posted
I'm sifting through this online presentation about bugs that bite and cause illness, and found an image of a Black Widow spider. What surprised me is I really did not know what one looked like before, and now I realize I recognize it! I had one in my car a year or two ago. I was afraid of it because it looked unusual, and I remember thinking, "Should I attempt to throw it outside or should I kill it?" I can't remember exactly what I did with it, but I remember watching it for a while (I'm sure I didn't kill it though, I probably tossed it outside and felt badly for it). It was so graceful and feminine acting. lol What the heck! I remember thinking, "Is this a black widow?" I sat there mezmerized as to how suprisingly pretty it was by how it moved. It's body was so big and roundish I thought maybe it was pregnant, not having a clue that this was just a normal, black widow's body). I asked a friend about it and she said it probably was NOT a black widow.
There's a chance it was a Steatoda, which is more brown, and they aren't aggressive, which would explain her behavior. This is maybe the reason I did't get bit!
Does anyone else have near-encounter stories with a potentially poisonous bug (other than our 'favorites': ticks)?
lynea
Posts: 2 | From Kansas | Registered: Jun 2011
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posted
Did it have the hourglass red marks on it? No spider is welcome in my car or house!!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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momindeep
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7618
posted
Had a black widow years ago between my screen door and front door...never had seen one before so got out my encyclopedia and looked it up...yikes!
Got out my Kirby vacuum and sucked it up right away...then changed the bag and threw it away.
It was shiny like patent-leather with the red hour glass on it.
Still creeps me out to think all of us continously went in and out of that door.
Posts: 1512 | From Glenwood City WI | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
I got bit by a brown recluse a couple of months ago, Still have a little lump there. By the second day the knot on my neck was the size of a golf fall..so I went to see the NP. She said it was a good thing that I was already on the antibiotic for Lyme or it would probably have been worse...only good thing about KNOWING what I have (that took a while) & treating for Lyme in the last couple of years She want to give me oral steriods but I told her that someone with Lyme should not take steriods unless it's life or death. (I have my own steriod story) But I did let her prescribe an ointment had some in it for swelling & itching.
Posts: 75 | From Missouri | Registered: Apr 2009
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posted
I don't think a black widow will always kill you ... but a brown recluse bite can be really really bad.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
Spiders are so creepy.
I found a black widow in my mail box one day. Tried to kill it with bug spray but it just dropped down on it's web and spread it's legs out to dry. It seemed to be laughing at me.
I've also been bit by a brown recluse in my bed. My poor arm hurt so bad. After a few hours my whole arm was swollen, red, and hot. I couldn't bend my elbow for weeks after. Had to take a ton of antibiotics to clear that infection.
The spider that scares me the most is the wolf spider. They are about the size of a mouse (not joking) and they run fast. I hit one with a broom, didn't know that it was carrying about a hundred babies on it's back. As soon as I hit it there was a poof and all the tiny babies scattered and ran. Now that's the stuff of nightmares!
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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posted
What do people do to discourage spiders from coming in their homes and beds?
Posts: 140 | From Illinois | Registered: Jul 2009
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
Good question. I don't know if anything really works.
For brown recluses I remember reading it is important to keep clothes off the floor. Don't let your blankets touch the ground. Store off season clothes in plastic tubs instead of cardboard boxes.
Now I need to take my own advice and pick my laundry up off the floor...
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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In 2000 my health took a huge leap downwards after what we think was a spider bite on the eye. One of our dogs was also bitten and his whole shoulder swelled up. We never saw the critter.
My M.D. said my symptoms sounded like serum poisoning. I didn't know at the time that I don't make the antibodies to adequately get rid of spider bite toxins. The testing for that is the HLA testing which also tests for borrelia and mold toxins and our ability to get rid of them.
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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![[bonk]](graemlins/bonk.gif)
I remember thinking, "Is this a black widow?" I sat there mezmerized as to how suprisingly pretty it was by how it moved. It's body was so big and roundish I thought maybe it was pregnant, not having a clue that this was just a normal, black widow's body). I asked a friend about it and she said it probably was NOT a black widow. 
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
She want to give me oral steriods but I told her that someone with Lyme should not take steriods unless it's life or death. (I have my own steriod story) But I did let her prescribe an ointment had some in it for swelling & itching.
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