthropods. This species is listed in the Red Book.
• The Transcaspian salpuga has a gray belly and a brown-red back, with dark stripes. The size reaches 7 centimeters. This species of camel spider lives mainly in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
• The smoky salpuga is the largest representative of this species of spider. Its dimensions are more than 7 centimeters. The color of this individual has an olive-smoky hue. The cephalothorax is colored buffy. Mainly lives in Turkmenistan.

Tarantula. Crimean tarantula. Tarantula bite, help with a bite.

is the common name for several species of large spiders belonging to the wolf spider family. Tarantula is an invertebrate animal. Its body, consisting of two parts - the cephalothorax and abdomen, is covered with small hairs. Tarantulas are the largest spiders living in Ukraine, the size of large individuals reaches 4 cm. The spider is colored brown-gray-black, and those that have not shed for a long time have a red tint. Very often, other large spiders, such as tarantulas, are mistakenly called “tarantulas.”

Crimean tarantula. Tarantula habitat.

The name tarantula comes from the Italian city of Tarantum. People in the Middle Ages believed that anyone bitten by a spider would become ill with a terrible disease - tarantism. It was expressed by complete indifference to everything and always ended in death. The only means of salvation was the wild dance of the tarantella. To get rid of the disease, you had to dance until you were completely exhausted.

Tarantulas love dry areas such as steppes or deserts. In Ukraine, the tarantula is found in the steppe part of Crimea. Tarantulas are nocturnal predators. During the day, they take refuge in vertical burrows up to 50 cm deep. Sometimes they choose natural shelters for shelter - various cracks and faults. To protect themselves from frost in winter, tarantulas deepen their burrow and bury the entrance.

At night, spiders come to the surface and begin hunting. The tarantula's diet consists of various insects, smaller in size than the spider itself. Tarantulas do not weave trapping nets; they use the web only to build an egg cocoon and cover the walls of the burrow.

Tarantula bite.

All tarantulas are poisonous, but this does not mean that they are particularly dangerous to humans.

Their venom is enough to paralyze a small animal, but for people a tarantula bite is equivalent to a wasp sting, well, maybe a little stronger. Swelling appears at the site of the bite, the venom causes pain and numbness, and the temperature often rises. Only a severe allergic reaction can lead to death.

Tarantulas never attack anything larger than themselves. And from this it follows that he will not bite a person first, only in case of self-defense, for example, when you accidentally pressed him.

First aid for a tarantula bite.

• Wash the bite area thoroughly with plenty of soapy water.
• Apply a tourniquet to the bitten limb and immobilize it as much as possible.
• Apply ice to the bite site.
• Drinking plenty of fluids is recommended. Then some of the poison will be eliminated faster in the urine.
• For adults, you can give aspirin or acetaminophen. It is better to give paracetamol to children.
• If possible, crush the tarantula and apply blood to the bite area. The fact is that his blood contains an antidote to his own poison.
• If an allergic reaction occurs, it is better to take the victim to the hospital as soon as possible.

Photo of the tarantula:

Externally, in our usual understanding, local spiders are similar to: karakurt, tarantula, agriope and salpuga (phalanx). But! There are also other dangerous arachnids here - ticks and even the Crimean scorpion - yes, all this is one class of arachnids. The ringed scolopendra is also found in Crimea. Stinging insects include the hornet, wasp, gadfly and the ubiquitous mosquitoes.

Poisonous spiders of Ukraine

Knowing those types of arthropods that are dangerous to humans and can harm their health will help you avoid most troubles.

The most famous poisonous species of spiders, common in the forest and steppe areas of Ukraine, are the tarantula, karakurt, black widow and argiope.

Tarantula

The largest representative of arthropods, it lives in the steppes, deserts and forest-steppe zones of Ukraine. In the world, the number of species of tarantulas exceeds 900, but in the southern regions you can more often find the South Russian or Central European tarantula, which is popularly called Mizgir.

Its size can reach up to 3.5 cm, and the body is covered with thick brown-brown hairs of different shades, the abdomen is black. The paws are also furry, which helps protect against enemies.

During the daytime, tarantulas usually live in burrows that they dig themselves. Their depth sometimes reaches 60 cm, at the end there is a room.

At night, the spider usually goes out hunting, preferring to catch insects. It is not aggressive by nature, but can bite a person in self-defense.

Tarantula

Black widow in Ukraine

These arthropods got their name from the female’s ability to eat the male who fertilized her after mating. They are distinguished by strong poison and inconspicuous appearance. Black widows live in holes and crevices in the ground, in ravines, tree hollows, and can penetrate into people's homes.

In recent years, such spiders have begun to appear in the Donetsk region, migrating from more southern regions. They weave trapping nets, along which they move using curved bristles on short legs resembling a comb. Such an arthropod can attack only if it is stepped on or pressed; females are considered more aggressive.

The negative effects of black widow spider venom are quite strong:

• erythema at the site of the bite (redness in the form of a circle);
• muscle spasms and pain;
• the appearance of drooling and sweating;
• jump in blood pressure (hypertensive), tachycardia;
• shortness of breath and vomiting, pain in the abdomen and head;
• renal failure may occur;
• anxiety and disruption of the nervous system.

You should definitely consult a doctor in time, as a severe allergic reaction is possible, especially in children and the elderly.

Karakurt

Karakurt

The most poisonous and dangerous spider, the effect of its poison is 15 times greater than the bite of a rattlesnake. Karakurts belong to the genus of black widows and are common in the southern steppe regions of the Black Sea region and Crimea. During the summer heat they often migrate to the north, so they can be found among the spiders of Donbass, in the Lugansk and Kharkov regions.

The karakurt is small in size: females - up to 2 cm, males - up to 7 mm. The color of the spider's body is black in adult specimens, while in juveniles there are bright red spots on the abdomen. They can attack a person only in a life-threatening situation.

Consequences of a karakurt bite:

• difficulty breathing, suffocation;
• disorders of the cardiovascular system, arrhythmia;
• convulsive phenomena.

On a note!

According to statistics, the mortality rate from the bite of this poisonous spider is 2-4% of cases.

Argiope or "zebra"

Other names for the arthropod are “zebra spider” and “wasp”, which are given for the specific color of its abdomen with white, yellow and black stripes. The size of males is 7 mm, females – up to 1.5 cm. Argiope is characterized by weaving webs in zigzags.

Argiopes are found in rocks on the Kerch Peninsula (Crimea). Initially, their habitat was the forest-steppe and steppe zones of the European part of the country, where there is a suitable hot and dry climate. However, over time, Argiopes began to migrate to the northern regions: previously they lived in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, and now such spiders are found in the Lugansk, Dnepropetrovsk and Kirovograd regions.

The venom of the argiope spider usually causes slight inflammation and with treatment goes away without consequences, therefore it is less dangerous for humans compared to previous species.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ipQgmGZ0_Dw

Destructive flora: dangerous plants of Crimea

Is it dangerous to walk through the forests of Crimea? To a certain extent, yes, because on a walk you may come across beautiful and attractive plants that are considered poisonous.

Crow's eye. A toxic plant, but its dark blue berries, similar to blueberries, are especially poisonous. If you eat such “beauty”, then severe poisoning is guaranteed.

Crow's eye is a poisonous plant, the fruits of which can be confused by both children and adults with blueberries.

Yasenets (Burning Bush, Asterisk). The lilac or pink flowers of this plant cause severe skin burns within a few hours of touching it. The ash tree is not dangerous to the body, but after it heals, scars remain. Grows in all forests of Crimea.

Ash tree has a pleasant citrus aroma, but even inhaling the pollen of this plant can cause a burn to the respiratory organs.

Aconite (wolf root, king potion). The plant with blue flowers grows in beech forests and is considered completely poisonous. Affects the central nervous system, causing convulsions and paralysis of the respiratory organs.

Aconite is unknowingly used to brew tea, which leads to severe headaches and hallucinations.

Belladonna. A plant with a purple fruit like a small cherry. If you eat it, it begins to burn in your mouth, it becomes difficult to swallow, your heart rate increases, and hallucinations are possible. If a person is not helped in time, the outcome can be very unfavorable.

Belladonna berries, which look appetizing in appearance, taste like cherries, which is why children are often poisoned by this plant.

Bollygolov. Looks like a parsley bush in the flowering stage. Both the leaves and fruits of this plant are dangerous - they paralyze muscles, legs, and the skin loses sensitivity. Respiratory paralysis is especially dangerous.

Hemlock venom can cause food poisoning, convulsions, and paralysis.

First aid for poisoning by poisonous plants

: induce vomiting to cleanse the stomach, take activated charcoal, an antipyretic. In the case of black eye, vomiting cannot be induced; only the use of activated carbon is recommended. In the case of plants that cause skin burns, wash the affected area with soap and use anti-burn ointment.

Poisonous spiders in the Leningrad region

Dangerous arthropods live in the wild and choose arid zones. They are active at night. In search of food, they often explore nearby territories, crawling into human lands, houses, and apartments. They hide in things that have been in nature, shoes. A spider bite occurs when pressure is accidentally applied to a predator when a person does not see it.

Karakurt

An encounter with this spider can end tragically. Karakurt is the owner of poisonous glands with a strong toxic substance of neuroparalytic action. Initially, a local allergic reaction occurs - swelling, redness, pain, swelling. After 15 minutes, weakness, dizziness, arrhythmia, difficulty breathing, and muscle spasms appear. If qualified medical care is not provided, a person dies.

The description of the appearance of the female and the male is almost similar, the latter are smaller in size. Medium sized spider. Long black limbs, well-developed chelicerae, black abdomen with red spots - 13 pieces. The color of sexually mature individuals is uniform; during the molting process, the spots are smoothed out.

Tarantula

Dangerous spiders do not attack people; they bite when their own life is threatened. They belong to the wolf spider family and are nocturnal. They prefer active hunting and do not build trapping nets. Found in dry places, they build deep burrows. They hunt insects and small relatives.

The bite of a tarantula is poisonous to mammals and causes a severe allergic reaction in humans, but is not fatal. Weakness, dizziness, abdominal pain, cramps, and rapid heartbeat appear. The condition returns to normal within a few days. Local and systemic antihistamines are used.

Spiders of the Leningrad region

Crosses

Crosses are widespread everywhere. They live in forests, fields, gardens, and are found in vegetable gardens, courtyards, and non-residential premises. They belong to the orb-weaving spiders. They weave openwork trapping nets at night, during the day they sit in the center of their creation, waiting for prey, or they hide in a secluded place, stretching out a signal thread.

The spider's venom is deadly to insects; in animals, the spider's bite causes a local allergic reaction. Edema, swelling, and redness appear. People with an increased tendency to allergies experience weakness and nausea. The condition returns to normal within 24 hours, and the skin recovers within a week.

These types of spiders can be distinguished from others by their characteristic color. On the upper part of the abdomen there is a pattern in the form of a cross. Body color is beige, gray, brown, ash. The size of the female reaches 15 mm.

Anifena striking

Medium sized spider. The body is densely covered with hairs, the color is reddish-brown with dark patterns. There are 4 dark spots in the center of the abdomen. Long limbs. The size of the female reaches 1 cm, males are always smaller and darker in color. They are nocturnal.

Spiders rarely bite, only when there is a threat to their own life. A local allergic reaction appears at the site of the bite. The marks disappear within a week without special treatment.

All spiders in the Leningrad region are not distinguished by their aggressive disposition and do not pose a danger to humans if you keep a distance from them.

What does the cross spider eat?

The cross spider is a carnivorous arthropod. The diet of small predators consists of various insects that are caught in its nets: mosquitoes, flies, grasshoppers, aphids, and small beetles. Having placed his nets, the crusader freezes in the center of the web or in a nest that is located nearby. A signal thread is connected to the spider's lair. When prey is caught in a trap, the spider, sensing the vibration of the signal thread, instantly crawls up to the victim and paralyzes it with the help of its poison.

Crusaders, like most arachnids, have external digestion. When the “game” stops resisting, the spider pierces the insect’s cover, releases digestive juice into it and waits for the food to be digested. After the food reaches the desired condition, the cross sucks out the nutritional substance. If he is not hungry, he entangles his prey in a web and hides it in fallen leaves. Spiders of this genus have a considerable appetite. During the day he can eat food equal to his own weight. The spider behaves very interestingly with large and dangerous prey entangled in its web. He simply bites the threads and releases the victim.

Reproduction and development

At the beginning of autumn, the mating season begins for cross spiders. Males leave their shelters and go in search of females. After the object of desire is found, they begin the mating ritual. The spider climbs onto the web and touches the threads of the web with its paw. However, he first prepares an escape route so as not to be eaten if the “lady” does not figure out who has come into her domain. Feeling the vibration of the web, the female gets out of the nest and approaches the guest. The male only has to reach with his pedipalps to the female’s genital opening and transfer the seminal fluid.

As a rule, after fulfilling her marital duty, the spider kills her gentleman. Only the most agile spiders manage to escape.

The female weaves a cocoon from a web and lays up to 800 amber eggs in it. At first she wears the cocoon on herself, then she finds a secret place and carefully hides it. Usually after this she dies. The cocoon perfectly protects future offspring from cold and rain. Having overwintered under reliable protection, small crosses appear in the spring, which do not immediately leave the mother’s cocoon. Only after getting stronger, the spiders get out of it and crawl away in different directions.

Danger in Crimea: spiders to avoid

Of course, the most dangerous spider inhabiting the Crimean lands is the karakurt. As it became known, meetings with them very rarely end peacefully!

In second position in terms of danger in Crimea is . It is also called a centipede. This animal is not at all interested in humans as prey, but incidents of bites do exist. It is not difficult to avoid encounters with centipedes, since they are mainly nocturnal. When biting, the centipede injects a special substance, which is an analogue of gastric juice. It is this that causes inflammation, which quickly swells and begins to hurt. But these symptoms quickly pass, and the person feels as before.

You should be afraid of the ones that live on the southern coast of Crimea. Like centipedes, they are active at night. They differ from other arthropods in their high speed of movement. They bite humans only during defense; their bites are non-venomous. But you also need to be wary of salpugs: during a bite, the animal suffers a lot of infection, which can lead to serious suppuration of the wound. The bite must be sucked out without swallowing infected saliva. After this, it is imperative to clean the wound with an antiseptic and systematically smear it with a gel containing an antibiotic.

Argiope is another representative of arthropods that can cause harm to humans. The yellow-black coloration and body length up to 1.5 cm emphasize their resemblance to wasps. These spiders are interesting because the females eat the males. Argiope bites are quite dangerous for humans, since an allergic reaction can provoke severe forms of abscesses, and in rare cases, even tissue necrosis.

Hi all.

With the onset of the May holidays, many of us will be drawn to nature. Someone has planned a hike, someone has planned a picnic, and someone has decided to just take a walk on the young green grass.

The desire is understandable and pleasant. Spring is the time of blossoming of nature, riot of herbs, fragrant smells, triumph of sounds and general uplifting of mood.

It is now much more common to see animals, hear birds singing, and notice insects hurrying about their business.

Along with beautiful butterflies and nimble beetles, in some places less pleasant representatives of this large family lie in wait for their prey: spiders, scorpions, etc.

Some of them, although they do not feed on people, can add problems to us if we are careless or careless. Let's start getting acquainted with them with less dangerous insects, and gradually get to the more dangerous ones. Let's start getting acquainted with them with less dangerous insects, and gradually get to the more dangerous ones

Let's start getting acquainted with them with less dangerous insects, and gradually get to the more dangerous ones.

By the way, in the text of the article there will be a question, by answering which you can earn a little money

There is probably not a person who is not familiar with these annoying insects. They strive to attach themselves to the most vulnerable parts of the body, piercingly squealing.

Everyone knows that mosquitoes are bloodsuckers, but not many people know that mosquitoes feed not only on blood. They prefer flower nectar and plant juices. Female mosquitoes need blood in order to produce offspring, and not at all out of harm.

Males are quite happy with plant foods.

Mosquitoes live in shaded places, holes, lowlands, and near water sources.

And now the promised question: what dangerous insect of Crimea, not listed in the article, is compared with a famous vegetable?

The one who guesses the prize is 50 WMR.

Go for it.

And I'm done for today.

May you never encounter the dangerous insects we learned about today.

And a little video for “snack”

How to protect yourself while hiking. Simple rules

Be especially careful in the evening and at night, when arthropods are most active. Try to walk in closed shoes. When collecting wood for a fire, first turn over branches or sticks with your feet to make sure that no one is under them.

Boots.

Try not to leave your boots outside the tent overnight.
If you don't feel comfortable with them in your tent, hang them from a tree or tuck a sock into the top. Be sure to shake them out in the morning. Tent.
Treat the entrance to the tent with repellent.
At any time of the day, the entrance to the tent must be closed with a zipper. Sleeping bag.
Before going to bed, shake out your sleeping bag.
Cloth.
If clothes have been left outside for some time, it is also a good idea to shake them out.
Medicines.
Carry with you in case of an allergic reaction from a bite.

Now you know about all the potentially dangerous inhabitants of Crimea

If reasonable precautions are taken, the risk of threat to life and health is minimal

Do not forget that the most poisonous on the Crimean peninsula is karakurt, the poison of which is several times stronger than the poison of a rattlesnake. The bite of other arachnids in Crimea is not fatal and does not pose a serious danger to a healthy person, but allergy sufferers, children and people with weakened immune systems remain at risk.

Emergency care for snake bites and farts. Video from Dr. Komarovsky

The unique climate and landscape of the Crimean peninsula has always attracted tourists. Some people prefer to relax in comfortable rooms and only occasionally go on walks to explore the surrounding area. Others, like the heroes of the film “Three Plus Two,” blithely climb away from civilization and enjoy sandy beaches, mountain landscapes or steppe expanses around the clock. However, not everyone knows that the spiders of Crimea can pose a serious threat to humans and getting to know them can end very badly, even leading to death.

What insects live in Kuban

The Krasnodar region is rich in fauna. Many different insects live there. Some representatives are dangerous. The table shows the main individuals.

These are the main poisonous representatives of the Krasnodar region.

The most poisonous spiders in the world

There are many poisonous arachnids. The most dangerous spider in Russia is the karakurt. He lives in the south of the country. But during abnormal heat, karakurt migrates to other regions.

The venom of the great black widow is particularly dangerous. After a bite, a person experiences unbearable pain. If a special vaccine is not administered in time, death occurs.

Other poisonous, large spiders of Russia are Heiracanthium, Mizgir, Solfuga, Bagworm, Black Fathead, Argiope. The most dangerous spiders in the world are the black widow, the Chilean recluse, the katipo, the funnel-web, the Brazilian, and the crab-backed predator.

Brazilian spider

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the most poisonous spider in the world is the Brazilian arachnid. The main food of the predator is small insects. But it can also bite rodents, birds, and amphibians.

The arthropod clearly sees silhouettes and moves quickly. When an animal attacks, it raises its front legs upward. After a bite, a person develops a severe allergy, which can only be eliminated with the help of a special vaccine.

After a Phoneutria bite, the following symptoms occur:

• strong pain;
• dyspnea;
• weakness;
• respiratory paralysis;
• impotence in men.

The Brazilian Araneae is found in South or Central America. The animal easily gets into the pockets of clothes, houses, shoes, cars or bags. But Phoneutria attacks only in self-defense.

funnel web spider

This type of large arthropod is distributed throughout the world. But more often they live in Australia.

There are more than 500 species of funnel-web spiders. Most arachnids are not dangerous. But some of them, such as the Sydney leukopachine, can be particularly poisonous. After being bitten by a predator, a child dies immediately, and an adult dies within 15 minutes.

Black Widow

The bite of Latrodectus mactans is fatal to humans. Moreover, the venom of females is more toxic than that of males.

There are 31 species of black widows, but not all of them are dangerous. Many representatives of the subtype crawl into people's homes, where they lay eggs. Females are especially aggressive and can attack humans.

After a black widow bite, severe muscle cramps and paralysis occur. The venom of these predators is much more deadly than the venom released by a rattlesnake.

Chilean hermit

Chilean poisonous spiders live in South America. Sometimes they can be found in Indiana, Nebraska, Texas, and Iowa.

This is the biggest hermit. Arachnids are brown in color. Its legs and belly are covered with short hair. The predator has 6 pairs of eyes.

The Chilean hermit bites painfully. The insect's venom paralyzes internal organs and the nervous system. The poison also provokes hemolytic anemia, which leads to renal dysfunction.

Redback spider

One of the most beautiful, large, but also poisonous arthropods is the red-backed spider. Arachnologists know where the predator lives: the homeland of the webworm is Australia.

The venom of the redback arthropod is neurotoxic. After its bite, paralysis occurs. Without timely medical care, a person dies.

The Australian widow is distinguished by a black round belly, on which there is a red longitudinal stripe.

Katipo

Katipo are small, poisonous spiders. Their belly is no larger than a pea.

Latrodectus katipo is black in color. The animal has light markings on the front of its abdomen and bright red stripes along the border. At the bottom of the abdomen is a red symbol resembling an hourglass.

Katipo lives in New Zealand, hiding under logs. The poisonous spider feeds mainly on beetles.

Katipo very rarely bite and do so only for self-defense.

If its poison enters the human body, the following symptoms will appear:

1. abdominal cramps;
2. fever;
3. pain;
4. weakness;
5. hyperhidrosis.

Dangerous places, areas and objects of Crimea

According to rescuers, the most dangerous places on the peninsula in 2016 were:

• Mount Ayu-Dag (near Partenit),
• Demerdzhi massif (between the Angarsk pass and Alushta),
• Grand Canyon (Crimean Mountains, Bakhchisarai region).

The most injuries were recorded in these places, as the most difficult tourist routes are located here.

As for objects, UNESCO named the Chersonese-Tavrichesky Museum-Reserve (Sevastopol) the most dangerous on the peninsula.

Phalanx spider or salpuga, habitats. Solpuga in Crimea. Salpuga bites.

Phalanx or salpuga are representatives of arachnids. Outwardly, they are very similar to spiders, but they are not. Salpugs are very interesting insects; their lifestyle combines primitive features and signs of high development. The body of the salpuga is brown-yellow or light brown, 5-7 cm long. The entire phalanx is covered with long hairs. In front there are tentacles-pedipalps, very similar to limbs and performing their function.

Solpuga or phalanx.

Salpugs prefer desert, hot and dry climates, and only a few are found in the loess zone. Phalanges are nocturnal. During the day they hide in the burrows of rodents and other animals; if there is nothing suitable nearby, they can dig it themselves. Most often, salpugs change their home every night, but some can use the same hole for a long time. Although the phalanx is a nocturnal animal, it is very easy to meet it! It is enough to light a big fire and they will come running towards the light.

Phalanxes are predatory animals. They are distinguished by their rare gluttony and promiscuity. They attack everything they can handle and can devour. The salpuga's diet includes spiders, beetles, wood lice, scorpions, and grasshoppers. Large individuals attack lizards and young birds. Scientists conducted an experiment on the unreal gluttony of the phalanx: they placed it in a terrarium and threw all kinds of delicacies there. The phalanx pounced on the offered food and ate until its belly burst! Even after this, the salpuga continued to eat until she died.. Such a voracious creature!

Due to the structure of the body, the salpuga is very mobile and maneuverable. Some individuals can jump up to 1 meter in height and reach speeds of up to 16 km/h. Thanks to this feature, they received one of their names - “wind scorpion”, which translates as “wind scorpion”.

Salpuga (phalanx) bites.

Small individuals are not able to bite through human skin, but large phalanges can do this. Salpugs do not have glands that produce poison, and the bite itself is not poisonous, but particles of previous victims remain on their jaws, decomposing and rotting. These residues are very toxic and, if they enter an open wound from a phalanx bite, can cause both local inflammation and blood poisoning. The bite itself is very painful and unpleasant, even without consequences.

The bite site must be thoroughly treated with brilliant green or peroxide and a clean bandage or plaster applied. Under the bottom you can put a little antibiotic gel, for example levomekol. Change the bandage daily and treat the wound until complete recovery.

Solpuga - an inhabitant of the southern coast

Salpugs, also known as phalanges, are another interesting species of spider in Crimea, listed in the Red Book. They live in arid areas, mainly in the foothills of the southern part of the peninsula. They are active at night. The body length can reach 5-7 cm. The entire body and paws are covered with hairs. The forelimbs resemble tentacles. They feed on insects, small lizards, and scorpions. The structure of compound eyes, which provide instant reaction and visibility in the dark, makes salpugs excellent hunters.

Salpugs are very mobile, run well and even jump high

In South Africa, such arachnids are called barbers. This name stuck due to the developed strong front tentacles, through which they are able to deprive a person of hair on his head, as well as animal hair. Spiders line the bottom of their nests with “cut” hair.

Small individuals cannot harm humans, since not yet fully formed chelicerae are not able to bite through the skin. But a meeting with an adult spider does not bode well. Their chelicerae are equipped with teeth and their bites are very painful. And although the spider does not inject venom when it bites, its jaws retain the remains of previous victims, which can penetrate the wound and cause rotting. It is noteworthy that salpugs are not afraid of people and can easily join gatherings near the fire.

Widespread species of spiders in Russia

Russian spiders are a species native to the Holarctic region and are therefore found in many regions of the northern hemisphere. Some of them have adapted to live next to humans. Many “help” gardeners clean the garden from pests, which is why they are considered country spiders.

Horses

Among the most widespread families are jumping spiders. Representatives of the family are found throughout the country. These small spiders do not pose a danger to humans. But they can scare you if they jump from an ambush. But horses prefer not to contact people. If an animal jumps out, it means something scared it. He doesn't show aggression.

Hunters

Huntsman spiders or pisaurids can be considered the second most numerous. These species belong to the forest spiders, choosing shady, damp places to live. The edge hunter can settle in a clearing or forest edge. This species prefers to ambush on grass and bushes. The rest settle near bodies of water and often wait for prey, lowering their front paws into the water.

Spiders of Russia

Funnel

This group got its name from the fact that it makes nests in the form of a spider's funnel. It includes both the harmless house spider and the rather dangerous southern cellar spider. Depending on the species, funnel-web spiders make nests:

• in the ground;
• in the forest floor;
• under stones;
• at the base of the bushes;
• in the basements of houses and woodpiles.

Orb weavers

Representatives of orb weavers are often called garden spiders. Of these, the most common spiders are cross spiders. They are often classified as garden animals, as they like to settle in gardens and parks. These spiders are widespread in central Russia and the Far East, in the south and north up to the Arctic Circle.

Synanthropic species

One of the species of the harvester family has actually become a house spider. It is no longer possible to find it in natural conditions. Due to its tendency to coexist with humanity, the haymaker spider is the most common species today. Often he travels with a person.