Comments on: Spiders

By: Andrea

Andrea — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:21:06 +0000

I sleep in the same bed as my husband. 2 nights ago a spider must have been in bed with us because I woke up literally covered in bites all over my legs. They are huge, quarter sized, hard and HORRIBLY itchy. I cannot stand them, and he didn’t get bit once. He never gets bit and I’m alwasy covered in bites. I don’t know how to stop getting bit all the time. HELP!!!!

By: John E.

John E. — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 22:23:54 +0000

I’ve lived on the west coast of south-central FLA for 30+ years and have seen a spider 3 times in the last 2 weeks (once at dusk, once in the early pre-dawn, and once at night) and have absolutely no knowledge of any previous sightings of this girl or her species on my part. Sorry, no pics. However, here’s what I can say.

Her abdomen is symetrically round and about the size of a dime. She’s a dull brownish-grey in coloration with no other discerning markings or hairy enough to determine if she has a “coat.” Legs are proportional to body size (unlike a female brown recluse) total body size slightly larger than 4-5mm.

She has made a web near an exterior door that is stunningly intricate (rectangular with the classic spiral pattern in the center) and has 4 anchors (2 on the ground and 2 on the roof of my home) that rises over 10 feet. All 3 times I have seen her, she seems to recognize my presence and the web is gone (literally) within an hour or 2 so she seems highly secretive. Furthermore, the time that I saw her at pre-dawn, my teacup chihuahua literally bounced off one of the web’s anchors and immediately came back inside.

Now I’m a true Floridian and have had my share of run-ins with recluses and really do like spiders (I won’t kill one in the house / trap it in a glass and take it outside), but this one concerns me just a bit as I might accidentally walk into her web and might get bitten. Is this some Central or South American transplant and is it possibly venomous (yes I saw “Arachniphobia” but I don’t need to call in John Goodman’s character…or do I?). I’d appreciate anyone’s input as to this marvelous creature.

By: Rosalind

Rosalind — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:22:29 +0000

my bf had a bad experience with a spider a few weeks ago. He said that it was CLEAR with a blackish/yellow spot on its back. What kind of spider is that b/c I’ve done research and others have seen the same kind of spider. It must be some kind of new species of spider b/c noone has answers for it. Please if you have any information, respond.

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:14:49 +0000

My friend is seeking advice about this spider, the spider was to small to be seen yet after 2 hours of being bitten his arm, hand, and fingers were in pain. One bite caused his whole arm to go numb and burn up, he encountered the spider in his attic but he couldn’t see it to identify it, any clue what spider it was?

By: rebe

rebe — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:56:11 +0000

my boyfriend was bit on the arm by a little black and white spider while at a cookout and instantly started to complain about tingling and numbness up his whole arm. the bite area was swollen to a bit larger than a quarter and felt very hard. after about 15-20 minutes later they veins in his arm were all bulging and up each vein spaced about 2 inches apart, were raised bumps in the veins.

the following day, the bite looks a bit better and the veins have calmed down, but then the vomiting started… he just told me that now he is having trouble breathing…
does anyone have any idea? he said he wont go to a doctor and i am pretty worried

By: Scruffie

Scruffie — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:17:18 +0000

I need to identify a spider it was shaped just like a black widow but was dark brown with orange stipes lengthwise on the outer part of the sac. I killed it by drowning it in tilex cleaner. I am in central CA never seen one in my 50yrs.

By: nicole

nicole — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:22:44 +0000

I have these little tiny round spiders in my house, everywhere. I have never had them or seen them before. They are really small, round, and kindof have a hard round body that crunches when you squash them. I find them in my bed, the counter and wall of my bathroom sink, and on the wall in the bedroom. I have not found them down stairs. I have had two spider bites and they swelled up and was about 3 quarter sizes big. The nurse at work was alittle worried about it but I am allergic to bees and she thought I could have been having a reaction. I can spray for them because I am also allergic to bombs and sprays. I just want to know what these things are. Thank you.

By: Jesicca

Jesicca — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 03:29:02 +0000

I found a huge spider in my house today (Utah) and I can’t find one on the web like it, this sounds crazy but it actually has ten legs and two big protruding points, like fangs. The extra legs or palps, are a bit larger and longer than the actual legs but look very similar. It has a very skinny but long body, kind of yellowish tan with some black, almost like a scorpion but definately isn’t. The body is about 1/2 in long with 1 in legs. Can someone help me with this, I have kids and worry that it might be poisonous. Thank you.

By: Peggy in Indiana

Peggy in Indiana — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:20:18 +0000

Bitten on face apparently while sleeping. Started as a small red area with a small blister in the center. The next day the blister was much larger, the area very red and swollen. Felt like I was fighting an infection. The third day the blister was even larger. Contacted doctor and he ordered oral antibiotic and an antibiotic cream. Fourth day, blister still very large but swelling and redness down. Fifth day doctor lanced blister. Thought it was possibly a black widow, said the area would probably be ulcerated for a while but that I had started medical treatment quickly and did not believe I would have any problems.

Any idea what might have bitten me. My symptoms seem more like a brown recluse than black widow. We had been cleaning out a large storage closet in our basement that is directly under our bedroom.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Peggy

By: James

James — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 22:40:33 +0000

I found a weird spider in my churches bathroom. It is just like a black widow except it has no hourglass on it’s belly and it is a brownish color with almost a checkerboard of dark brown and a sort of white color on it’s back. Anybody know what this is?