Although their bite can sting, there's no reason to worry about spider bites from these guys. They're not poisonous. Technically speaking, they're venomous -- poison involves ingestion or absorption, venom involves injection -- but their venom isn't strong enough to seriously injure, let alone kill, a healthy human.

Are orb weavers dangerous?

Orb weavers aren't considered dangerous pests because they lack the potent venom of, say, black widows, which can pose more serious health risks if someone is bitten. That said, orb weavers, like all spiders, can and will bite if they feel threatened.

What happens if an orb weaver bites you?

Orb weavers rarely bite and only do so when threatened and unable to escape. If bitten by an orb weaver, the bite and injected venom is comparable to that of a bee sting, with no long-term implications unless the bite victim happens to be hyper-allergic to the venom.