Another Spider Identification Please (Marvin: transplants, dermatology, house) - City-Data Forum

KennysMom · 09-10-2008, 02:02 PM

You natives must get a kick out of all us transplants freaking out over the spiders and bugs. I have to say, that's been the biggest adjustment for me since moving down here. Can you help me identify this creepy guy? I am terrified of spiders but I won't kill them because I know the benefits of having them around. It looks like a cross spider but I'm not sure. He's huge though and creepy. Does anyone know what it is for sure and does it bite, is it poisonous? He seems to have taken a liking to our hummingbird feeder.

Another Spider Identification Please-picture-046.jpg

Native_Son · 09-10-2008, 03:08 PM

I'm not sure what it's name is, I call 'em creek spiders because it seems like they are always spinning webs on creek banks.

Not harmful from my experience... and I've walked into scores of them over my years hiking, cruising timber, boating and basically living. No harm will befall you from this little guy.

As a matter of fact, the ONLY spider that is a real threat around here is the black widow. I don't think we are even in the distribution range for brown recluses...

Leave him be, you'll have less mosquito bites for it...

Patti1042 · 09-10-2008, 03:09 PM

sorry. I can't help you identify the spider, but I am with you. Spiders and bugs are no fun.

Native_Son · 09-10-2008, 03:14 PM

Y'all should check out this link... it may help with your irrational bug fears.

What's That Bug?

Ninor · 09-10-2008, 04:42 PM

We're actually on the outer limit of the normal area for Brown Recluses...so while we're not going to be inundated with them you'll find the occasional one outside of those boundaries...I know, cause I was bitten by one in Marvin.

NCyank · 09-10-2008, 08:40 PM

Ick, I don't know what those spiders are called but they are creepy little things. They build webs under the front porch and like to drop down and freak me out....*shivers*.

BxRosie · 09-10-2008, 08:58 PM

Looks like a Wolf Spider to me, but I could be wrong.

BxRosie

Native_Son · 09-11-2008, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninor

We're actually on the outer limit of the normal area for Brown Recluses...so while we're not going to be inundated with them you'll find the occasional one outside of those boundaries...I know, cause I was bitten by one in Marvin.

No, we are well outside the outer limit of the Brown Recluse, which only goes north and east as far as the very western-most tip of NC (see pic).

Yes, there are reports of outliers, but the believed-to-be BR bite is so commonly misdiagnosed that it's almost reached urban legend status! There are papers written about it, here's an excerpt from one:

However, outside the natural range of these recluse species, the conviction that they are the etiological agents behind necrotic lesions of unknown origin is widespread, and most often erroneous. In some states such as California, unsubstantiated reports concerning recluse spider bites have taken on the status of "urban legend" leading to overdiagnosis and, therefore, inappropriate treatment.

...

Finally, recluses have a prevalence for hiding in boxes which allows them to be transported out of their range by commerce or residential relocation. Despite this opportunity for range expansion, remarkably few verified populations have established outside [known range]

From
Identifying and Misidentifying the Brown Recluse Spider
Rick Vetter
Dermatology Online Journal 5 (2): 7

[SIZE=-1]Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside [/SIZE]

Realistically, the odds of you being bitten by one here are VERY slim. If you are, you probably brought it with you in a box from one of the states in its natural range.

And unless you actually captured the spider that bit you and had it positively id'd by an entomologist I am very skeptical that it was a brown recluse. More likely a black widow...

And I hope it wasn't too bad, those things can cause nasty wounds in some folks...

tad5117 · 09-11-2008, 06:50 AM

My neighbor recently had an infestation of black widow spiders and found egg sacks all over the place as well. We had an exterminator in to spray inside and outside of our house "just in case" and thank goodness, no spiders! If you are that afraid, maybe you shoud spray your home? Just a thought!

Ninor · 09-11-2008, 08:09 PM

Native Son,

I read the same web site (and many more) doing my research as to what caused the necrosis I had. I had the "red white and blue" that is typical, the painless bite, and my clothes have been stored in boxes in a friend's basement for the last eight months. I also found a slew of pictures of actual brown recluse spider bites and mine is identical..(if I can figure how to get the picture up I'll do it...it's still pretty gross after 2 1/2 months).

He also doesn't say "No" populations have been found outside of the range..he says "remarkably few" have been found. Given the dry conditions we've had of late I find it (and so did the insect guy I spoke to at the Uni) highly likely the wee bastids have been wandering further afield than normal in search of prey.

Black widows (same family as the Australian Redback) don't cause necrosis. My flesh was visibly being eaten over a period of weeks. The recluse bite is also notoriously slow to heal and I was bitten back on June 23rd and I still have a bite that has gradually shrunk to the size of a dime from the half dollar size it was.