What's Eating You? Noble False Widow Spider (Steatoda nobilis)

Cutis. 2023 Oct;112(4):159-161. doi: 10.12788/cutis.0872.

Abstract

Noble false widow spider (Steatoda nobilis) bites have been documented to cause symptoms ranging from pain and pruritus to systemic bacterial infection resulting in death. This species is found in a broad range of environments, often alongside human activity, and the spiders most often bite defensively when disturbed or when the body is compressed. Due to the rapid expansion of noble false widow spiders and their relatively recent emergence in the United States, it is important for dermatologists to be aware of how to manage their bites.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Pain
  • Pruritus
  • Spider Bites* / diagnosis
  • Spider Bites* / etiology
  • Spiders*