Spiders, the very word makes most people cringe. Spiders are everywhere in Arkansas. According to the site bugguide.net, there are 546 different kinds of spiders that call Arkansas home, but 4 of them are very dangerous.

The whole reason I even considered this story is a big spider that decided to make my kitchen window its home. It is huge, but being a garden spider it is not dangerous and helps keep the bugs away, But just look at this picture and tell me it is harmless.

Wes Spicher Townsquare Media
Wes Spicher Townsquare Media
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First up are the widows. They are mainly nocturnal spiders and are defensive. That means they will only attack if frightened. Be careful in the backyard around patio furniture or any ledges where they may have their home.

Basement pets YouTube
Basement pets YouTube
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Southern Black Widow

The Southern Black Widow is the easiest to identify by its red hourglass markings. They also have a red dot on their abdomen.

Basement pets YouTube
Basement pets YouTube
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Northern Black Widow

The Northern Black Widow is harder to identify. It has spots and incomplete hourglass markings. Notice the white markings on its abdomen as well.

Basement pets YouTube
Basement pets YouTube
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Brown Widow

The Brown Widow has an orange hourglass shape on its body and of course, it is brown. But if you look at its egg sack it is pointy.

Oklahomagardening YouTube
Oklahomagardening YouTube
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Brown Recluse
The brown recluse is the most dangerous spider in Arkansas. It is of course brown in color but stay away. The bite of a brown recluse spider can cause severe damage to your skin and even affect your kidneys in some rare cases.

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To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.

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