The harm of alien species invasion, presumably everyone has already understood, the infamous scavengers, crocodile eels, Brazilian turtles, etc. are typical "negative teaching materials". In recent years, many new types of foreign insects have been seized by China's customs, some of which are not small in toxicity, which has aroused the high vigilance of the public.
For example, on May 20, 2021, Guangzhou Customs seized 50 giant ants at Baiyun Airport, which are huge and up to 2 centimeters long, making them one of the largest ants in the world. Giant ant native to Southeast Asia, to Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo and other places, the harm is large, the sense of territory is strong, the spray of acetic acid can burn human skin, full of pain, the risk of invasion should not be underestimated.
Giant flies
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="80" > tianjin customs seized poisonous spiders, commonly known as "black widows"</h1>
Recently, another highly poisonous spider that "can't afford to be provoked" was seized by Tianjin Customs. According to the Northern Network, when Tianjin Dongjiang Customs conducted on-site inspection of a batch of imported horn goods, it accidentally found a number of strange spiders on the packaging bag, with a red hourglass-like pattern on the abdomen, bright colors and high recognition.
Identified by laboratory professionals, this spider belongs to the genus Kou spider, commonly known as "Black Widow", which is one of the most toxic species of spiders currently existing, which is extremely threatening. Although the report did not give this spider species, according to the description of the "hourglass pattern", this group of spiders is most likely the erythrocyte spider, which is an out-and-out alien species.
The hourglass-like pattern is a signature feature of the erythropod
Black Widow Spider is a collective name for spiders of the genus Kou Spider, which is currently known to have more than 30 species, and is a world-famous poisonous spider. After the upper jaw of the spider pierces the human skin, the venom can be injected into the human body along the claw limb and cause a poisoning reaction. People who are stung usually feel "needle-like" pain, and there is obvious redness and swelling in the stinged area, and then there may be dizziness, vomiting, convulsions and other symptoms, which can even lead to death.
There are only 2 species of spiders native to China, namely the inter-spotted spider and the Gorgeous Spider. Among them, the inter-spotted spider is mainly distributed in Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Gansu and other places in China, which is very harmful, and many innocent people in Xinjiang have been stung by this spider.
The Spotted Spider (left) and the Orcalyptus Spider (right)
For example, in 2000, the "small outbreak" of the spider in Genger Village, Dongwan Town, Qitai County, Xinjiang, had many incidents of poisonous spiders injuring people, and from July 3 to July 10 alone, 5 people were stung. From 1998 to 2015, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University included 85 patients who were stung by the inter-spotted spider, and this number is still rising, and the harm should not be underestimated.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" Data-track="83" is the > spider harmful? What should I do if I am bitten? </h1>
The female is about 11 to 15 cm long, with an oval abdomen and red spots. In contrast, the male spider is much smaller, with an average body length of only about 4 to 5 centimeters, and the abdomen is also ovoid, and yellow spots can be seen.
Between the spotted spiders
There is nothing more frightening about the spider than the dangerous toxin. It is worth mentioning that the toxin of the inter-spotted spider is not only distributed in the poisonous glands, but also in the legs, abdomen tissues, and even the eggs produced and the body of the larvae also have toxic components, almost the whole body is "poison".
In recent years, the number of patients who have been stung by the spider has gradually increased, and the molecular structure of its toxin has also attracted the attention of many researchers. The population of the interplaneted spider in the wild is relatively small, and the lifespan is generally not more than one year, and it is not easy to successfully collect venom. There are two main methods of domestic poison collection, the first is to isolate the poison sac through traditional dissection, and the second is to use electricity to stimulate poison collection.
Venom extraction of poisonous insects
Anatomy and poison collection can ensure that the toxin will not be contaminated by active substances such as salivary enzymes of spiders, but it is easy to dope with the tissue fluid of spiders, resulting in impure toxins, which is not conducive to research and development. In contrast, the active ingredient obtained by electrical stimulation and poison collection is higher and the pollution is also smaller, which is the current mainstream method of poison collection.
Toxin component of the Black Widow spider
By testing the toxins of the inter-spotted spider, the researchers found that the venom contained at least 7 toxic substances, one of which was an acidic macromolecular protein toxin, and a neurotoxin called a-latrotoxin, the mechanism of action of which is currently unknown. It is rumored that the toxin is 50 times more virulent than the rattlesnake toxin, and a single bite is enough to be fatal. This statement sounds a bit exaggerated, but it also confirms the danger of the spider from the side.
According to the book "Chinese Zoology - Arachnids - Bulbophyllaceae", the mortality rate of being stung by spiders is generally 10%. Therefore, when bitten by the black widow spider, be sure to seek medical treatment in time, the doctor can improve the treatment rate by cleaning the wound, injecting hormones and anti-toxic drugs, and help the patient out of danger. In addition, China has successfully developed anti-venom, the best way to bite is to inject anti-arachnoid venom, the effect is immediate.
For the majority of herdsmen and villagers, the most important thing is to do a good job of daily protection, learn to distinguish black widow spiders, and tie the legs of their pants when they go out. When resting in the wild, pay attention to the surrounding environment, avoid areas with dense cobwebs, and minimize the risk.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="73" > beware of foreign "black widows"</h1>
In recent years, customs offices throughout China have found erythropods, gradually revealing signs of ecological invasion. If erythematous beads were to enter customs and begin to breed in the wild, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Erythrocyte
Previously, in 2018, Hangzhou Customs found live erythematous spiders when inspecting a batch of imported Canadian pecans, which was also the first time that a highly poisonous spider was intercepted at the port of Zhejiang Province. In 2019, when Nantong Customs was supervising an international navigation ship from Southeast Asia, it seized more than 130 black widow spiders at one time, a staggering number. Entering 2021, Nantong Customs intercepted two batches of black widow spiders in succession in the first four months, and the situation of prevention and control became increasingly tense.
As the first barrier to the prevention and control of alien species invasion, the importance of customs inspection and quarantine is self-evident, but it is not absolute insurance. For example, the red fire ant that invaded China is likely to be a "fish that slipped through the net" under customs inspection. If the alien Black Widow spider enters China in some stealthy way, it is possible to trigger an ecological invasion similar to that of the red fire ant.
Shenzhen container intercepted red fire ants
Because from the perspective of breeding methods, black widow spiders and red fire ants are creatures that adopt a reproductive strategy (r-reproductive countermeasures) with high reproductive rates - short lifespan, but strong ability to build colonies and spread. During the reproductive period, female spiders can weave 2 to 5 egg bags at a time, and each egg bag can hold 44 to 500 eggs, so a female plant can produce more than 2,000 offspring. Moreover, during breeding, the female spider has the strongest toxin, which further ensures the survival rate of the offspring.
Although there have been no reported cases of erythropod spiders in China, with the rapid development of global trade and transportation industry, it is still necessary for major customs to maintain a high degree of vigilance, further improve the inspection and quarantine system, improve the examination standards, and eliminate alien species from the country!
What do you think of the exotic Black Widow Spider? Feel free to leave a message in the comments section to discuss!