Spiders abroad and while traveling: are they dangerous, where do you encounter them, where can you see them?

What are spiders?

A spider is an animal belonging to the arthropods. Officially, it is not an insect, as it has eight legs (insects have six) with a body that consists of two parts.
Most spiders are small and, including legs, have a length of about one centimeter. The smallest spider species do not grow longer than one millimeter, and the largest species can be more than 25 centimeters wide, including legs. Spiders can also have various shapes and colors.
Spiders are small, land-dwelling predators that eat live prey. Most spiders build a web and are passive hunters; some species are more active and can go looking for their prey.

Spiders are usually harmless (even the tarantula), but they are all venomous. The spiders found in the Netherlands cannot bite through your skin, meaning the venom does not enter your bloodstream.
However, some species abroad bite right through your skin and are sometimes significantly more venomous than Dutch spiders.
Three of the most notorious dangerous spiders are the black widow (which is even found in Southern Europe), the Sydney funnel-web spider, and the Brazilian wandering spider.
To be able to recognize these dangerous spiders, it is advisable to look up online (or on paper) during your travel preparations where you can find out what they look like.

Make sure you are aware of the spiders that can be found in the area where you are traveling or where you will be staying for an extended period.
Ensure you have the right shoes, gloves, and socks to protect yourself. Use gloves when working, wear closed shoes, and tuck your socks in when working in a garden or in the countryside. Be careful when picking up stones and branches. Spiders generally bite people as a defense mechanism; do not corner spiders, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
Check your shoes before you step into them, your clothes before you put them on, your sleeping bag before you get into it, and your backpack before you pack it.
If a spider is on your skin, wipe it away and do not swat it on your skin to kill it, otherwise you could still get the fangs embedded in your skin.
Move your bed away from the wall.
Keep your room or house clean.
Insect repellent containing DEET can help deter spiders.

A spider bite is usually not painful; the pain only starts 10 minutes later. First at the bite site, then over the rest of the body. A blister forms where the spider has bitten.
You can usually recognize a spider bite by swelling and red spots around the bite site, where the skin feels warm. Other symptoms may include: nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, high blood pressure, anxiety, restlessness, psychosis,

If you have been bitten by a spider and it is a superficial bite, it is best to follow these steps:
Clean the wound with water and mild soap. You can also disinfect the wound with iodine.
Reduce the swelling by cooling the skin around the bite, for example using a cold compress or a cloth with ice inside.
Apply a clean bandage. Even if the bite is superficial, monitor it for 24 hours. If the symptoms worsen, contact your GP.
In case of a bite by a dangerous spider
If you think you may have been bitten by a dangerous spider, seek immediate medical help or go directly to the hospital. The antidote sometimes needs to be administered within an hour or a few hours!
Cool the skin with ice or a compress to reduce the swelling. Move as little as possible to prevent the venom from spreading and the wound from getting larger. If you are bitten on your leg or arm, use a splint or sling and place a tight bandage over the bite without cutting off your blood circulation! Then keep your arm or leg elevated as much as possible.
You will usually be given one or more of the following medications to treat a spider bite: painkillers, antihistamines (to prevent an allergic reaction).

Black widows: large, shiny black spiders with a red circle on their abdomen. They are found mainly in North America. A widow bite feels like a small prick and causes red and swollen skin. However, within half an hour to a few hours, intense pain and stiffness begin. Black widows are not fatal to people, and there is an antidote to relieve the symptoms.

The venom of the violin spider, found in the southeastern United States, can cause wounds that can lead to the tissue around the spider bite dying. Violin spiders have long legs, are brownish in color, and have a violin-shaped pattern on their carapace. A violin spider bite stings at first, and within eight hours you will experience severe pain. An open wound quickly forms around the bite. Violin spider bites are not fatal, but they are very harmful. There is no antidote, and the bites are treated via surgery and antibiotics.

The Australian funnel-web spider is an aggressive creature that hangs out in dark and unsavory places. If you get bitten, you will quickly experience a lot of pain, start sweating, your face will twitch in all directions, and you will feel tingling. Go to the hospital as soon as possible for the antidote.

This 'wandering spider' lives in large parts of South and Central America and is sometimes also called the banana spider. This large spider from the comb-footed spider family is highly deadly and affects your nervous system. Symptoms include drooling, an irregular heartbeat, and painful erections. Go to the hospital as soon as possible for the antidote.

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