Earth’s deadliest spiders including funnel-web that kills in just 15 minutes and Brazilian biter that triggers erections
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MOST spiders are totally harmless – but a select few can give you serious trouble if they bite. Complications from some of Earth's deadliest eight-legged biters include painful erections, vomiting, organ failure, and even death. One of the most dangerous spiders to find digging its fangs into your flesh is the Brazilian wandering spider.
![[The Brazilian wandering spider, seen here on a tree in Peru, can bite you if disturbed]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/tree-rainforest-pacaya-samiria-national-254427363.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
They're typically found in northern South America (including Brazil), and can grow to a legspan of around seven inches. Its official name is Phoneutria, from the Greek "φονεύτρια" – which means "murderess". This is appropriate given it's one of the few spiders that can actually threaten humans.
![[The critter – also known as the banana spider – has been linked to several deaths]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/sits-leaf-costa-rica-580935925.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
They'll often hide in places where you might end up sticking a body part, like in clothes, shoes, and boxes. And if you disturb them, they may bite. The spider has been linked to several deaths, and can kill in hours. For men, it can also cause a condition called priapism, which is a long-lasting and painful erection.
![[Only female black widow spiders – like the one seen here – bite humans]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/hanging-upside-down-web-showing-777936461.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Thankfully anti-venoms are available to treat bites, reducing the risk of death. And here's a fun fact: they're also known as the "banana spider" because some people believe they've been found abroad in shipments of bananas. Probably the most famous of the deadliest spider lot, the black widow almost needs no introduction.
![[A black widow may bite if they're squeezed or pinched]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/erd3g7-black-widow-spider-outdoors-920929506.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Officially known as Latrodectus, its species can be found on every continent in the world. A bite from a black widow can cause significant muscle pain, tummy cramps, sweating, fast heart rate, and spasms. Many bites don't inject venom, and even envenomated bites don't always result in serious symptoms.
![[Australia's Sydney Funnel Web spider is a deadly creature with a powerful bite]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2006-sydney-australia-funnel-web-507733492.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
