Symptoms of a Sac Spider Bite

Many people have a fear of spiders or suffer from arachnaphobia. Some spiders can deliver bites that are not only painful but can also be dangerous. The sac spider is one of these spiders. While its bite is not as severe as that of a black widow or
a brown recluse, it carries a punch of its own.

Features

• A sac spider bite is initially the same color as its venom, which is a greenish yellow. There are two puncture marks where the fangs pierce through the skin, typically 4 to 8 millimeters apart. There is no way to be sure that a sac spider is in fact the spider that a victim was bitten by unless the spider is seen right before or after the bite. A sac spider bite if often mistaken for a bite from a brown recluse spider.

Time Frame

• About four to eight hours after the sting of the bite is felt, a victim may notice swelling and pain at the site of the bite. A victim may also feel slightly ill, with a low grade fever and headache a few days after a bite. After a few days, a blister may form over the bite. After the blister breaks, an ulcerated painful wound remains in its place and may be swollen. The wound should start to heal in a little over a week, though it could take longer. In some rare cases a skin graft has been needed.

Prevention/Solution

• Antibiotics are sometimes used after a sac spider bite occurs to treat infections that indirectly result from the bite. The use, however, of an antibacterial cream after the bite is received can prevent the need for antibiotics. There is no antivenom for a sac spider bite. A tetanus shot, however, may be necessary.

Identification

• In order to clearly identify a spider bite, you need to not only see the spider that bit you but also be able to identify it. Sac spiders are typically a quarter of an inch to half an inch in length. Their front two legs are longer than the rest of their legs. They are usually tan or light brown in color. A slightly darker line running down the middle of their abdomen may be noticeable as well.

Geography

• Sac spiders reside outdoors primarily, although it isn't unheard of for them to find their way inside buildings. When indoors, a sac spider will usually hang out on the ceiling or a wall, only dropping to the floor to find a place to hide from perceived threats. This type of spider can be found all over the world.