08/06/2026
In today’s episode of Wildlife Wednesday, I present you with this news article. It is one of many that describe a story regarding wildlife in an unfortunate, dangerous and misleading way. Many stations have covered this exact story and use titles like this one to scare people and to get views. That is after all, how the Press makes money. But, it is misinformation and many people don’t care to look into it further or even read the full article.
To begin with, this unfortunate incident happened in Kansas, not in Southwest Florida or anywhere near it. So why is local news covering it? The woman in the story describes feeling, but not seeing what bit her. Several different bites she described as coming from several different individuals, assuming that they were spiders. Kansas’s 2 venomous spiders (black widow and brown recluse) are single, solitary species. So they would not have been in a colony (group of spiders) that crawled together up her leg. But without seeing them, they could’ve been any species…. Perhaps even insects. Terrible reactions to spiders are usually associated with medically significant venomous spiders, like the two mentioned above. Those receiving bites may end up in surgery or on medication. The vast majority of spider bites are not medically significant to most people. The vast majority are in defense of being grabbed or intruded on, spiders don’t hunt down or seek people to bite. Exceptionally dangerous reactions are possible and the victim on this story is one, due to other unrelated factors. She has several serious preexisting medical conditions. Further reading gives the doctors description of how her conditions complicated the bites and how her medical conditions impeded healing. After her surgery, she got an infection, this led to further complications of her existing conditions. This is a very sad and serious story, and at best, a tale of caution for people with medical issues.
However, what the media has done with it is irresponsible. Many people seem to only read the headline. The comment sections read like ignorant hysteria.
“Kill it with fire”
“The only good spider is a dead one.”
“Never feeling bad about stomping a spider again”
“I hate spiders IYKYK”
“Omg spiders in packs? A nightmare”
So many will kill because of this. Indiscriminately. So many will justify unnecessary cruelty and killing because of incomplete information just like this.
Most spiders are totally harmless to people. Most bites can be avoided by inspecting something before you grab it, step on or sit on it. Most spiders do more good ecologically than harm. In a year most spiders eat more disease transmitting insects than people bitten by venomous spiders who then have serious complication. Most bites from venomous spiders can be treated successfully, especially if caught early. A spider needs to be SEEN and identified correctly before a species is blamed, or considered “venomous” or in this case, an entire Order (Araneae) containing over 53,000 known species.
Spiders live on every continent with us except Antarctica. The vast majority are totally harmless. They are important parts of their ecosystems and each individual a living creatures who's life deserves consideration and respect. We can coexist, but this financially motivated fear mongering is NOT going to help us.
This article follows many others that do disservice to wild animals. “Bear attacks” “bison gores” “hawk divebombs “ etc. Yet rarely is there an explanation about the habitat loss or human behavior that provoked the wildlife.
Please, read. Look deeper. Be more open. Their future and ultimately ours, depends on it.
https://donate.flanzertrust.org/donations/crowley-museum-nature-center/
😱NIGHTMARE: A mother was left fighting for her life after multiple spiders bit her during a campfire with her family. >>> http://www.mysuncoast.com/2026/08/05/mom-left-fighting-her-life-after-multiple-spider-bites-during-campfire-with-family/
