Black widow spider

In Canada, there aren't many harmful spiders. The black widow spider, however, might be present in some Southern Canadian regions. The abdomen of these spiders is black with a characteristic red mark on it. They can bite, but not usually when they do, venom is released. The human-hazardous toxin is only present in females, however major consequences or death are extremely uncommon. Nevertheless, we advise leaving them unsupervised.

Only a small number of other spider species are dangerous in Canada. Some individuals do, however, bring in non-native species as pets or for research. Keep an eye out for others.

Since the venom from this spider is said to be 15 times stronger than that of a rattlesnake, its bite is one of the most feared. Contrary to common assumption, the majority of persons who are bitten do not experience any serious harm, much less death. In humans, bites cause muscle aches, nausea, and paralysis of the diaphragm which can make breathing difficult. However, bites have the potential to be fatal—usually to young children, the old, or the weak. Because the spiders are nonaggressive and only bite in self-defense, when someone accidentally sits on them, fatalities are fortunately rather uncommon.