What is the difference between a misgir and a spider. South Russian tarantula: description of appearance and life cycle. What to do in case of a bite

The South Russian tarantula, or mizgir, is a poisonous large spider belonging to the family of wolf spiders. It is distributed in the south of Russia and in Central Asia. It lives in the steppe, forest-steppe and desert zones, preferring moist soils with high groundwater.

The length of its body covered with hairs can reach 35 mm. The hairs perform a tactile function. Its coloration depends on the habitat and can be light red, brown-red, black-brown and almost black.

The body of the spider consists of a small cephalothorax, connected by a thin constriction with a fairly large abdomen. On the cephalothorax there are several eyes, a pair of leg jaws (used to hold and kill prey) and a pair of leg tentacles (serving as an organ of touch). In addition, there is also an almost black “cap”, which distinguishes the South Russian tarantula from other representatives of the family. The photo shows it well.

This spider has 4 pairs of walking legs. On his abdomen are arachnoid warts. The fluid released from these warts instantly hardens in the air and turns into a spider web. It also has venom glands. Poison enters the body of the victim through the ducts in the claws of the jaws. These spiders are dioecious, and the males are smaller than the females.

The South Russian tarantula does not weave trapping nets, it uses the web to glue the walls of its dwelling, build an egg cocoon and to overcome obstacles. It is thanks to the web that the tarantula is able to get out of the glass jar. He hunts mainly at night and not far from the mink. If during the day a random insect enters the dwelling of a spider, then he does not refuse an unexpected dinner. South Russian reacts to the shadow that appeared near the mink. He thinks that it is some kind of insect, and therefore jumps out in the hope of catching it. If you tie an object to a thread and create a semblance of movement near the mink, then in this way the South Russian tarantula can be lured out of the dwelling.

Spiders mate in August. Males do not survive the winter after this procedure, they die. The copulating females and young animals remain for the winter, which climb into the deep burrows dug by them and seal the entrance to them with earth. At the beginning of the next summer, the female lays eggs, braiding them with cobwebs. She carries the resulting cocoon on herself, supporting it with her hind limbs.

The spiderlings that have emerged from the eggs hold on to their mother's abdomen for some time. The female goes to the water to get drunk and water the young. Having drunk, the spider moves through open areas and dumps spiders in different places, settling them in this way. Young individuals first look for shelters, and later they begin to dig minks.

The South Russian tarantula rarely bites people, only for the purpose of self-defense. It happens that a spider that has got into a tent (dwelling) crawls over, feeling tickling, languidly trying to remove the source that disturbs sleep. The spider can consider this movement as a threat and bite a sleeping person. Therefore, being in nature, before going to bed, it is necessary to shake out all things and tightly close the entrance to the tent.

The bite of the mizgir is quite painful, but not fatal. Causes swelling and redness. The bite site should be burned with a match as soon as possible, because the high temperature contributes to the decay of the injected poison. This method is applicable for the bites of all poisonous spiders.

Having met a huge spider in nature, we are most often frightened and worried about the consequences of its bite. One of these inhabitants of forests, fields and even household plots is the South Russian tarantula. Why is it dangerous for humans and what preventive measures should be taken when going to the usual habitats of a spider?

South Russian tarantula

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

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

Thanks to its large eyes, the spider sees well in the evening, when it traditionally goes hunting. Small ones help you 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 up to 15 cm, getting food, and the female takes care of her babies, allowing her to ride on her back.

The home for the steppe tarantula is a hole up to half a meter deep, the walls of which are covered with cobwebs. Unlike most other arachnids, tarantulas do not weave hunting nets. He simply waits for a potential prey to be in close proximity and catches prey by grabbing it with his front paws. At this moment, the tarantula sticks chelicerae into the body of the insect and injects a paralyzing poison, after which it proceeds to the meal.

South Russian tarantulas destroy insects, including pests of gardens and orchards. However, there are also some downsides. Spider is poisonous. And despite the fact that the amount of poison obtained by a bite is not critical, it is necessary to protect yourself so as not to cause health problems when traveling out of town or when processing your own personal plot.

Bite danger for humans

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

Venomous spider bites are not fatal. The concentration of poison is not sufficient to cause serious harm to an adult. At the site of a tarantula bite, which feels like contact with a hornet:

• there is redness, swelling, there is a feeling of severe burning;
• 2 punctures are clearly visible through which the spider injected poison;
• 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 in a maximum of 2 months.

Allergic people tolerate bites quite hard, up to anaphylactic shock. Among the signs that indicate an allergy to spider venom and require immediate medical attention:

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

In cases of deterioration in health, you should not hesitate to visit a doctor. If a tarantula has bitten a child, seeking medical help is mandatory.

What to do in case of a bite

If a tarantula does bite a person, it is important to quickly take measures that will prevent infection of the wound and allow the skin to recover as soon as possible. Realizing 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 cold compress to relieve pain.
3. Take an antihistamine to help prevent complications from the allergic reaction caused by the bite.
4. An anti-inflammatory ointment or an antibiotic, such as Levomekol or Levomycetin, can be applied to the skin.
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 at first, lifting it up.

The blood of a tarantula contains a substance that neutralizes the poison. It is enough to crush the arachnid and lubricate the bite site with its blood. The Italians, who gave the tarantula a sonorous name, in the past fought spider bites with active dances. In active movements, there is a meaning, which consists in activating the movement of blood and saturating it with oxygen. It is not known whether this method helped with poison, but it was this original method that gave the world the popular tarantella dance.

In Central Asia, the consequences of a bite of any poisonous spider are fought in a simple improvised way. 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 a meeting with a tarantula.

Prevention

Without a threat to their own lives, the South Russian tarantula never attacks a person. The spider bites only if it feels a 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 can 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 a meeting with a spider occurred in a personal plot, you should take it away from your home or destroy it with drugs to eliminate harmful insects.
• Going to nature, you need to take antihistamines and wound disinfectants with you. This will help to cope with the bites of not only spiders, but also other insects.
• In the forest, before setting up a tent or having a picnic, you should inspect the territory and, if you find tarantulas, move to another place.
• In places where poisonous insects live, you can not walk barefoot, sleep on bare ground during the night.
• All things after a trip to nature 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 is important to respect its beneficial qualities and not destroy it unnecessarily. Taking simple preventive measures and knowing how to behave when in contact with a spider, you can not be afraid of bites and safely relax in nature.

Lycosa singoriensis Laxmann, 1770

hunting and burrow

It digs vertical burrows up to 30-40 cm deep, lined with cobwebs; 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 can accidentally climb into its hole. As a rule, the tarantula's signal to attack is the shadow of an insect running along the entrance to the hole, and the spider is also sensitive to what is happening near the surface, including the movement of running 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 mink, you can lure the tarantula out. At night, the spider becomes more active and leaves the shelter for a short distance and hunts for insects. The prey of a tarantula is any insect that comes into view or comes within throw distance (an example of predation against other, smaller species of spiders is not uncommon). Some specimens can climb into residential buildings, especially in small settlements.

reproduction

Mating takes place at the end of summer. Having found a female, the male begins to vibrate his abdomen and actively move his front paws. These actions allow the female to correctly identify the species of the 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.

Then she forms a cocoon from a web with laid eggs, which she attaches to her body, with this the spider walks until the tarantulas begin to move inside the cocoon. She then gnaws through the cocoon and helps them crawl out. Immediately after birth, the cubs climb onto their mother and settle down 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 enters a heated room near human habitation. The fertilized female hibernates in her burrow for the winter until spring. In spring, she crawls to the surface and exposes her abdomen to the sun. This contributes to the formation of eggs in the body of the tarantula. When the eggs mature, the female spins 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. With a clear threat to the cocoon, the female violently clings to it with chelicerae and it is no longer possible to select the cocoon. The little spiders that appeared at first stay on the female, gradually they leave her and settle around the area. A female can give birth to up to 50 cubs.

The life expectancy of a spider in its natural environment is 2 years. In captivity, the spider lives a little over a year (in the absence of seasonal "winter" hibernation, 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-like segments of the chelicerae, with which the 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 a person is comparable in pain to a hornet sting and causes only local edema. The poison does not cause death in large animals and humans due to the weak activity and low concentration of protein toxins that paralyze the nervous system. After a bite, a person develops swelling and pain in the bitten place, sometimes the skin becomes yellow and remains so for about two months.

Notes

Sources

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

The class of arachnids includes a huge number of species. One of them is the South Russian tarantula, it is also called the mizgir spider.

The diversity of the natural world is so amazing that some creatures delight a person, make them touch and admire.

South Russian tarantula

Others, with their intimidating appearance, terrify at the mere sight of them.

Residents of warm steppe regions often encounter the South Russian tarantula. It is non-aggressive towards a person, while, feeling danger, it can bite.

This arthropod belongs to the poisonous wolf spiders, so you should find out how dangerous the South Russian tarantula is. Fans of furry exotic animals have a spider at home.

Mizgir belongs to araneomorphic arthropods, characterized by large size, poisonousness and remarkable appearance. For many, they cause admiration and admiration.

The South Russian tarantula spider is a large animal. In comparison with their counterparts, which are very large, its dimensions vary between 2.5-3 cm.

The color is gray, brown-brown or reddish. The body is covered with thick black spots. A distinctive feature of this species of tarantula is a black spot resembling a skullcap.

Appearance

The body is divided into two parts - the cephalothorax and a larger abdomen.

Mizgir close-up

Mizgir has eight eyes.

They are located on the cephalothorax and are arranged in this order:

• two pairs of small eyes are located above the pedipalps (mandibles);
• two large eyes are in the middle row, located above the lower small ones;
• two middle eyes are located behind the large ones, being slightly higher from them, closer to the sides.

The tarantula is well equipped with visual organs, which are arranged in such a way that it can see in all directions.

This structure allows him to perfectly navigate in the environment and detect his prey at a distance of almost 30 centimeters.

The entire body of the arthropod is covered with black-brown hairs. The brightness and intensity of the color of the coating depends on the area where the animal lives. There are spiders with a very light color, and there are almost black ones.

South Russian tarantula camouflage

It has a complete set of limbs, eight pieces, each paw has six joints. All of them are covered with a thin fluff. The bristle helps to have a better grip on the surface when moving and to feel the movement of the prey.

In addition to the photo and description of the South Russian tarantula, there is interesting information - the hairs located on the spider's paws are very sensitive.

With their help, the spider hears the approach of a person at a distance of several kilometers. Among the hairs covering the body, there are "antennas". Thanks to them, the arthropod can better navigate in space than with the help of four pairs of eyes.

Structure

The misgir spider is the largest of its kind. Male and female South Russian tarantula have different body sizes. Females are larger, their length is about 32 mm, while males reach a length of 27 mm.

South Russian tarantula on hand

Its weight depends on the size of the South Russian tarantula. The largest female weighed about 90 grams.

The abdomen is equipped with arachnoid warts. The thick liquid from the warts in the open air hardens, and turns into a strong web.

The animal has mandibles, in which ducts with poison pass. These organs are used by arthropods, both for attacking prey and for defense purposes.

Lifespan

The South Russian tarantula lives alone all his life. He is ready to tolerate the presence of another spider next to him only during the mating period.

Males in relation to females are more tolerant, while enmity occurs constantly between males.

Each arachnid builds its own vertical burrow. Its depth reaches 50 cm.

Burrow of the South Russian tarantula

In their shelter, they hide during the day, sealing the entrance with cobwebs. While inside, the mizgir monitors the movement above.

The web becomes a net for any gaping insect. The animal rarely goes too far from its house, even when it is very hungry.

Mizgiri spiders are nimble hunters. As soon as they notice the slightest movement and vibration of the web, they immediately make a lightning jump up, grab and bite the victim. The injected poison deprives the insect of any opportunity to move.

How long the mizgir spider lives also depends on gender. Males live shorter lives. The life cycle of an animal is about three years.

Spider getting ready for winter

For the winter period, they seal the entrance to their mink with cobwebs and grass, falling into hibernation. With the onset of heat, the spiders immediately come out of suspended animation and are activated.

reproduction

Mating of the South Russian tarantula takes place in the last days of summer. With special movements, the male attracts the female.

She communicates her consent with similar movements. At the end of the process, the partner may attack the male if he does not have time to leave in time.

The eggs mature and in the spring after hibernation, the mother lays them in a pre-prepared cocoon made of cobwebs.

A female South Russian tarantula drags a cocoon with eggs

When spiders are bred at home, in warmth, they may not be interrupted for hibernation, but immediately begin the process of laying eggs. In this case, the female carries a cocoon on her abdomen, while small spiders form inside it.

The female spider of the South Russian tarantula takes part in pecking the cubs. For some time, she carries offspring on her abdomen, taking care of the babies. A pair of spiders produces about 50 cubs at a time.

tarantula cubs

The mother tears off independent little spiders from herself with her paws, scattering them away from her hole. Young tarantulas make holes according to their size, each time increasing them as they grow.

Food and habitation

Grasping the victim with its paws, the mizgir waits for it to stop moving under the influence of the poison.

It is known what the South Russian tarantula eats:

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

The habitat of the South Russian tarantula occupies a vast territory. It is found in Asia Minor and Central Asia, in the south of Russia, in Ukraine, in the south of Belarus.

The arachnid prefers a hot and arid climate, therefore it inhabits regions with such temperature features.

eating tarantula

Lives in desert, semi-desert and steppe climates. Builds minks in rural and suburban areas, on hills, fields, etc.

In these regions, tarantula burrows are encountered during field work, when harvesting potatoes. The depth of the mink almost coincides with the depth of planting the potato crop.

Despite the fact that the spider settles in an arid climate, it needs the presence of a water source near its habitat.

Human danger

Mizgir is a representative of poisonous arachnids. In connection with the warming of the climate on Earth, animals are gradually beginning to populate more northern regions where they have not been seen before. In connection with these facts, people have a question - is the misgir spider dangerous or not.

The tarantula is poisonous, but not so much as to cause mortal danger to a person. The bite can be called unpleasant.

It is compared to the sting of a bee or hornet. At the site of the lesion, the skin swells, acquires a red tint, begins to hurt and itch. Symptoms go away after a few days.

Conclusion

Such creatures are an unusual object to observe.

Having met on your site, you can either drive away the mizgir, or make it your pet.

Video: South Russian Tarantula (Lycosa Singoriensis) or Mizgir - Keeping at home!

Lycosa signoliensis (Laxmann, 1770)

Distributed in the desert, steppe and forest-steppe zones. It reaches the latitude of Yelets and Kazan, and penetrates even further north along the sands of river valleys. This is a large spider, 25-35 mm long, densely covered with hairs. The coloration is variable, from brown to almost black, sometimes reddish, the bottom is lighter. He lives in a deep vertical burrow lined with cobwebs, preferring moist soil with a high standing groundwater. At night, the spider comes out of the mink and hunts for insects at the entrance, during the day it watches for them in the mink. Mating takes place at the end of summer. Juveniles and copulating females hibernate. For the winter, the spider deepens the mink and clogs the entrance with earth. At the beginning of summer, the female lays her eggs in her burrow. A white facial cocoon in the form of a round pad is attached to the arachnoid warts; the female, moving, supports it with her hind legs. The emerging juveniles rest on the female, which goes in search of water. Having drunk the spiderlings, the female roams through open moist places and sheds them with her hind legs. Young spiders settled in this way first hide in natural shelters, and then dig minks, gradually deepening and improving them. The degree of toxicity of the tarantula was discussed above.

A tarantula has 8 eyes. Anterior medial eyes (main) - dark; the rest (side eyes) are shiny, thanks to the inner shell reflecting light. It is believed that Tarantulas have a wide field of vision and see a moving small insect at a distance of 20 - 30 cm, but do not distinguish its shape.

Distributed in Central Asia and southern Russia including Ukraine. It lives in the desert, steppe and forest-steppe zones. Spider size: 25 - 35 mm. The body is densely covered with hairs. The color is brown-red, sometimes almost black. Sides - whitish, fluffy; bottom - dark almost black. Digs vertical burrows lined with cobwebs. In the daytime, the hunt looks like this: The tarantula guards the entrance to the mink, when an insect appears near the hole, it jumps out of the hole and catches it. As a rule, the shadow of an insect running along the entrance to the hole serves as a signal for an attack. By tying a plasticine ball to a thread, and shaking it in front of the mink, you can lure the tarantula out. At night, the spider comes out of the mink and hunts for insects. Mating takes place at the end of summer. Juveniles and copulating females hibernate. For the winter, the spider deepens the mink and clogs the entrance with earth. It can lead an active lifestyle in winter if it enters a heated room near human habitation. At the beginning of summer, the female spins a cocoon and lays eggs in it. He wears a cocoon. The little spiders that have appeared rest on the female. Then, they gradually leave the spider and settle in the district.

The tarantula is poisonous. It rarely bites a person. The bite causes local swelling and severe pain. The bite site must be immediately burned with a match. Spider bites are shallow, the venom is injected into the skin. When cauterized, thermal decomposition of the poison occurs. This method is widespread in Central Asia and is used for the bites of all poisonous spiders.

It feeds on a variety of insects, beetles, orthoptera, etc. Prey is killed by poison. The tarantula pierces its prey with chelicerae, pouring digestive juice into it, which dissolves internal tissues. The escaping liquid is sucked up. The secretion of juice and the absorption of food droplets alternate, the spider turns the victim and processes it from different sides.