An 8-year-old boy in Vichuloma, Bolivia, recently allowed a black widow spider to bite him in hopes of gaining Spider-Man’s superpowers. The boy found the spider under a stone, saw its distinctive red markings, and intentionally placed it on his hand, where it bit him. Soon after, he began to experience intense pain and muscle spasms. He told his mother, who rushed him to a nearby health center, and he was eventually transferred to a hospital where doctors identified the spider bite and administered antivenom. Fortunately, he recovered within 30 minutes.

Ernesto Vásquez, head of the Zoonotic Diseases Program in Oruro, emphasized the importance of educating children on the risks of spider bites. He highlighted that while black widow bites are often not fatal, they can lead to severe symptoms and even death in some cases, especially in vulnerable groups like young children. Vásquez also noted that this isn’t an isolated case; in 2020, three children in Bolivia similarly provoked a black widow bite in hopes of becoming Spider-Man.