This Is What A False Widow Spider Bite Can Do To A Human Leg [Warning: Extremely Graphic]

A false widow spider bite is a pretty rare thing. The arachnid, commonly found in the U.K., is extremely standoffish when it comes to attacking, and will only do so when it feels provoked.

Unfortunately, “provoking” one of these eight-legged critters can be as simple as agitating it while it’s crawling up your leg under the covers.

That’s what happened to a mother in Northern Ireland, who was settling in for the night. Aideen Hynes, 34, told the Daily Mail she “felt something crawling on my leg under the duvet and tried to brush it off.”

To see the images of Hynes’ leg after the bite, visit the Daily Mail‘s site.

This simple action was enough for the false widow to attack, and unlike many spider bites, Hynes said the bite was agonizing pretty much from the moment it occurred.

“It must have thought it was under attack because the next minute it bit me,” she explained. “The pain was agonizing. My husband Darrin knew immediately from the puncture marks that it was a spider bite.”

The spider escaped as Hynes leapt to her feet and within moments, her leg began swelling up like a balloon. As the spider’s venom continued to spread, doctors at the Downe Hospital in Downpatrick wondered if they would have to slice away the infected flesh, Opposing Views reports.

“I had to be given crutches,” Hynes said. “I thought I was going to lose my leg. It got so painful I was ready to chop off my own leg.” Some of the photos from this are truly disturbing, with scabs and pus to go along with the swelling.

As a result, she will have to visit the hospital several days for maintenance of her wounds and to change the dressing. She’s also on a diet of antibiotics until the venom can completely work its way out of her system.

As for the false widow, Hynes’ husband, Darrin, was able to eventually find the little guy and place him inside of a jar. He then took the spider out to a field behind their house and released it.

Some commenters at the Daily Mail wondered why on earth they would allow the spider to live after what it did.

“Why did they set a poisonous spider free? So it could bite someone else??” wrote one. “Release it?” added another. “These kind of people p me off. They’re just making it someone else’s problem. Just like people who catch and release mice. Its very simple to kill a mouse. Put it in a freezer bag from the humane trap. Then smash it against a hard surface. Instant death and no suffering.”

What do you think about how this couple handled the false widow spider? Would you have killed or released? Sound off in the comments section.

[Image via Visit Nunney]