Is the Mizgir spider dangerous and what does it feed on? South Russian tarantula, or Mizgir

Let's continue the topic terrible creatures, approaching Tambov. Admit it, most of you think that tarantula is a terrible poisonous spider that lives somewhere far in the south, in the same place where cobra, karakurt and scorpio, and to middle lane Has nothing to do with Russia. I thought something like this, until one fine day I suddenly became an amateur spider-keeper. It all started with a call from my mother from the village.

Mama told about a large and scary spider she caught in the garden, which she selflessly put in a jar. Well, big scary spiders are rare here, so I had to go to the village and look at the monster with my own eyes.

And, lo and behold! In the jar, staring at me with eight different-sized beady eyes, the tarantula was sitting! Moreover, it is not small, the measurement showed a body length of 25 mm. The spider was quickly identified as a South Russian tarantula.

South Russian tarantula with baby (Lycosa singoriensis)

And on the abdomen big spider Another one sat quietly - a small one, which gave the spider away as a female. But let's first find out who he is...

South Russian Tarantula: photo, video, description

Belongs to the family of wolf spiders (Lycosidae). Place in classification (Wikipedia):

• Class: Arachnids(Arachnida)
• Squad: Spiders(Aranei)
• Suborder: Araneomorphicspiders(Araneomorphae)
• Family: Wolf spiders(Lycosidae)
• Genus: Tarantulas(Lycosa)
• View: South Russian tarantula (Lycosa singoriensis)

Spider, 25-30 mm in size. Females are larger than males. Covered with thick hairs. The color is brown-red above, dark, almost black below.

The eyes are located on the “crown” of the cephalothorax in three rows. The bottom one has four small eyes, the second one has two large eyes directed forward, the third one has two large eyes on the sides. In total, this optical system gives the tarantula a very good review, perhaps even all 360 degrees.

Vision is very well developed, because it is one of the spider’s main hunting tools.

The senses of smell, touch, hearing and taste are provided by the sensitive hairs on the spider's legs.

And these sense organs make the tarantula a terrible predator, as I was convinced of during the observation process.

The lifespan of a female South Russian tarantula is more than two years, a male is slightly less.

You can get some idea about the pet from this video:

Distribution area of ​​the South Russian tarantula

Wikipedia tells us that the spider is common in Central Asia, Siberia and Ukraine, and also found in Belarus. That is, here in Tambov, in theory, it cannot exist. But our spider obviously didn't read Wikipedia. One might assume that the tarantula escaped from the terrarium, but several other people reported encounters with tarantulas, so this is not an isolated phenomenon. In addition, few people keep tarantulas in captivity, because... There are more interesting and less biting species of exotic spiders.

Gentlemen, alarmists, take note. Tarantulas are coming to our area along with, and.

Tarantula lifestyle

The South Russian tarantula lives in burrows up to 40 cm deep. The walls of the burrow are intertwined with cobwebs, by the vibration of which the spider senses what is happening on the surface. It also reacts to the shadow of an insect blocking the entrance to the hole. In this regard, there is widely known method luring a tarantula out of a hole using a plasticine ball on a string.

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Tarantulas mate in late summer. An adult spider hibernates, buried in a hole. In spring or early summer, the female lays eggs in a cocoon. She initially carries the newly born small spiders on herself, then crawls to the surface and, moving around the hole in a circle of a large radius, scatters the offspring.

How poisonous is a tarantula bite?

Tarantula bite for humans harmless, but very unpleasant (various sources compare the sensation to the bites of stinging insects, even a hornet). The tarantula is non-aggressive and does not consider humans prey until it is provoked. But, of course, no one canceled the possibility of accidentally stepping on it, lying down, or sitting down.

South Russian tarantula: keeping in captivity, personal experience

The spider was brought from the village and planted in a small (35*20*25 cm) aquarium. I poured a 3-5 cm layer of soil at the bottom and placed a lid from a jar as a pool.

According to recommendations on the Internet, the tarantula needs to be sprinkled more land, so that he could dig holes, but for now I limited myself to this layer, because... an aquarium half covered with soil will be too heavy, and in this case this is important.

At first, the tarantula sat motionless, and with all its appearance made it clear that nothing in this world could excite it. Even three ground beetles released into the aquarium did not make any impression on him... as long as the light was on.

Without waiting for anything interesting, I went to bed. A few minutes later there were sounds of some kind of fuss and even knocks on the glass. I jumped up and shined a flashlight... The spider was sitting in the same place, however, in its chelicerae a ground beetle was now helplessly moving its legs.

By morning, the position of the spider had not changed, but part of the soil in the aquarium was now covered with a layer of cobwebs, and only sucked shells remained of two more ground beetles.

But the tarantula's hunting for flying food is especially impressive. Actually, I think that in keeping such a spider, feeding is the most interesting and exciting spectacle. The speed with which the tarantula grabs its prey never ceases to amaze me.

What happened to the little tarantula?

I took the little spider away from its mother and put it in a container from soy sauce. By the way, these containers are extremely convenient for keeping and holding various kinds of small animals.

The baby is not far from his mother in terms of agility and insatiability. He bravely rushed at mosquitoes noticeably larger than himself, and in a split second crushed them into wet lumps with legs and wings sticking out of them. In addition to mosquitoes, moths were also tested. In general, there was plenty of food, and in two days the little tarantula grew a noticeable abdomen.

What's next?

Thus, unexpectedly, I became a tarantula breeder, and this occupation fascinated me very much. In addition to two tarantulas, there is another pink spider in my arachnaria - . But this.

I will post about new events in the spider’s life here. Subscribe to site news!

Having met in nature huge spider, we most often get scared and worry about the consequences of his bite. One of these inhabitants of forests, fields and even garden plots is the South Russian tarantula. Why is it dangerous for humans and what preventative measures should be taken when going to the spider’s usual habitats?

South Russian tarantula

The South Russian tarantula (Lycosa singoriensis) is best known to residents of the southern regions of Russia and Central Asia. The spider is found in Ukraine and Belarus. The recognition of the arachnid was brought about by its outstanding appearance. This:

• impressive size (from 2 to 3.5 cm)
• eight eyes on the head (2 large and 6 small)
• light stripe running across the back
• contrasting spot of black or gray which is called a cap

Thanks to its large eyes, the spider sees well evening time days when he traditionally goes hunting. Small ones help to navigate in pitch darkness. The South Russian tarantula is distinguished by its original behavior, which helped it gain popularity as a pet. For example, a spider can jump to a height of 15 cm, getting food, and the female takes care of her babies, allowing them to ride on her back.

The home of the steppe tarantula is a hole up to half a meter deep, the walls of which are covered with cobwebs. Unlike most other arachnids, the tarantula does not weave hunting webs. It simply waits for potential prey to be in close proximity and catches the prey by grabbing it with its front paws. At this moment, the tarantula pierces the insect's body with chelicerae and injects paralyzing poison, after which it begins to eat.

South Russian tarantulas destroy insects, including pests of gardens and vegetable gardens. However, there are also some disadvantages. The spider is poisonous. And despite the fact that the amount of poison received from a bite is not critical, you need to protect yourself so as not to cause health problems while traveling out of town or when processing your own garden plot.

Bite danger to humans

The usual menu of the South Russian tarantula includes: caterpillars, ground beetles, beetles, cockroaches, crickets and mole crickets. The spider is not interested in humans as victims. And he attacks only when he feels his own life is in danger and is forced to defend himself using the only possible method.

Bites poisonous spider are not considered fatal. The concentration of poison is not sufficient to cause serious harm to an adult. At the site of a tarantula bite, which can be compared in sensations to contact with a hornet:

• redness, swelling occurs, and a strong burning sensation appears;
• 2 punctures through which the spider injected poison are clearly visible;
• the pain lasts from several hours to a day, sometimes accompanied by fever;
• the skin at the site of the bite acquires a yellow tint, which disappears within a maximum of 2 months.

Allergy sufferers tolerate bites quite seriously, up to anaphylactic shock. Among the signs that indicate an allergy to spider venom and require immediate attention to a medical facility:

• the appearance of a rash and blisters around the bite site;
• dizziness;
• drowsiness;
• weakness;
• temperature rise to critical levels;
• increased heart rate;
• nausea, vomiting;
• numbness of the limbs.

If your health condition worsens, you should not hesitate to visit a doctor. If a tarantula has bitten a child, seeking medical help is mandatory.

What to do if you are bitten

If a tarantula does bite a person, it is important to quickly take measures that will prevent infection of the wound and allow skin recover in as soon as possible. Having realized that a bite has occurred, you should:

1. Treat the bite site with any antiseptic (preferably after washing with soap and water). For these purposes, you can use hydrogen peroxide, alcohol and even vodka.
2. Apply a cooling compress to relieve pain.
3. Take an antihistamine to prevent complications allergic reaction caused by a bite.
4. You can apply an anti-inflammatory ointment or antibiotic to the skin, for example, Levomekol or Levomycytin.
5. A person should drink plenty of fluids. This will activate the removal of poison from the body.
6. It is important to hold the bitten limb up for the first time.

The tarantula's blood contains a substance that neutralizes the poison. It is enough to crush the arachnid and smear its blood on the bite site. The Italians, who gave the tarantula a sonorous name, in the past fought against spider bites with active dances. Active movements have the meaning of activating blood movement and saturating it with oxygen. It is not known whether it helped this method from poison, but this one original method gave the world the popular dance "Tarantella".

In Central Asia, the consequences of the bite of any poisonous spider are dealt with in a simple way at hand. It is enough to burn the area with a match. This method, based on high temperature, quickly destroys the poison and eliminates the unpleasant consequences of an encounter with a tarantula.

Prevention

Without a threat to its own life, the South Russian tarantula never attacks a person. A spider bites only if it senses danger to itself and is simply forced to defend itself. It is important to take available preventive measures that will help avoid close contact with a poisonous arachnid:

• You should not make sudden movements, for example, trying to kill a tarantula with a stick. The spider is distinguished not only by its reaction speed, but also by its jumping ability. Frightened, he can attack a person.
• If an encounter with a spider occurred on a personal plot, you should take it away from your home or destroy it using drugs to eliminate harmful insects.
• When going outdoors, you need to take antihistamines and wound disinfectants with you. This will help cope with bites not only from spiders, but also from other insects.
• In the forest, before setting up a tent or having a picnic, you should inspect the area and, if tarantulas are found, move to another place.
• In the places where they live poisonous insects, you cannot walk barefoot or sleep on bare ground during the night.
• After going outdoors, all things must be thoroughly shaken out. This will protect not only from tarantulas, but also from ticks.

The South Russian tarantula is an excellent fighter against harmful insects. It's important to respect him useful qualities and not destroy unnecessarily. By taking simple preventative measures and knowing how to behave when in contact with a spider, you can not be afraid of bites and safely relax in nature.

The South Russian tarantula belongs to wolf spiders (Lycosidae) and is one of the most large spiders, living in Russia. Its body dimensions range from 2.5 to 3 cm (excluding the length of the paws), while females are always larger than males. Spiders of this genus (Lycosa) are characterized by digging holes, which are lined with cobwebs from the inside. The outside of the hole is often lined with pebbles or twigs.

Wikipedia tells us that the spider is common in Central Asia, Siberia, as well as in Saratov and Astrakhan regions, in Ukraine and Belarus. But, as is known, in lately various insects, which were previously found only in the southern regions of our mother Russia, began to expand their range to the north. There is no longer anything surprising about flying paths in the park, or among the grass. And also in tarantulas crawling in gardens.

The first time I saw this animal on the territory of Mordovia was in 2011 (Atyashevsky district, Chebudasy village). About three years ago, they brought me a crushed spider and said that they found it in their garden (and this was within the boundaries of my village). Once they sent a photo with him. And now, a neighbor brought me a live spider in a jar. Those. This is the 4th reliable find. He quite successfully spent the night with me in the same jar, crushing two horseflies and weaving a web around the entire bottom of his temporary home. And on the weekend, we went with him to a photo shoot and at the same time look for a place where he could be released.

As soon as the spider felt the ground under its feet, it rushed forward like an Arabian trotter. I was even amazed by his agility. And to all attempts to stop him at least a little, he responded with such a pose. apparently expressing his dissatisfaction. And a couple more times he tried to jump on the palm, apparently in an attempt to bite it. After about half an hour, the spider calmed down and could be safely photographed. Moreover, during the demonstration of this protective pose, I clearly saw the difference between araneomorphic and migalomorphic spiders. Before this, I had encountered this, probably only in lectures on invertebrates.

In general, for those who are not in the know, a little information on the taxonomy of spiders. All spiders are divided into two groups (scientifically into suborders) - araneomorphae (Araneomorphae) and mygalomorphae (Mygalomorphae). They differ from each other in the way the chelicerae are connected. Of course, I understand that when a spider bites, I don’t care how its chelicerae close... but still. In the first, when bitten, they close towards each other (this is clearly visible in the photo), and in the second, they close parallel to each other (like fangs in animals, for example, in the same vipers).

The literature says that a tarantula bite is not fatal, but is unpleasant - the bite site swells, hurts and itches. Moreover discomfort don't go away in one day. They also write that its name is connected with the bite. Most researchers believe that its origins go back to the Renaissance. At that time, many convulsive seizures occurring in humans were associated with the bites of spiders, which lived in large numbers in the vicinity of Italian cities, including in the city of Taranto in southern Italy, where it was noted greatest number bitten. It was thanks to this city that the spiders got their name. It is noteworthy that in order to cure a disease, medieval doctors prescribed dancing a special dance to exhaustion - the tarantella.

Well, in conclusion, a couple of photos of some tarantula from Kazakhstan. It’s difficult to say exactly what species this is, since several species live there. But according to photographs from the Internet, it looks like a large tarantula (Lycosa praegrandis).

The incredibly diverse world of nature often makes us admire those amazing creatures with which it is filled. But there are also creatures that frighten and terrify most people. Quite frequent encounters between the Slavs and the South Russian tarantula raise many questions about its danger to humans. And there are those who have love and respect for this species of living beings and want to take it into their home as a pet. All this will be discussed in this article.

Appearance, color and size

Contrary to popular belief that tarantulas have very serious, impressive dimensions, the South Russian subspecies varies its parameters from 2.5 to 3 centimeters in length. The color of this arachnid varies in the range of gray, less often brownish and red tones with thick patches of black.

It has a standard set of limbs of 8 paws, each of which has 6 joints.

If we talk about the eyes, they are located as follows:

• two small eyes above each pedipalp (mandible);
• two big eyes make up middle row and are located above the four lower ocelli;
• two medium-sized eyes are located on the sides slightly above the two large ones.

Thus, the South Russian tarantula has eight eyes, which help it navigate quite well in space and distinguish potential prey at a distance of up to 30 centimeters in front of it.

The body of this spider is covered with a rather thick undercoat, above which longer hairs-antennas rise, allowing them to detect the slightest vibrations. earth's surface and the breeze. Thanks to such hairs, spiders orient themselves in space much better than with the help of eight eyes.

Did you know? The most big spiders In the world, goliath tarantulas are considered, whose name is fully justified by their paw span of 28 centimeters. Moreover, such a spider can weigh about 200 grams.

Where does it live?

The habitat of this arachnid creature is quite extensive and occupies the lion's share of Central and Asia Minor, the southern regions Russian Federation, the entire territory of Ukraine and the southern tip of Belarus, where this subspecies was first discovered in 2008.
Due to the fact that the South Russian tarantula loves drought and heat, it chooses places to live based on its preferences. It is characterized by steppe, semi-desert and desert climate. It can be found in fields, hills, summer cottages and rural areas.

Its burrows are especially often encountered during the potato harvest, because the depth of the burrows is from 30 to 40 centimeters, which is approximately equal to the planting depth of this tuberous plant.

How to hunt and what to eat

The South Russian tarantula prefers to use waiting tactics when hunting. He hides in his deep hole and sits there until the entrance to his home is obscured by the shadow of some unlucky insect, like a beetle.

Did you know?Spiders have amazing shell properties that can withstand nuclear explosion. This is despite the fact that they do not have skeletons, but only a hard shell called an exoskeleton.

It is to changes in light and shadow that the animal’s eight eyes react, transmitting an immediate signal to action, forcing the spider to literally shoot out of the hole like a cannonball and in the blink of an eye deliver a fatal blow to the victim with the help of its poisonous chilicera.

Continuing to hold the victim with its front paws, the spider waits until it stops trying to escape, which means the death of the insect and the green light for the start of the meal.
The usual diet of the South Russian tarantula includes:

• beetles;
• grasshoppers;
• caterpillars;
• cockroaches;
• slugs;
• ground beetles;
• mole cricket;
• other arachnids;
• small lizards.

Did you know? In 2001 300 spiders have been in space. In unusual conditions for them, they were busy with their usual business - weaving a web. However, the web turned out to be unusual: not flat, but three-dimensional.

Reproduction and offspring

Mating of individuals of the South Russian tarantula begins at the end summer period. As a rule, at the end of mating, the males die, and the female climbs into her hole and significantly deepens it in order to prepare for wintering.

Further, when a period of serious frosts and cold weather approaches, the female seals the entrance to the hole with a fairly dense layer of earth. The spider stays in such a shelter all winter, and in the spring it opens its hole and climbs to the surface.
Next, she lays eggs and seals them in a cocoon of cobwebs, which from now on she will carry with her everywhere to protect and protect the offspring. Over time, the little spiderlings will be born, after which they climb onto the back and abdomen of the mother and remain with her until they grow up.

When the spiderlings become sufficiently independent, the spider cleans them off with her hind legs and a new brood of spiders spreads around the surrounding area, starting to build burrows with gradual deepening as the size of the spiders increases.

Poisonous or not

Due to the rather wide range of this species of arachnids, as well as the fact of their gradual movement to the north, caused by global warming, many people who encounter them are interested in the question of the poisonousness and danger of this type of spider for human life.

We hasten to reassure you, the bite of a South Russian tarantula is not capable of killing a person. To get lethal dose the poison will require about 10-12 bites, but this is basically unrealistic in nature, because tarantulas are solitary and cannot be found in such numbers.
The bite of the South Russian tarantula is quite unpleasant, comparable to the bites of bees, wasps, and hornets. The bite site will hurt, sometimes swelling and swelling are possible, sometimes itching and redness appear. Rarely, but still there are symptoms such as: nausea, dizziness, slight rise in temperature.

Important!If you receive a bite from a South Russian tarantula, you must quickly burn the bite site with a match, which will result in thermal decomposition of the poison and its neutralization. To consolidate the effect, the wound should be treated with alcohol or any other disinfectant, and also take an antiallergic drug to minimize the possibility of the poison affecting the body(even what could remain after cauterization).

How to get rid of the site

For people who do not want to share their property with such dangerous and unpleasant-looking creatures, we have selected several of the most effective methods that allow you to cope with an uninvited guest:

• use horse chestnuts. If you crush such fruits into a pulp and then scatter them over the area, their smell will repel insects, including spiders, for a long time;
• plant a few nuts on your plot. All elements of this plant, including leaves, branches and fruits, are filled with tannins that repel unwanted insects such as flies, spiders, midges, mosquitoes and others;
• dried citrus fruit peels will help get rid of spiders in the house;
• planting peppermint in the garden It will also effectively help expel arachnids from the area.

And for those who not only do not want to kill and get rid of their spider neighbors, but also agree to accept one or more of them in their home, we will tell you about the basic rules for caring for and keeping the South Russian tarantula at home.

Important!The “killer” method of fighting spiders is spraying vinegar. This liquid is very acidic and can literally burn an insect.

Housing

Home improvement will be one of the main issues for those who plan to acquire a South Russian tarantula. First of all, you should understand that this type of arachnid is quite aggressive, and therefore, in attempts to protect its habitat, it will bite, fight, and scratch.

At the same time, it is capable of jumping to a height of up to 15 centimeters, which means that your hands, trying to replace the water in the drinking bowl or throw food, will run into constant attacks of the tarantula, accompanied by painful bites.
The main attributes for the home of such an arachnid will be:

• high vertical terrarium with a tightly closing lid to prevent your pet from accidentally jumping over the edge. The dimensions of the terrarium must be at least three times larger than the parameters of the spider itself, so that it has room to turn around;
• substrate thickness is 30 centimeters. As a substrate, you can use earth, clay, a mixture of these materials, as well as some other fillers from specialized stores;
• you will also need a drinking bowl with fresh water, which will have to be periodically removed from the terrarium to maintain the humidity balance;
• It is recommended to install a thermometer and a humidity sensor to regulate these indicators on time;
• if the terrarium becomes cooler than +20 degrees, then it will need to be heated using a regular incandescent lamp to the desired level;
• if the humidity level exceeds 70%, then you should ventilate the spider’s home and remove the drinking bowl from there;
• V winter time It is recommended to additionally illuminate the terrarium so that daytime and nighttime are approximately equal, that is, daylight hours will be 12 hours.

International scientific name

Lycosa singoriensis Laxmann, 1770

Taxonomy on Wikispecies

Images on Wikimedia Commons

ITIS NCBI EOL

Hunt and hole

It digs vertical holes up to 30-40 cm deep, lined with cobwebs, and when an insect appears near the hole, it quickly jumps out of the hole and catches it. The spider also catches and kills insects that may accidentally crawl into its hole. As a rule, the signal for a tarantula to attack is the shadow of an insect running across the entrance to the hole, and the spider is sensitive to what is happening near the surface, including the movement of passing insects, which also serves as a reason for the attack. By tying a plasticine ball or button to a thread and shaking it in front of the hole, you can lure the tarantula out. At night, the spider becomes more active and leaves the shelter a short distance and hunts for insects. The prey of a tarantula is any insect that comes into view or comes within throwing distance (an example of predation on other, smaller species of spiders is not uncommon). Some specimens can climb into residential buildings, especially in small ones. populated areas.

Reproduction

Mating occurs at the end of summer. Having discovered a female, the male begins to vibrate his abdomen and actively move his front legs. These actions allow the female to correctly determine the type of male. If the female is ready to mate, she begins to repeat his movements. After mating, the tarantula must quickly leave, otherwise the excited female may eat her partner.

Next, she forms a cocoon from the web with the laid eggs, which she attaches to her body, with this the spider walks until the tarantulas begin to move inside the cocoon. Then she gnaws through the cocoon and helps them crawl out. Immediately after birth, the cubs climb onto their mother and arrange themselves there in several layers.

For the winter, the spider deepens the hole and clogs the entrance with earth. It can lead an active lifestyle in winter if it gets into a heated room near human habitation. The fertilized female hibernates in her burrow for the winter until spring. In spring, it crawls to the surface and exposes its abdomen to the sun. This promotes the formation of eggs in the tarantula's body. When the eggs mature, the female weaves a web where she lays her eggs. The woven cocoon never leaves the attention of the female and, for convenience, is attached to the abdomen by arachnoid glands. When there is a clear threat to the cocoon, the female fiercely clings to it with her chelicerae and it is no longer possible to take the cocoon away. The small spiderlings that appear stick to the female for the first time; gradually they leave her and settle around the area. A female can give birth to up to 50 cubs.

Lifespan of a spider natural environment 2 years. In captivity, the spider lives for a short time more than a year(in the absence of seasonal “winter” suspended animation, which inhibits the development of the spider).

Virulence

The poison of the South Russian tarantula lies in the glands located in the cephalothorax; their ducts open at the top of the claw-shaped segments of the chelicerae, with which spiders pierce the cuticle of their prey in order to inject poison and digestive enzymes, and then suck out the internal contents of the victim. Its bite for humans is comparable in pain to a hornet sting and only causes local swelling. The poison does not cause death in large animals and humans due to its weak activity and low concentration of protein toxins that paralyze nervous system. After a bite, a person experiences swelling and pain in the bitten area, sometimes the skin becomes yellow and remains like this for about two months.

Notes

Sources

• Practitioner's Directory
• Tropical Diseases, Vol. 4 (1996)