Discover The Threat: Venomous Spiders Found In South Dakota

Every home in South Dakota has dealt with bugs and insects. I'm sure most of you have even had to kill a spider or two.

There are dozens of known species of spiders in South Dakota. But there are only two that you need to watch out for.

Spotlight On South Dakota's Venomous Spiders

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1.) Western Black Widow

One of the most venomous spiders in the world can be found here in South Dakota. VenomByte says, "...the average size of a female is approximately half an inch, with a leg span of 1.5 to 2 inches." The female of the species is the one to watch out for.

The female Western Black Widow in South Dakota is a shiny black with the trademark hourglass shape. It is nocturnal and is mostly found in sheds, barns, and garages.

The Western Black Widow's Bite

The bite of a Western Black Widow is feels like a pinprick. About half an hour after biting, the area will swell and hurt. Other symptoms can include weakness, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and headache.

After 30 to 40 minutes, though, the area of the bite will swell and hurt a lot, and sometimes a person can get achy all over.

Other symptoms can include weakness, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and headache.

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2.) Brown Recluse

The Brown Recluse is not found in South Dakota as often as the Black Widow, but there have been reports of the brown recluse spider in the state.

Not surprising since they are found in two neighboring states: Iowa and Nebraska. Spiders are notorious for their disregard of geography and borders.

VenomByte says, "The average size of mature Brown Recluse spiders is approximately 1/3 of an inch, with a leg span of 1 to 1.5 inches. Male and female are similar in size."

The Brown Recluse's Bite

Although these spiders are not venomous. The bite causes severe damage to the skin and surrounding tissue, resulting in a large open sore. In 7th grade I had a teacher miss six weeks of school because he got bit on the leg by a Brown Recluse while cleaning a barn. It is a nasty bite.

Some side effects include headache, nausea, and if not treated, kidney failure.

South Dakota's Snakes: A Local Guide to Identifying and Understanding Our Slithering Neighbors!"

South Dakota may not have creepy crawlies like they do in Australia. But, there are a fair amount of snakes to be found here.

We can find some in the Black Hills, some enjoy life on the west-river plains, and several are concentrated in the southeastern part of the state along the Missouri River.

There are seven common species of snake that can be found throughout the state, including our one venomous species.