In a move that’s sure to send arachophobes running for cover, a man decided to let a Black Widow spider bite him – on purpose.
Jack Schonhoff took to his YouTube channel in an attempt to show some of the misconceptions around the infamous arachnid.
This is typical of his channel which sees the brave – or foolhardy depending you ask – Jack having some close encounters with very unpleasant bugs.
It’s one thing to just take a look at them and quite another to purposefully allow them to bite or sting you.
Jacks World of Wildlife/YouTube
But while the Black Widow has a formidable reputation, a small proportion of people who are bitten actually die as a direct result – with only 4 in 8 people dying from a black widow spider bite each year, according to Adam’s Pests.
Those who are so unfortunate tend to be people who are already immunocompromised or who have an allergic reaction to the venom, the site goes on to explain.
But if you are thinking ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ then please stop, because that is very wrong with Black Widows as Jack showed.
Jack’s World of Wildlife/YouTube
It might be unlikely to kill you, but the Black Widow’s venom can still leave you in a huge amount of pain and discomfort, including lower back pain which Jack described as ‘the most painful it’s been in my entire life’.
Jack reported that almost two weeks went by until he felt ‘totally normal’ after the bite.
Despite being left in a lot of pain, he used the video to demonstrate that while Black Widows are certainly not to be trifled with, they’re not the death sentence their reputation suggests.
He said: “Essentially, [the bite] is terrible, it hurts, but it’s not going to kill you,” he continued.
“Again, these widow spiders a very, very, very reluctant to bite. The only way you’re realistically going to be bitten by a black widow is if you pin it to your skin.
“So if you’re leaving your shoes outside, check your shoes. If you’re leaving stuff in you’re garage that you’re putting on, check it before you put it on.
“It’s as simple as that. These spiders are not aggressive.”
That’s not to say that there aren’t spiders out there which you should absolutely avoid at all costs.
The Brazilian Wandering Spider has a highly potent venom which can easily be fatal, but fortunately there is an effective anti-venom.
Another spider you would want to avoid at all costs is the Funnelweb, native to Australia – obviously.
The aggressive Funnelweb has a bite that could kill a healthy adult within 3 days if not treated, but luckily anti-venoms are also available.
Does anyone else feel itchy all of a sudden?
