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Old 11-09-2007, 10:37 PM
 
Location: Palmer
2,519 posts, read 7,032,359 times
Reputation: 1395

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There are a lot of spiders in Alaska. There are some brown recluse spiders and there are other spiders. Almost all spiders will cause some reaction when they bite. I know people in Alaska that have had severe reactions to spider bites, so much so that it puts them down for a few days.

No snakes...
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Old 11-09-2007, 10:55 PM
 
Location: Fairbanks Alaska
1,677 posts, read 6,442,176 times
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Fairbanks had a rash of brown recluse spider bites a few years ago. One of the fire chiefs almost died, before they figured out what happened. He is fine now. Read up on them and you will be fine. If you don't bring any bugs with you then odds are you wont come accross roaches, unless the previous tennant brought them up. Also they are on most of the military bases, but normally in the utilidors where the steam pipes run, especially near gyms and pools.

By the way spiders eat mosquitos and we all know we need all the help we can get.

Another thing to know is if your family has alergic reactions to bee stings. Those are more common than spider bites. Some years we have large influxes in wasps or yellow jackets.
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Old 11-09-2007, 11:34 PM
 
Location: Seward, Alaska
2,741 posts, read 8,883,941 times
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Marty and Ray are correct: there have been a few very rare instances of people being bitten by brown recluse spiders, in seaport cities, where cargo is unloaded. It is thought that the spiders arrived in the cargo. I think maybe 2 or 3 of these recluse spiders have been found in the last 10 yrs in Seward, which is a port city. The bites are very painful and slow to heal. Many thousands of tourists disembark off cruise ships here each summer and fall...perhaps spiders arrived in their luggage.....(?) If you have a job entailing the unloading of cargo, keep an eye open...
Reminds me of something that happened in the port of Seward maybe 30 years ago. My dad was a longshoreman, working to unload a cargo ship with some other guys. The ship had arrived from Texas earlier that day. All of a sudden a longshoreman was yelling and running. There was a loud buzzing sound: RATTLESNAKE! Very much alive...coiled and ready for action. (but not for long...)
Also, there have been several reports of "Hobo" spider bites in Sitka, a city in south-eastern Ak. Both species of spiders have not been a problem in Ak, until recent years.
The "range" of these spiders seems to be limited to the city limits at present. (but I really don't know for sure)
I can tell you that any spider in our house gets the immediate "double-whammy" treatment, whether they are the "safe" kind, or otherwise.....
I wish I could tell you the following links were a relief, and "fun" to read...they weren't. But the information is useful:

Spider Bites in Alaska

Spider Traps control poisonous and non-poisonous spiders.

You can do a Google search for "spiders poisonous Alaska" to get more info.

Bud
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Old 11-10-2007, 02:52 PM
 
Location: Naptowne, Alaska
15,603 posts, read 39,823,601 times
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Bud the spot where I pick berries down your way there are these big furry spiders that are in the berry bushes. I swear they can jump 4 feet. If spiders could snarl...these guys would be savage beasts! I'm not sure if they are a wolf spider. Big eyes and furry and just mean looking. We never have bear trouble because everyone is screaming all the time. Never have been bitten.
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Old 11-10-2007, 04:08 PM
 
Location: Bethel, Alaska
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I'm a man, and I'm proud to admit no matter how big the spiders are, I still get freaked out by them.
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Old 11-10-2007, 05:04 PM
 
Location: tx
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i hate them there just creepy period, i have a deal with ALL spiders if i dont see them the can live
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Old 11-10-2007, 06:13 PM
 
Location: NC, USA
7,084 posts, read 14,859,942 times
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Well...... there is always the famed "Alaskan Road Snake", if memory serves correctly, this snake is in reality a broken fan belt, frozen by the temp, then breaks shortly after the engine fires up. D
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Old 11-10-2007, 09:46 PM
 
Location: Naptowne, Alaska
15,603 posts, read 39,823,601 times
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I've seen those! I think they are responsible for those dead tires you see lying along the road.
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Old 11-10-2007, 09:47 PM
 
Location: Not far from Fairbanks, AK
20,292 posts, read 37,174,791 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dusty Rhodes View Post
Well...... there is always the famed "Alaskan Road Snake", if memory serves correctly, this snake is in reality a broken fan belt, frozen by the temp, then breaks shortly after the engine fires up. D
Very true. It happens when the temperature drops around -40. The longer ones are the "serpentine" belts
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Old 11-11-2007, 12:25 AM
 
Location: Seward, Alaska
2,741 posts, read 8,883,941 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rance View Post
Bud the spot where I pick berries down your way there are these big furry spiders that are in the berry bushes. I swear they can jump 4 feet. If spiders could snarl...these guys would be savage beasts! I'm not sure if they are a wolf spider. Big eyes and furry and just mean looking. We never have bear trouble because everyone is screaming all the time. Never have been bitten.

Hey Rance...I think I know that spot! I'm not scared of the spiders though when berry picking because usually I carry my 44 Magnum....
Well, seriously, there are spiders here, but I couldn't tell a bad one from a good one....I solved that problem by just stomping on them all....


Bud
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