Spiders of the Astrakhan region - photos, names and descriptions

The species diversity of spiders in the Astrakhan region is very similar to the composition of arthropods in Kazakhstan and Kalmykia. The climate of the Lower Volga region is characterized by dry summers and relatively warm winters with little snow. In such conditions it is easy for southern poisonous arachnids to survive. In the Astrakhan region there are 6 species of poisonous spiders. There are even more species of spiders that are completely harmless and even beneficial to humans.

Population and species status

Photo: Camel spider

The number of camel spiders is estimated at 700-1000 species. There is no exact data on the population size, but in some years it increases so much that crowds of salpugs literally attack human houses, crawling into slightly open windows, doors and any cracks. Population density is quite low. Searches for phalanges throughout the day lead to the discovery of no more than 3 individuals.

In 2022, in the Volgograd region, animals multiplied so much in the area of the Shebalino farm that they scared the local population. The Crimean salpuga often spoils tourists’ holidays, not hesitating to sit on top of vacationers around the fire. Those caught in such a situation are advised to remain calm.

Threat factors include destruction of biotopes, development of areas suitable for habitation, plowing of land for crops, overgrazing of livestock, destruction by humanity due to the fear of being bitten. Recommended conservation measures focus on the conservation of landscapes, including habitats.

The camel spider is a unique creature, aggressive and fearless. They are not afraid to attack opponents 3-4 times their size. Contrary to all the fables created around these animals, they are practically not dangerous to humans. If you still cannot avoid the bite, it is enough to wash the wound with antibacterial soap and treat it with an antiseptic.

Population and species status

Photo: Phalanx spider in Crimea

The desert lifestyle of the phalanx spider does not allow us to accurately determine the prevalence of populations of its species. Solifugae have become the subject of many myths and exaggerations about their size, speed, behavior, appetite and bite lethality. Members of this squad do not have poison and do not spin webs.

However, these spiders do not produce such an anesthetic, and like most creatures with a survival instinct, they do not attack prey larger than themselves except in a defensive situation or to protect offspring. Due to their bizarre appearance and the fact that they make a hissing sound when they feel threatened, many people are afraid of them. However, the biggest threat they pose to humans is their bite in self-defense.

The Phalanx spider leads a frantic lifestyle and is therefore not recommended as a pet. The nomadic lifestyle sometimes brings the spider phalanx into houses and other dwellings. There is no reason for alarm, so the arachnid can be placed in a container and taken outside. There have been no recorded deaths directly caused by the bite, but due to the strong muscles of their chelicerae, they can create a proportionally large, lacerated wound that can become infected. Only one species, Rhagodes nigrocinctus, has poison, but its bite is not harmful to humans.

Karakurt bite

The poison of the karakurt is quite strong, so a bite from a karakurt can be fatal. Fortunately, the karakurt attacks only if it is disturbed. Karakurt poison affects both animals and humans. The karakurt bite is not immediately noticeable and manifests itself within 10-15 minutes. During this time, the karakurt poison is already spreading throughout the body and the first signs of toxic poisoning begin to appear. Symptoms of a karakurt bite begin with a burning pain that spreads throughout the body. Typically, patients complain of severe pain in the chest, abdomen and lower back.

Also, a karakurt bite has the following symptoms: increased heart rate, shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, headache, trembling, vomiting, sweating, spasms in the bronchi and urinary retention. In the later stages of poisoning, a person begins to experience blackouts and delirium. Cases of death have been recorded in people and farm animals that were bitten by karakurt.

Experts say that people with strong immunity can more easily withstand a karakurt bite than those weakened by illness or those with allergies. It should be remembered that the highest concentration of venom in black widows occurs during the mating season and after laying eggs; in other seasons, bites are less terrible. Males, in principle, do not pose a danger, since they do not possess poison and, due to their small size, cannot bite through the skin.

To neutralize the effects of karakurt poison, anti-karakurt serum is used. Novocaine, calcium chloride and magnesium hydrogen sulfate are also administered intravenously, which give positive results. If it is impossible to get medical help, you should cauterize the karakurt bite with a burning match. But this must be done no later than 5 minutes after the bite. You can also cauterize the bite site with a hot metal object. Since the spider bites through the skin to a depth of only 0.5 mm, the heat destroys the venom that has not had time to be absorbed. But even after cauterization, you must seek medical help.

Livestock suffers from karakurt bites, especially camels and horses. These animals often die from karakurt poison. Once every 10 years, a mass reproduction of the karakurt spider occurs; during these years, livestock farming suffers large losses. Now karakurt is destroyed with the help of insecticides that are sprayed on the soil. Of course, the poison of the karakurt is not aimed at causing harm to humans or livestock, but serves the spider only to obtain food. Karakurt eats various beetles, flies, locusts, cicadas and grasshoppers.

How to protect yourself from a karakurt bite

The most reliable defense against the deadly poison of karakurt is not to do anything stupid while relaxing in nature. To prevent contact with karakurt, you must follow certain rules:

1. For parking, you should choose areas that are unsuitable for karakurt life (the absence of a large number of rodent holes, cobwebs in soil depressions and on vegetation).

2. There is no need to walk barefoot in places where karakurts may live, and not only them.

3. You cannot sleep in the steppe on bare ground; you must use a tarpaulin or air mattresses, which are reliable protection against spider bites at night.

4. When collecting hay, straw, firewood, clearing forest belts and wastelands, it is recommended to use gloves and protective clothing, tuck pants into socks and boots.

5. You should not turn over stones or feel your way along rocky slopes at night.

6. It is not recommended to leave tents open all day. Before getting into bed or sleeping bag, you need to shake them thoroughly. Don't forget about shoes!

7. Most bites are provoked by the victims themselves. Summer residents and homeowners struggle with wild grasses on the territory of households and adjacent areas, so karakurts and tarantulas often take over vegetable gardens. Some people take off their shoes in the evening and leave them in the aisles. Spiders mistake abandoned shoes for a welcome mink - and the morning can be fatal.

Treatment if bitten by a black widow

If you are bitten by a karakurt, you must immediately, no later than 2-3 minutes later, burn the bite site with the head of a match (apply the head of an unlit match to the bite site and set it on fire with another match).

Karakurt poison penetrates the skin to a depth of 0.5 mm and disintegrates when heated. Other methods of destroying the poison are injecting 3-5 ml of a 0.1% aqueous solution of potassium permanganate into the wound site and applying the same lotion to the bite site.

For treatment, it is necessary to administer 1-2 doses of serum diluted in 1000 ml of saline intravenously. Specific antikarakurt serum is produced at the Tashkent Institute of Vaccines and Serums. One dose of this serum costs 37,000 rubles. This is a huge amount for regional hospitals.

Wherever a karakurt bite is received, the victim must be immediately taken to a medical facility. In case of severe intoxication, drinking plenty of fluids is recommended; in case of chills, trembling, feeling of cold and muscle tension, warming the extremities is recommended. A cold compress is applied to the bite site, salicylates and any painkillers are used.

Description and photos of spiders in the Astrakhan region

Comments from site readers are posted without prior editing. The editors reserve the right to remove them from the site or edit them if these messages contain profanity, insults, incitement to violence, are an abuse of freedom of media or a violation of other legal requirements.

In 1907, the Molokan magazine Spiritual Christian published a letter from a local resident describing the diversity of local religious life: “Our village of Astrakhanka has a population of 5,000 souls; prayer meetings 9: two Tambov, one Vladimir, one Novo-Molokan-Don, two spiritual Molokans-jumpers, one

Tags: #Astrakhansk #pictures #names #dying

Presentation “Information about rigging and lifting equipment”
Girls who have had it, after crying a lot, I start to choke ((
Testing the pH level of acid-base balance
K. Paustovsky, “The Old Cook”: summary and analysis of the work
How to make a wupsen and pupsen costume with your own hands
The steering wheel wedges slightly when driving Ford Fiesta
Flexen - reviews, instructions for use, analogues and prices
Informal meetings of the General Assembly
2. Why headphones don’t work on a laptop - driver installation (5 min):
Linux Mint formatting hard drive, flash drive, memory cards.

Sak

Spiders of the middle Urals are not large in size. Females reach 2 cm, males no more than 70 mm. The most prominent representative of modern Bashkiria is a poisonous creature. It feeds on small insects and their larvae - aphids, mosquitoes, butterflies, flies. Found in dry places.

Description of appearance:

yellow legs, abdomen;
cephalothorax red or bright orange;
chelicerae in the form of claws, fangs;
pedipalps reach half the length of the front legs.

It bites a person in defense of its own life. The bite is painful and causes a local allergic reaction - swelling, redness, pain, swelling. Children and people with weak immune systems experience a deterioration in their health. Body temperature rises, nausea, headache, vomiting, diarrhea. Special therapy is required.

Typical types of spiders in Bashkiria are not poisonous, but they bite painfully. The marks disappear in 7-14 days. In total there are about 24 families, 457 species. Cross spiders, side walkers, house spiders, hay spiders, canopy spiders, wolves, miturgids, grass crab spiders, etc. are often found. Predators bring great benefits to nature - they regulate the number of pests of forests, fields, and agricultural crops

Bites occur rarely, due to negligence on the part of a person or excessive curiosity

Where he likes to live in nature

European species of these spiders prefer desert and steppe areas with sparse vegetation. A favorite place is the shores of salt lakes, which are often found in Crimea. In coastal vegetation on beaches, in sagebrush thickets, in wastelands and along river banks, in ravines and in garbage heaps. They often settle in colonies. A characteristic feature of the home of a karakurt colony is a chaotic layer of cobwebs on the surface of the earth.

How to determine the habitat of this spider

Hunting animals of the Astrakhan region

The Astrakhan region is distinguished by significant reserves of hunting resources and has a variety of hunting grounds. Not only local residents hunt here, but also guests from other regions of Russia and from abroad.

The hunting fauna of mammals includes 18 species. Of particular interest to fans of sport hunting and commercial hunters are the hare, fox, wolf, muskrat and wild boar.

Calculations of the number and permissible norms for the removal of fauna objects classified as hunting resources on the territory of hunting grounds of the Astrakhan region are carried out by the Natural Resources Management and Environmental Protection Service of the Astrakhan region. These standards are communicated to hunting users. In accordance with requests from hunting users, this service sets daily standards for the production of hunting resources in a specific hunting season. Hunting is carried out within the time limits established by the decree of the Governor of the Astrakhan region.

The largest number of permits is issued for the production of fur-bearing animals; in 2017, about 4,000 permits were issued. Also, during periods of maximum numbers, permits are issued to regulate the number of active game pests and carriers of dangerous diseases (wolf, fox, jackal, raccoon dog).

The hunting resources on the territory of the Astrakhan region, in respect of which commercial hunting is carried out, include: ungulates - wild boar, saiga; fur-bearing animals - wolf, jackal, raccoon dog, common fox, corsac fox, otter, stone marten, steppe ferret, American mink, ermine, weasel, brown hare, yellow ground squirrel, small ground squirrel, muskrat, water vole.

Main commercial animals of the animal world

The most popular hunting mammal is the brown hare. In the region, the brown hare is found almost everywhere, and its numbers have been quite high in recent years, which is why the number of permits issued for its hunting is large.

The second most popular hunting object is the common fox. Due to the increase in food supply (mouse-like rodents, brown hare), the number of this representative of the animal world is also increasing. Just like the hare, the fox is distributed almost everywhere.

Active hunting for wolves is carried out in the Astrakhan region. This predator is a pest for farm animals, and during the hunting period it is allowed unlimited prey. The wolf is found almost everywhere in the region.

Muskrat catching is carried out on an industrial scale, up to 1000 animals per year.

Poaching

The most desirable animals that are poached in the Astrakhan region are elk and roe deer. Despite the fact that moose and roe deer are rare in the region and are protected by the Red Book of the Astrakhan Region, they are actively hunted.

In the Arkhangelsk region, state inspectors of the Natural Resources Management and Environmental Protection Service regularly conduct environmental raids, as a result of which dozens of cases (at the end of the year) of poaching of game mammals and violations in the field of hunting are identified and suppressed.

Sak

It also has other names - yellow, heyracantium. Poisonous spiders of the Kuban and Krasnodar Territory live in arid places and build burrows in the ground. They hunt actively at night. They run quickly, attack a victim several times larger in size, and win.

The spider is not aggressive towards humans, but it can bite in defense of its own life. At the site of the attack, an allergic reaction appears in the form of redness, swelling, and swelling. In young children and people prone to allergies, their health worsens. The condition returns to normal within a few days, the skin recovers within a week.

Spiders of the Krasnodar region

Structure of karakurt

The structure of the karakurt is practically no different from the structure of other spiders. Its body is divided into two sections: the anterior section of the body, with four pairs of eyes, is covered with a hard chitinous shield. The second section is the abdomen, which is covered with an elastic membrane. The arachnoid glands are located in this part of the body. On the head of the body there are two pairs of modified limbs - chelicerae and pedipalps, behind which are walking legs. Spiders have eight of them.

Chelicerae consist of one limb, at the end of which there is a claw into which the poison gland opens. They are designed to grab and hold prey, as well as protect against enemies.

The pedipalps are similar to the legs, but shorter. They are an organ of touch and usually do not take part in movement. In sexually mature males. They are slightly modified.

Structure of karakurt

Chelicerae consist of one limb, at the end of which there is a claw into which the poison gland opens. They are designed to grab and hold prey, as well as protect against enemies.

The pedipalps are similar to the legs, but shorter. They are an organ of touch and usually do not take part in movement. In sexually mature males. They are slightly modified.

Nutrition

The black karakurt feeds on insects that fall into its nets. These are usually the types of arthropods that live directly next to the spiders themselves:

beetles;
grasshoppers;
locusts;
flies and horseflies.

It is interesting that the victims of karakurts are caught in horizontally stretched nets. At the same time, the web of karakurts is not distinguished by the grace of circular lines, but is made as if randomly, but at the same time it is very viscous and does not give the insect caught in it any chance of salvation.

The spider paralyzes the caught insect with poison and then sucks out its liquid tissue.

This is interesting! Did you know that spiders have blue blood? It turns out that it is not red hemoglobin that is responsible for the formation of their blood, but blue (copper) hemocyanin!

Reproduction and development

In the summer, spiders, having found a secluded place, begin mating games. The male karakurt creates a patina by scenting it with his pheromones to attract a female. As noted above, after mating, the male is mercilessly eaten, and the female begins to look for a secluded place to lay a clutch, in which she places up to 130 eggs.

Unlike other types of arachnids, the female karakurt forms from two to four cocoons, into which she lays eggs. For oviposition, she uses rodent burrows or similar secluded places. Here she weaves a web, from which she hangs her cocoons. When the autumn cold sets in, the female dies, having only slightly outlived her eaten husband.

The eggs in the cocoon are reliably protected from the cold and easily endure the winter, and in the spring they begin to fight for existence. In autumn, the wind tears the cocoons from the web, and the clutch begins its journey across the steppe, thus expanding the habitat of the species.

Our help! Once every 10-15 years there is a surge in the reproduction of karakurts. In such years, females are able to lay up to 1300 eggs per season.

The spiderlings appear quickly, within 10-15 days depending on the weather, but they do not leave the cocoon and live in it until next spring. At first, they feed on the food supply that nature has placed inside their body, then they switch to cannibalism, as a result of which only the strongest individuals are selected from the cocoon.

During spring and summer they grow, living through several molts during this time: males - seven times, females - nine.

Our help! The body of spiders is protected by an exoskeleton, a kind of shell made of chitin, which prevents the spider from developing further. Therefore, as black widows grow, they shed it and replace it with a new one, larger in size.