OT - What do I do with black widow spider?

[Anifa]

Originally posted by Philip O'Keefe:

Ani, not to be argumentative but...

 

A black widow can be easily recognized by it's web as well as the red hourglass; their webs are among the most beautiful works of art among ALL creatures of nature.

 

While I agree that you can frequently identify a web as possibly belonging to a black widow spider (from the strands, which tend to be thicker, and the tensile strength, which tends to be stronger than most other spider webs), calling the web of a black widow "beautiful works of art" would be quite a stretch. Compared to other spiders some of which DO spin lovely, geometrically beautiful webs), black widow webs are almost always a chaotic mess. I've seen literally hundreds of them over the years, and not a one of them had any real beauty. Here's a typical example:

...

 

Secondly, I have never - not once - seen a black widow spider "jump". I don't know for certain that they can not do so, but a quick Google search didn't suggest that they are known for this sort of activity, and I have never seen one do so personally - even when I "disturbed" it with a stick or other object to move it to a place where I could squish it.

 

You caught me on that before I got it edited out. When I went to the web to find a picture of the web I was thinking about to put up a link, I realized that the BW has UGLY webs and tried to hurry up and get my post edited. BUSTED!!!

 

Here's one of the pretty ones I was thinking about... it just doesn't belong to the widow...

 

http://www.ruggedelegantliving.com/a/images/capt.spider.web.jpg

[Anifa]

Also, Phil, I have not done any research about the BW's jumping... I just remember all of the adults that surrounded me as a kid telling me to stay as far away from the BW as possible because they were capable of jumping great distances.

 

Of course, now that I'm older I realize that may have been their way of telling us kids to stay the heck away from deadly spiders.

[Michelle ggurl]

Originally posted by Anifa:

Black widows can jump extreme distances and they can have you bit before you can determine which direction they jumped. They are one of the most deadly spiders in the USA, and maybe in all of the rest of the world as well.

The only spider I know of with a worse reputation is Australia's Funnel Web Spider (if that's the correct name). AFAIK it WILL kill an adult human who is bit by one. Yikes.

 

http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/funnelweb.htm

[Philip OKeefe]

Originally posted by Anifa:

Also, Phil, I have not done any research about the BW's jumping... I just remember all of the adults that surrounded me as a kid telling me to stay as far away from the BW as possible because they were capable of jumping great distances.

 

Of course, now that I'm older I realize that may have been their way of telling us kids to stay the heck away from deadly spiders.

As I read the first paragraph, I was thinking that what you wrote in paragraph #2 was a possible reason why you were told that. While I have seen them drop down on or near people (via a web strand), I have never seen them jump, and I suspect you were told that as a child so that you'd keep a healthy / safe distance.

[LiveMusic]

Yep, I was gonna nail ya on the 'pretty web' and the 'they jump' part but I decided to let it slide, haha. Black widow webs are just ugly messes. I've never seen one jump.

 

Also, I'm sorry to bust ya again but the Daddy Long Legs that most people see, I don't think it's poisonous. I think that's a myth. In fact, I don't think it's even a spider. There IS a spider with long legs that does have some venom but I don't think they're too bad. But the common Daddy Long Legs with the body that's one piece, I don't think it's a real spider.

 

As for the beautiful web, I knew you were talking about a garden spider. They are amazing works.

 

Black widows are bad but they are not usually fatal. I said usually. Brown recluse is worse than a black widow. Bad news because they're small and don't look like much. Black widows, at least, they're grandiose.

 

The preyiing mantis, no, it was not one of those. This bug, i wish I could find a pic. They are very common. They have to be kin to a dragonfly, kinda sorta similar.

[Bon Mot]

The preyiing mantis, no, it was not one of those. This bug, i wish I could find a pic. They are very common. They have to be kin to a dragonfly, kinda sorta similar

Did it defecate? You could collect this species' feces and get it analyzed.

[Anifa]

Also, I'm sorry to bust ya again but the Daddy Long Legs that most people see, I don't think it's poisonous. I think that's a myth. In fact, I don't think it's even a spider. There IS a spider with long legs that does have some venom but I don't think they're too bad. But the common Daddy Long Legs with the body that's one piece, I don't think it's a real spider.

I just Googled that one, and there seems to be as much controversy over that issue as what there is PC vs. Mac.

 

Grandaddy Long Legs

Daddy Long Legs -Pholcus phalangioides

People often confuse the Daddy Long Legs with the long-legged Harvestmen (Phalangium opili)which are also called Daddy Long Legs but if you look closely at the Harvestman you can see that its head, thorax and abdomen is fused, therefore it is not really a spider. Pholcus phalangioides is found world wide. Their webs are messy structures in corners where the spider resides on the lower side hanging downwards. Anything that touches the net is attacked and taken for prey if it's not too big. They feed on insects but are also known to invade other spider's webs and attack the original inhabitants. They then use their web to catch prey. Daddy Long Legs have a reputation for being the most poisonous spider, probably because they have been know to kill Black Widows and Tegenaria species, however this has not been proven. Daddy-Long-Legs spiders have venom glands and fangs but their tiny fangs are fused at the base and they cannot open their jaws wide enough to bite humans.

This article article is probably spot on... it hasn't been proven yet,

[Programgirl]

Originally posted by Anifa:

Grandaddy Long Legs

Buhuhuhuhuh. Blech.

 

LiveMusic, you are describing a female spider. If she lays eggs, you will have hundreds of extremely venomous babies right next to your house. Baby spiders are far more venomous than their parents - it's a self defense mechanism. If any pets or children (or even adults) wander into that nest, there is a very high chance of mortality.

 

I know it is difficult because I feel the same way you do, but you have got to take a can of Raid to her. It's the responsible thing to do.

[Base]

YEESHABLURBLEGIBBERSHS!!!!!! http://www.smileyworld.com/dictionary/images/smileys/MoodExpressions/shocked.gif

 

I am so very, very glad I live here after reading this thread, I hate the crawley little f^&kers!!!!! And here we have no poisonous spiders and only one poisonous snake (at least to humans), and even that is only dangerous to very young children and small animals!!!!

 

I make no secret of my disdain for your crazshy American gun laws, but if this is the sort of thing you get in your back yard, I'd probably own a small aresenal too!!! you should definitely make use of it! Get the biggest cannon you can legally own, line-up the eight-legged freak and blow it into iddy-biddy little spider bits!!!!

 

You know it makes sense...!

[Anifa]

Base,

 

When I look at the deadly spiders in Australia, USA spiders seem mild in comparison.

 

That Australian Funnel Spider.... is there an American variety of the funnel spider? Just asking out of curiosity because we used to see spiders that would build their webs in a funnel shape. The webs were awesome looking and looked like a white tornado. The weave of the web was extremely tight and close knit. These little critters were black with a small white spot on their backs and they were furry. They almost seemed to dance when interupted and were very aggressive. Then they would bury themselves deep down inside of their web. They were never very big, maybe about the size of a dime with their body and legs included, but not any bigger.

 

When you would take a stick to pull the nest down, the web as very sticky and would hold together until you twirled the stick to wrap the web around it. Very strong webs...

 

Is it possible that America has the funnel spider too? Do we have a different breed that is not deadly?

[Base]

Australia is a lot worse for venomous bitey things, they have something like 7 - 8 of the 10 most poisonous snakes and spiders in the world there!! No idea if you have the tunnel spider in the US, tho I think we have something like that here. Again, it is the wussy distant cousin that isn't dangerous to humans, other than sending certain of us screaming out into the street straight in front of an articulated lorry

 

I'm being sarcastic, I don't really hate them that much, but anything bigger than a money spider (tiny, harmless breed we get a lot of here) makes my skin crawl if it gets near me! I usually trap them in a jar and release them outside, but even that makes my blood run cold...

 

Should I ever make it to a forum get together, this is NOT an excuse to break out the spider glove puppets!!!!! http://www.smileyworld.com/dictionary/images/smileys/MoodExpressions/upset.gif

[LiveMusic]

Anifa, U.S. does not have the Funnel spider. We have spiders that build their webs as you described but it's not a funnel spider.

[Lee Flier]

The story "daddy longlegs are deadly poisonous but they just can't bite humans" is indeed a myth. A lot of people on the Internet have perpetuated the myth, but it's still a myth.

 

http://spiders.ucr.edu/daddylonglegs.html

[Billster]

Somewhere, there's a joke about Lee killing Spider, but I can't find it Lee, think of the band!

 

I like the visual of Base using a 12-gauge shotgun to off a spider.

[Tedster]

http://www.nukevet.com/rnsarchive/archives/ermeypoint_mug-thumb.jpg

 

Point me toward that little bastard and I'll have the boys take it out!

 

http://www.okinawa.usmc.mil/Public%20Affairs%20Info/Images%20Complete/HighResImages/040213-bazooka.jpg

[Sp3nc3r]

The Mythbusters debunked the "daddylong-legs" thing many moons ago. Adam allowed himself to be bitten and nothing except a little red dot appeared on the site of the bite.

 

Cheers!

Spencer

[Lee Flier]

Originally posted by Billster:

Somewhere, there's a joke about Lee killing Spider, but I can't find it Lee, think of the band!

LOL... well like I said I love spiders, and have a lot of (non poisonous) ones in my house. So of course when Spyder comes over he sees them and says "I'm glad you don't kill spiders." Come to think of it I ordinarily love drummers too and most people want to kill them.

 

I like the visual of Base using a 12-gauge shotgun to off a spider.

Anybody remember the Monty Python sketch about hunting mosquitoes with bazookas?

[LiveMusic]

Haha, I wrote a song one time about my next door neighbor. She called in a panic and said there was a giant lizard in her tree and to get over there quick before it ate (EDIT: could eat, not ate) her poodles. God, I had fun writing that one. What a hoot she is.

 

Long story short, it was a three foot iguana. I told her they eat bugs and shit but she was petrified. Had never seen one. She is elderly. I have no idea where it came from, it's a mystery. But the bad news is I tried to catch it... it was above my head on the tree... with a fishing net. It scooted up the tree. She would NOT have anything except it had to die.

 

She called the cop and it was Barney Fife, pye-yow, pye-yow, pye-yow, shooting his pistol way up to the top of a grown pine tree. Somebody a mile away probably got beaned in the head with a bullet. He shot like a case of shells. I kept telling him, leave the damn thing alone, I'll catch him, you can't hit it anyway. He couldn't. The neighbor called backup, the high sheriff.

 

The deputies come with rifles and shit and finally get him. I was pissed. She was hugging her little poodle dogs.

 

So, I wrote this song and one of the lines is about the high sheriff and their bazookas and rifles hooked up to computers.

 

After I wrote it, I didn't like the ending (which was true) because I thought it's just redneck as hell. Kill the damn thing because you're scared of it. So, I'm still re-writing it to be that he gets away.

 

It pissed me off but it was rather comical. I did try to save the old boy.

[Dak Lander]

Ani, you're probably, when mentioning the jumping, thinking of the jumping spider. It has a red body and can jump quite far when it's size is considered. They rarely bite but are scary because they will jump at a person.

 

I've also seen thousands of Black Widows and have yet to see one jump. They will drop off of their webs so if the web is above you it may seem as if the spider jumped.

I kill them when I find them.

 

Many sprays don't work on the Black Widow. I've sprayed lots of them with some pretty lethal stuff and had them curl up and drop off the web, seemingly dead, only to find them playing 'possum and coming around in a short while. It seems as if they can close up their breathing ports so many of the sprays don't kill them, just put them out for awhile.

[Sp3nc3r]

To me, it's not worth the risk of having one around - particularly if it's female and could reproduce. That thought scares me...and it takes quite a bit to scare me when it comes to crawly creatures.

 

As beautiful and elegant as one of these spiders look, the bug must die...

 

Cheers!

Spencer

 

(to the tune of "Drunken Sailor")

 

What do we do with a black widow spider?

What do we do with a black widow spider?

Oh, what do we do with a black widow spider

Ear-ly in the morning....

[fantasticsound]

Ok...

 

Black Widow spiders do not jump. I've caught my share in and around our home and have yet to meet the BW that was anything more than a crawler.

 

Brown Recluse spiders are over-rated as dangerous. That's not to say that their bites can't be devastating, if left untreated. But they aren't aggressive, are not jumpers, and can easily be killed. The danger of the brown recluse lies in it's fondness for hiding places. A typical bite usually comes from putting a body part into clothing, such as a shoe or glove, in which the spider has taken up residence. Always shake out enclosed shoes that haven't been worn recently. If you even suspect an infestation of Brown Recluse spiders, I suggest you shake out shirts and other clothes prior to putting them on, as well.

 

But if you do suffer a spider bite that creates a whitish area surrounded by a red ring, like a target, clean the area with soap and water and put anti-biotic ointment on it. Depending on the circumstances (age, health, other issues of the bite victim) you should consult a physician.

[fantasticsound]

Originally posted by Spencer Crewe:

...(to the tune of "Drunken Sailor")

 

What do we do with a black widow spider?

What do we do with a black widow spider?

Oh, what do we do with a black widow spider

Ear-ly in the morning....

I was this close to posting the same thing, earlier!

 

I just figured few people would know the original song.

[Programgirl]

Originally posted by fantasticsound:

Brown Recluse spiders are over-rated as dangerous. That's not to say that their bites can't be devastating, if left untreated. But they aren't aggressive, are not jumpers, and can easily be killed. The danger of the brown recluse lies in it's fondness for hiding places. A typical bite usually comes from putting a body part into clothing, such as a shoe or glove, in which the spider has taken up residence. Always shake out enclosed shoes that haven't been worn recently. If you even suspect an infestation of Brown Recluse spiders, I suggest you shake out shirts and other clothes prior to putting them on, as well.

One more thing - they like the dark. If you think you have one in your house you can find them by turning off the light, waiting a few minutes, and searching the walls with a flashlight.

[Base]

Originally posted by Programgirl:

One more thing - they like the dark. If you think you have one in your house you can find them by turning off the light, waiting a few minutes, and searching the walls with a flashlight.

That is straight out of a horror film, surely!

[Programgirl]

Originally posted by Base:

That is straight out of a horror film, surely!

You would think so, wouldn't you? Unfortunately no. A co-worker found an entire nest behind her headboard that way. Imagine seeing that by flashlight. I can't even begin to type the icky-poo noises I am making right now.

[Base]

Well, that would leave me in a straightjacket screaming for the rest of my life!!!!

 

Tho I thought spiders generally didn't like other spiders, so you wouldn't find a nest, or was it all newborns???

 

Either way, I may have to start keeping some napalm on my bedside table, just in case....

[Bryson]

I try to never kill insects/bugs, and have taught my sons the same (they love to catch mosquito eaters (crane fly?) and escort them out the door). Since I've had babies though, it's either them or the Black Widow......sorry mama.

They make the gnarliest web though, real strong. And when it touches my skin, I swear I can feel a little pain, like there's some venom or something in it.

[nursers]

Australia is indeed Spider and Snake Hell.

 

I'm one of six kids. Four of my siblings didn't make it to adulthood because of spider and snake bites. And our family was lucky.

[fantasticsound]

Is that right, Nursers?!? You have one brother or sister because of spider and snake bites?? I can't imagine what would convince anyone to live in such conditions that 2/3 or your family dying from animal bites is considered lucky!

 

Sorry for your loss!

 

It's not like you're living in West Africa, is it?

[nursers]

Sorry - I shoulda put a smilie after that last post