NationStates Jolt Archive

An interesting, if frightening, story follows:

Last night I lie down in my bed only to see a large spider crawl upon me. I immediately start flailing about in fear, and that saved my life, as the spider was thrown off me onto the bed. One swift landing of a box later and it was dead.

Only after I killed it did I realize it was a Brown Recluse.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Recluse

This is odd because the Brown Recluse is usually note native to Colorado, especially since it has been extremely cold as of late...but then that may be why the spider inhabited my house.

'Course, that wasn't all...there was more. Much more.

Earlier today, my sister escaped her own death via spider bite from a Brown Recluse on her own bed, which is next to her dresser. Since the spider appeared to crawl out from behind the dresser, we checked behind it...and discovered a nest. At least five other Brown Recluses were protecting a large spider egg sac...a sac about to hatch, it seemed. My sister screamed in panic, and that prompted our extremely dumb but loveable golden retriever Chester to come bounding to the rescue.

You know what he did? He ATE the spiders. He gobbled them up before they could react to anything. We swiftly disposed of the egg sac after that.

That experience was quite frightening because it could have potentially resulted in our house being overrun by Brown Recluses.

Anyway, what kind of close encounters with spiders and poisonous insects have you had?

Holy shit...

You wouldn't happen to have a wood-burning fireplace or anything like that? I could see them coming in from there.

It is rather odd to have brown recluses in Colorado, were they big and brown or did they actually have the violin shape. I also do not think that brown recluse bites are usually fatal, although they can be rather nasty.

As for me, I have had some issues with scorpions, but they aren't dangerous, more of just a nuisance.

An interesting, if frightening, story follows:

Last night I lie down in my bed only to see a large spider crawl upon me. I immediately start flailing about in fear, and that saved my life, as the spider was thrown off me onto the bed. One swift landing of a box later and it was dead.

Only after I killed it did I realize it was a Brown Recluse.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Recluse

This is odd because the Brown Recluse is usually note native to Colorado, especially since it has been extremely cold as of late...but then that may be why the spider inhabited my house.

'Course, that wasn't all...there was more. Much more.

Earlier today, my sister escaped her own death via spider bite from a Brown Recluse on her own bed, which is next to her dresser. Since the spider appeared to crawl out from behind the dresser, we checked behind it...and discovered a nest. At least five other Brown Recluses were protecting a large spider egg sac...a sac about to hatch, it seemed. My sister screamed in panic, and that prompted our extremely dumb but loveable golden retriever Chester to come bounding to the rescue.

You know what he did? He ATE the spiders. He gobbled them up before they could react to anything. We swiftly disposed of the egg sac after that.

That experience was quite frightening because it could have potentially resulted in our house being overrun by Brown Recluses.

Anyway, what kind of close encounters with spiders and poisonous insects have you had?

I was bitten on my left hand by a spider, it swelled to the size of a small grapefruit and unimaginable amounts of green pus flowed merrily, just by clenching my fist, each day for quite a while. I still have the scar.

It's a pretty cool scar and I can also say that the first Spiderman was pretty accurate for a spider bite.

I shook hands once with Former Connecticut governor, Lowell Weicker. :eek:

It was terrifying. :eek:

OMG that is horrifying! You had better take your dog to the vet, btw. I am not sure that eating a deadly spider is all that safe either. :eek:

Holy shit...

You wouldn't happen to have a wood-burning fireplace or anything like that? I could see them coming in from there.
We've checked those out already. Though we do have two fireplaces, they use the same chimney and that chimney has been closed for quite some time. (Mainly because the house distributes heat so well we simply have no need to use a fireplace to keep the house warm. Unfortunately this does result in my own room becoming overheated at times...to my dismay.)

It is rather odd to have brown recluses in Colorado, were they big and brown or did they actually have the violin shape. I also do not think that brown recluse bites are usually fatal, although they can be rather nasty.
My mother is, among other things, a spider expert. She is certain they were Brown Recluses. I also know they're rarely fatal, but the last time my sister was bitten by a Brown Recluse, she almost died, because she had some kind of allergic reaction to the specific venom. It's possible my entire family has that potential for such a reaction and none of us are willing to risk finding out.

I shook hands once with Former Connecticut governor, Lowell Weicker. :eek:

It was terrifying. :eek:
...:p

OMG that is horrifying! You had better take your dog to the vet, btw. I am not sure that eating a deadly spider is all that safe either. :eek:
Well, so far, he seems fine, but we are definitely considering taking him to the nearby Humane Society--where we got him, in fact--to be checked out.

We've checked those out already. Though we do have two fireplaces, they use the same chimney and that chimney has been closed for quite some time. (Mainly because the house distributes heat so well we simply have no need to use a fireplace to keep the house warm. Unfortunately this does result in my own room becoming overheated at times...to my dismay.)

Interesting. That rules out a wood pile as the source of the spiders; I can't think of a way it might have gotten to Colorado since they're usually located only in the South and parts of the Midwest. Maybe they managed to cross over one way or another and ended up in your house.

Damn creepy either way.

Interesting. That rules out a wood pile as the source of the spiders; I can't think of a way it might have gotten to Colorado since they're usually located only in the South and parts of the Midwest. Maybe they managed to cross over one way or another and ended up in your house.

Damn creepy either way.

The spider that bit me was not native to the area, not that I know what it was, I just know that poisonous spiders are not known in that area.

It can be from buying plants, fruit, furniture, anything that's been transported to your area.

Interesting. That rules out a wood pile as the source of the spiders; I can't think of a way it might have gotten to Colorado since they're usually located only in the South and parts of the Midwest. Maybe they managed to cross over one way or another and ended up in your house.

Damn creepy either way.

We've got no idea how they arrived either. We have informed local authorities on the matter in case this problem is in other houses as well, and my mom is in the process of conducting a top to bottom search of the house for any other spiders, but so far she's found nothing.

It could just be an isolated incident...I certainly hope it is, because the last thing this area needs is a spider invasion.

The spider that bit me was not native to the area, not that I know what it was, I just know that poisonous spiders are not known in that area.

It can be from buying plants, fruit, furniture, anything that's been transported to your area.

That makes sense. They probably hitched a ride along with something being transported from that part of the country and ended up wherever the stuff carrying them did. Of course, what that means is that there might be a lot more of them in other places, especially if they were able to survive long enough to reproduce.

It could just be an isolated incident...I certainly hope it is, because the last thing this area needs is a spider invasion.

A real life version of Arachnophobia...

That makes sense. They probably hitched a ride along with something being transported from that part of the country and ended up wherever the stuff carrying them did. Of course, what that means is that there might be a lot more of them in other places, especially if they were able to survive long enough to reproduce.

And that's exactly what worries us. Other than isolated, small packages containing software CDs or medicine, we've not been having anything delivered. As such, we don't know where they came from.

My mom did just finish her sweep of the house, however, and according to her there's no others in our house, which is lucky for us, to be sure.

And that's exactly what worries us. Other than isolated, small packages containing software CDs or medicine, we've not been having anything delivered. As such, we don't know where they came from.

My mom did just finish her sweep of the house, however, and according to her there's no others in our house, which is lucky for us, to be sure.

Yet you've bought stuff no? Doesn't have to be 'delivered by UPS' as such, can be delivered by you.

It's just that there's a multitude of ways a spider can end up in your house.

What is odd I suppose is that there were a few of them and they were breeding.

Yet you've bought stuff no? Doesn't have to be 'delivered by UPS' as such, can be delivered by you.

It's just that there's a multitude of ways a spider can end up in your house.

What is odd I suppose is that there were a few of them and they were breeding.
Well, see, that's the thing...the only large item we've bought recently was a mattress, and that went straight to my parents room which is on the upper floor. Other than that, we've just been purchasing food and the occasional medicinal item...nothing that could carry spiders.

My sister screamed in panic, and that prompted our extremely dumb but loveable golden retriever Chester to come bounding to the rescue.

You know what he did? He ATE the spiders. He gobbled them up before they could react to anything. We swiftly disposed of the egg sac after that.What is some strange about that as spider eggs taste yummy.:)

What is some strange about that as spider eggs taste yummy.:)

He didn't eat the spider eggs...he ate the spiders themselves.

my dog got bit by a brown recluse a week or two back, it's disgusting. ;)

he didn't seem to care though. I would post a pic of the healing, but it's pretty gross still.

my dog got bit by a brown recluse a week or two back, it's disgusting. ;)

he didn't seem to care though. I would post a pic of the healing, but it's pretty gross still.Post it if what because I will have to go to google if you do not.

Harmless (http://www.richard-seaman.com/Wallpaper/Nature/Spiders/DaringJumpingSpider.jpg)

Brown Recluses aren't that bad. I was bitten by one years ago during a trip to Colorado, never got more than a nasty sting.

The trick is, the venom of the Recluse actually isn't dangerous. The problem is the necrotizing bacteria that can live on the spider's fangs. I washed the wound in vinegar (an old Aussie trick - it neutraizes many venoms, if they aren't already in the bloodstream (useless against snakebite)) and cleaned the bite carefully.

I also had an interesting experience with a Bird-Eating Spider in New Guinea. It was quite delicious.