Karakurt - Latrodectus tredecimguttatus Rossi
The Karakurt is the most venomous of spiders. Its Latin name means "13-spotted," which is associated with superstitious fear of it, supposedly having a warning of deadly toxicity on its body — the unfortunate and fateful number of bright spots. The female typically eats the male after mating, which is why the Karakurt is colloquially referred to as the "black widow."
Female Karakurts can reach sizes of up to 2 cm, while males and smaller individuals grow to about 1 cm. They have characteristic red spots with white borders on their bodies. There are 13 spots, although adult individuals may not have such markings. This species of spider has no body hair. Only females pose a danger to humans, as males simply cannot bite through human skin.
Karakurts prefer dry, sunny areas, places under clods of earth, under stones, in road ruts, in old buildings, and under small bushes. The Karakurt spider builds a nest in soil cavities and stretches its webs at the entrance, where insects become ensnared. Special threads inform the spider that the trap has been triggered.
The black Karakurt feeds on insects that get caught in its webs. These are usually species of arthropods that live nearby: beetles, grasshoppers, locusts, flies, and horseflies. Interestingly, Karakurt victims are often found in horizontally stretched webs. The spider's web is not characterized by the elegance of circular lines; it is somewhat haphazardly constructed but is very sticky, leaving trapped insects with no chance of escape. The spider paralyzes the caught insect with venom and then sucks out its bodily fluids.
The male attracts the female with aromatic pheromones. However, the male's life is short. Immediately after mating, the female consumes her partner. The responsibility for raising the offspring falls entirely on the "mother." On average, the number of eggs reaches 130. With the arrival of autumn, the female dies.
The offspring are born in April. However, they do not leave their shelter immediately. First, they consume all the reserves left by their mother, and then they begin to eat their siblings. Here, the "law of the jungle" applies — only the strongest survive. A year later, the spiders emerge from the cocoon in the following spring, and by June-July, they reach sexual maturity.
After copulation, the male dies, and the female lays eggs during the summer and autumn. The female creates a den in soil depressions, suspends the cocoons there, and guards them. The spiderlings emerge in spring and are carried away by the wind on silk threads.
The venom glands are located in the cephalothorax, with their ducts in the front pair of legs. The venom of the Karakurt is 15 times stronger than that of a rattlesnake. It is not dangerous to sheep and pigs. A bite from a female can cause severe poisoning in humans, sometimes resulting in death. The venom quickly breaks down when heated. Cauterizing the bite with the head of a lit match is a measure that can help avoid illness. This method is effective if cauterization is done no later than 2-3 minutes after the bite.
It is widespread throughout Kyrgyzstan.
Arthropods of Kyrgyzstan