Spiders

So I took a pit stop here on my lunch break and on my way back to work I looked at my steering wheel to see that a spider was forming a web. I wasn't inside for that long and the thing had lined it down from my rear view mirror to the steering wheel. A few nights prior to that I'd noticed that 3 spiders formed webs on/around my front door. Anyone else find it cool how fast they work? You'd think they'd run out of that webbing. I wonder if any of them were radio active and if they bit me I'd gain their spider-like powers so that I could sling with webs through the city here (all 2 buildings of it). That would rock.

Since spiders are cold blooded animals they have ample energy to do many things, unlike us humans who waste much of our resources on heat. (well we dont waste it, its a by-prouduct of additional energy systems). Thats why a snake can eat like 1 a week...

Also consider that they are much less mobile.

personally, I'm a bit arachniphopic (did i spell that right?) not extremely, but I jump when I see one. and we have some serious spiders around here, black widows, brown recluses (sp?), I think we even caught a small tarantula in a bucket once.... not sure about that though. but, they freak me out.

Originally Posted by: Cryptic Excretions I wonder if any of them were radio active and if they bit me I'd gain their spider-like powers so that I could sling with webs through the city here (all 2 buildings of it). That would rock.

Ha Ha! Who knows, it might be possible. I'm a bit arachniphobic too. I don't like those spiders with the big rear body type. THere's just something about their looks that disguist me. I don't mind spiders with the body type of a tarantulas though. Hairy or not I'm fine with those type of spiders. I find it cool how they could make webs in a matter of minutes. It's just not cool if they make in between bushes and you happen to run into it when you're mowing the lawn.

I have a similar problem in my car. I have spiders all over the damn monte carlo. I hate spiders too.

I was moving some stone with a wheel barrel to a truck the other day, and this big ass spider crawled down my leg. You know one of those with big abdomens that you know if it bites you, you're screwed. I guess it was on the bottom of the wheel barrel or something. I got a bea sting on my leg, and was freaking out because I thought it was a spider bite.

Iraqi spiders

Just be thankful we don't have those running around.

Once i was at a cottage, and so we all thought we could sink the dock a bit. Well we did...but the dock spiders came up. One crawled on to my leg...it was about 3 inches long with legs... I didnt even notice it till i looked down. I swooshed it away...no harm no fowl

I hate spider's and are scared crapless of most of them. I've been bitten many times and became pretty sick several times, so I have a good reason for my hatred.

would you wear the tight spiderman costume as well :D ??????????

I've noticed lots of new bugs since I moved south that aren't found in the Great Lakes region where I grew up. I'm not a fan, but so far, so good...

Originally Posted by: lil25would you wear the tight spiderman costume as well :D ??????????

Nah, I need some room in my pants if you know what I mean...

And Pony, keep those ideas running wild. Who knows how the fates may end up. I've got plenty of ideas that would go great (or just weird) in a music video.

Originally Posted by: LeedoggI've noticed lots of new bugs since I moved south that aren't found in the Great Lakes region where I grew up. I'm not a fan, but so far, so good...

Have you encountered the famed Palmetto Bug yet?

There are only 2 spiders in the south that are really poisonous, the Black Widow and the Brown Recluse. I'm from South Carolina and I think I've actually seen 2 or 3 BR's in my 28 years here. BR's would definaltely be the worst to get bitten by....I've known a few people to get bit by Black Widows, and although they say they are deadly, it depends on whether the person has an allergic reaction to them, kind of like a bee stings or wasp sting....The people I know that have gotten bitten really didn't have many problems, the area swoll up, but that was about it....Still want to avoid them though...they hang out under rocks, old logs, etc.......Black Widows are worst on the elderly and young kids, actually one put my grandfather in the hospital once.

Here's a link to see what a brown recluse will do to you if you've never seen the outcome of a bite.....it's nasty.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/images/4453/4453-4474-10729-42553.jpg

That pic is gross!


I'll have to be on the lookout for those spiders. As far as the palmetto bug, is that the hockey puck with legs?

Originally Posted by: JFRICK the Brown Recluse would definaltely be the worst to get bitten by....

Here's a link to see what a brown recluse will do to you if you've never seen the outcome of a bite.....it's nasty.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/images/4453/4453-4474-10729-42553.jpg

The worst part with the brown recluse is, you don't even know what's going on. At first it looks like a harmless bite. Then over the next couple weeks, your skin just dissolves in front of you!

some more pics -Nasty brown recluse spider bites

the following was taken from www.spiderbitetreatment.com


Reactions to the Brown Recluse Spider (BRS) bite depends on the amount of venom injected, age of the spider, an individual’s immune system and sensitivity to the venom. Some people experience immediate or delayed effects as the venom kills the tissues (necrosis) at the site of the bite, while other people are unaffected by a bite.

The BRS bite may go unnoticed or feel like a pinprick. It may take 2 to 8 hours to become aware of the bite. Victims may feel a stinging sensation followed by intense pain. Symptoms range from none to general reactions that may include restlessness, generalized itching, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, or shock. Usually a small white blister initially rises at the bite site surrounded by a swollen area. The affected area enlarges and becomes red, and the tissue is hard to the touch. A lesion from a BRS bite is a dry, blue-gray or blue white, irregular sinking patch with ragged edges and surrounding redness. Lesions can be small, about the size of a dime or larger depending on the reaction of the individual.



Depending on the reaction of the individual to the BRS bite a deep wound can result that is painful and takes a long time to heal. In cases of a severe reaction to the BRS bite, a “volcano lesion” (a hole in the flesh due to damaged, gangrenous tissue) can erupt at the bite site. The resulting open wound can range in size from a dime to the span of a hand. As the dead tissue gradually sloughs away it exposes underlying tissues. This ulcerating sore may take several weeks to months to heal with scarring resulting.

Many times it is difficult for a physician to accurately diagnose a “BRS” bite, based on the wound characteristics. The spider is needed for positive identification. Wounds that display necrotic tissue damage can result from a variety of causes such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other arthropods (centipedes, mites, ticks, wasps, bedbugs, kissing bugs, biting flies, etc.). Misdiagnosis of lesions as brown recluse bites can delay appropriate care

Funny how something so small can do so much damage isn't it? Well, maybe it's not necessarily funny, but it sure is impressive.

I'm not really scared of spiders, but seeing those pictures makes my skin crawl.

I think we have those brown little pricks here in Iowa, but I haven't seen any. Not that I would like to, of course.

Lighting spiders on fire with an old rolled up newspaper torch is fun. Some of them kinda blow up.

Originally Posted by: HammurabiI think we have those brown little pricks here in Iowa, but I haven't seen any. Not that I would like to, of course.

Lighting spiders on fire with an old rolled up newspaper torch is fun. Some of them kinda blow up.

Works with ticks too. Big ones that've been drinking blood for quite some time. You know, when they're fat and squishy and when you light them up they burst open and blood gushes out. That's a killer sight.

We have Brown Recluse's all around where I live. A Brown Recluse bite is pretty easy to avoid if you can remember to sweep away the spider if one is on you, instead of smashing it. That's actually how most bites occure. That and putting on cloths or drying off with a towel aggravating the spider. If you live in an area known to have them, it's a good idea to alway's shake your cloths and towels pretty good before putting them on/drying off. Hopefully, if a spider is on/in them it will be knocked off by the shaking. I've never been bit by a Brown Recluse (that I'm aware of), but I know several people that have. Luckily none of them had serious reactions such as were in those pictures.

Another place to watch out for spiders is in your produce (mainly fruit). Bananna's are probably some of the worst about having spiders. Also, having new carpet put in your house can often introduce Brown Recluse's (spiders in general) in your home. Especially if the carpet came from a warehouse type storage facility. This happened to my grandparents several(8-10) years ago, and they still have them around (not quite as bad now). Neither of them had ever been bit untill about 2 years ago. My grandfather felt something on his leg through his pants, so naturally he slapped at it. Sure enough, it was a brown recluse. He went to the doctor and got a shot, and that was about it, minus some swelling and what looked like bruising.