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Hi. Just to begin, all spiders are venomous. It's how they deal with their prey. Only certain spiders have enough venom or a venom that is powerful enough to hurt a person. Which dangerous spiders you might encounter depends on where you live. Your local health authority can give you information on dangerous spiders and other creatures in your area.

Just swallowing a spider is quite harmless unless it manages to bite you in the process. Otherwise the arachnid is simply digested like any other food. Accidentally swallowing a dead spider is harmless.

Eating food they've eaten is not a real possibility. They do not eat our food. They may crawl across it if it's in their way, but spiders do not eat any human food. They live on insects and other small creatures that they capture and immobilize with their venom.

A bite from a spider looks like a bee sting. It's very painful. You should always seek immediate medical attention for any spider bite as you might have an allergy you're not aware of. Certain spiders like the Brown Recluse and the famous Black Widow can be very dangerous indeed. Their bite can be fatal if untreated.

But except for these few examples, the vast majority of spiders are harmless and in fact very beneficial. They help keep other pests in check, such as mosquitoes and flies that can carry disease. If you really can't stand them, don't feel bad for killing them if you must. You won't harm the spider population just by squashing the few that come into your house.