First case of violin spider bite in the Basque Country

In Santurtzi in 2022, a 42-year-old man was bitten at home by a violin spider. This spider does not attack often, but when it feels threatened, it can bite, and medical advice and special medication are required.

Of the 50,000 species, the violin spider, also known as the angled spider, is not one of the most popular in the animal kingdom. This breed stands out for its speed, its preference for nighttime, and the distance it prefers to keep from people. Except when they feel threatened, at which point their bite can be dangerous to their health.

According to El CorreoA 42-year-old man was stung at home between May and September 2022 in a Spanish daily newspaper. The exact number of bites is unknown, but it is suspected that he was bitten at least three times.

The man had to go to hospital because he developed a necrotic infection, which is common with spider bites. The victim was treated with special antibiotics and the wound was drained to remove the venom.

Biologist Claudia Isabel Navarro Rodriguez explained to Unam Global how to identify this animal. The body is brown with reddish tones, has a violin-shaped part, which turned out to be relevant when naming the species. It usually measures between one and three centimeters, and is a type of spider with six eyes.

The biologist stressed that this species of insect “has a timid nature, avoids contact with people and, ultimately, can harm itself while fleeing human presence.”

After a bite, doctors recommend washing the wound with soap and water and contacting a specialist. The bite area usually becomes painful, swollen and red. In extreme cases, it can cause fever, nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting.