Can Spiders Cause Paralysis?
WouterSpiders can paralyze their prey, but only if the venom is effective. It’s not uncommon to see spiders add paralytic chemicals to their webs, but this is a bit far-fetched.
The venom of some species is neurotoxic. When injected, the venom may cause pain and swelling, but it also destroys cells and impairs cell function.
However, spiders can cause a serious allergic reaction, such as a stroke, in some people. This type of allergic reaction is known as anaphylaxis. People who experience anaphylaxis should call triple zero (000) and seek emergency medical care immediately.
Researchers have shown that spiders can add a neurotoxin to their webs, but they do not know whether spiders can cause paralysis. If the venom can produce this effect, it’s possible that it can be used to target larger insects. Using this technique, spiders can kill their prey.
To study how the paralytic effects of spider venoms differ among spiders, researchers collected and analyzed spiders. They found that the effectiveness of venom on preferred prey is higher in specialized predators than in generalists.
After collecting spiders in the field, researchers split the venom into two fractions. The first fraction contained a large protein and the other was composed of smaller peptides. Both venom fractions were then tested for their paralytic effect on ants and crickets.
The effectiveness of the venom was estimated using model estimates. These models assumed that the venom dose would have a variable latency, depending on the type of prey it was injected.
