PA Spiders (recent brown recluse issues) (Sunbury, Gap: house, live, medical)

[R.J. MacReady]

Didn't see a thread in the PA forum for spiders. Been noticing some new spiders I haven't seen before this year. I've been running across small ones that have a shell on their backs. Some have brown ones that look like paper and others have hard spiky black shells. They are very creepy.

WHP 21 News had a segment tonight of a 15 year old boy bitten by a brown recluse spider. I've actually run across two of them in the last four years. Once down in Pleasant Gap where one was on a box fan beside my fan and another one in Snyder County. I hope they won't become too big of an issue as they are pretty poisonous. Anybody catch the news segment on them?

I know the following picture isn't the best as I couldn't get my camera to focus correctly but we've been running across these ones in our house lately and haven't seen them until this year. They have red legs and pretty big bodies. Spiders don't freak me out but the redness bothers me for some reason. They are usually two to four inches long and pretty fast. Anybody know what type it may be?

[sirron]

You're right, the brown recluse is one mean spider! Can't tell what's in your picture, but I wouldn't mess with it either. I don't do well with creepy crawly things as it is. Stay safe. Thanks for the warning.

[Summering]

Brown Recluse Spider - bites, videos, venom, pictures, treatment, loxoscelism etc.
This has some pictures and some good information.

http://www.highway60.com/mark/brs/de...sp?Picture=Yes This is a list of people who got bit, dogs too.......from what state....and the degree of the bite.
Very interesting indeed. I don't see anyone from PA on this list....thank goodness. Yes, there are a few PA on there I see now.......Ohhh, I don't like these
at all.......creepy.

[donsabi]

I lived in PA most of my life and never had a spider bite. I moved to DE and the first day I got it from a Brown Recluse. I had to go to the ER for treatment and it was not a pleasant experience.
don

[Dawne]

RJ, there was an article in the Daily Item not too long ago about a guy who got bit by a spider (maybe a brown recluse - can't remember) and he actually had a hole in his body (arm - again, can't remember) where it had bit him and become infected even with treatment. Ugh!

[R.J. MacReady]

Originally Posted by Dawne

RJ, there was an article in the Daily Item not too long ago about a guy who got bit by a spider (maybe a brown recluse - can't remember) and he actually had a hole in his body (arm - again, can't remember) where it had bit him and become infected even with treatment. Ugh!

That's scary stuff! We get a ton of spiders in our home for some reason and I always get scared about what is coming in. I don't mind the daddy long-leggers but hate the rest. We seem to get wolf spiders, the red ones I pictured above, and very small brown ones. I didn't see that article but it's scary what is coming into the area. I couldn't imagine getting a bite that would destroy your body in that way with an infection

[Summering]

That second link I posted will show you what
State the person got bit in and.......
There is actual pictures of the nasty damage that was left on people and dogs.
Some very sad stories there, also. Click on the number on the left to see pictures of each.

[formermontz]

I saw the exact same spider in my shower just the other day and it freaked me out b/c of the red legs also! I had forgotten about it until I saw this...will let you know if I find out what it is.

[1067Top]

I remember a friend was bite by a Brown Recluse during annual training at Fort Indiantown Gap about 25 years ago. First time I heard of that species of spider. Later learned that the venom kills skin tissue. Fortunately for him, he got medical treatment quickly. I do remember the area where he was bitten, about the size of a baseball hardball, was terribly discolored.

[Dawne]

Here's the story I was talking about:

The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA - Small spider bite leads to big pain

It was a Southern black widow spider that bit this guy. Ick!!