Growing up in California, I was always fearful of black widows. I had no idea the availability of antivenom was so great.
Myth of the Brown Recluse
21–30 of 158 posts
Re: Myth of the Brown Recluse
#22What happens when you mix a brown recluse and a black widow? You get a brown widow. (Not really). These http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/URBAN/SPIDERS/brown_wido... things are all over SW Florida insofar as I can tell from the egg sacs littering my lanai. There's more to say about them - but not now, I feel bad about passive/aggressive threadjacking. I'll just leave that link here for my fellow Floriduhuns.
Afraid to use the lanai, Blanche?
(sincerest apologies, I just couldn't resist) :D
Re: Myth of the Brown Recluse
#23Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yeah, I was hoping that this article would talk about how Brown Recluse aren't actually dangerous (as I live in Texas), but instead it talked about California, and it appears Brown Recluse are still quite dangerous. I see them a lot. Could we change the title to "Myth of the Brown Recluse in California" or something?
> I was hoping that this article would talk about how Brown Recluse aren't actually dangerous It does to some degree, with anecdotes of interactions with no ill effects. Clearly it can cause severe health issues, but the vast majority if the time it doesn't.
It puts it more in the range of plane crashes. They're not good, but they are rare, even if you're flying on a plane regularly.
And then you have California, which is terrified of plane crashes, either that they might be in one or that they're in the middle of one right now, even though they never fly and have no need or intention of ever flying.
Re: Myth of the Brown Recluse
#24What happens when you mix a brown recluse and a black widow? You get a brown widow. (Not really). These http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/URBAN/SPIDERS/brown_wido... things are all over SW Florida insofar as I can tell from the egg sacs littering my lanai. There's more to say about them - but not now, I feel bad about passive/aggressive threadjacking. I'll just leave that link here for my fellow Floriduhuns.
You’re seeing those spikey looking egg sacs? I’d address that somehow. That’s terrifying.
Re: Myth of the Brown Recluse
#25Growing up in California, I was always fearful of black widows. I had no idea the availability of antivenom was so great.
The article doesn't mention how long you have after the bite until the antivenom must be administered, so it's feasible that people living in remote or undeveloped areas would still want to be wary. I also imagine that children are more susceptible to the venom, so it still makes sense to teach them about the danger.
Re: Myth of the Brown Recluse
#26> How hard is that Arkansas guy laughing who was sleeping on top of 6 brown recluses? I get the point and I second the sentiment and intent of the article. But then again that Arkansas guy must be very brave nonetheless when he isn't worried about six brown recluses living next to him while sleeping - considering that the spider definitely is venomous and a bite can trigger necrosis.
I was born and raised in Arkansas, and I still live in deep brown recluse territory. It's a "out of sight, out of mind" deal with the 8-legged friends. Subconsciously you know they're around -- I could find several in my garage if I wanted to, and probably some in the closets of my house -- but they're reclusive by nature, hence the name, and tend to stay out of the way. My uncle got bit on the arm by one while bringing some firewood inside one winter. A course of oral and local antibiotics from a veterinarian friend and all he had to show after a week was a small scar.
Re: Myth of the Brown Recluse
#27> How hard is that Arkansas guy laughing who was sleeping on top of 6 brown recluses? I get the point and I second the sentiment and intent of the article. But then again that Arkansas guy must be very brave nonetheless when he isn't worried about six brown recluses living next to him while sleeping - considering that the spider definitely is venomous and a bite can trigger necrosis.
We don't laugh that hard, I have been bit twice, and both left sizable scars. Although, if you know you have been bit and get treatment within in a day or two it shouldn't be that bad. --Arkansan
Re: Myth of the Brown Recluse
#28I like how aggressive the tone of this was "Although people are free to disagree, this opinion has come about after more than two decades of constant research".
Re: Myth of the Brown Recluse
#29Growing up in California, I was always fearful of black widows. I had no idea the availability of antivenom was so great.
Black widows are not aggressive. They won't bite you unless you crush them or threaten their eggs. You can even pick them up and play with them without a bite. (Not that I would recommend testing their limits).
That being said, I do wear gloves when picking up firewood or moving stuff around my property, because if I grab one accidentally, that does crush them, which is exactly when they bite.
Re: Myth of the Brown Recluse
#30DRTS; (For those of you who didn't read, because... font too small) - Brown recluse spiders, in general, don't bite people unless you have less than 20/20 vision. In that case, you should run for the hills, esp. if you don't know how to zoom in the browser. A+ for content, but accessibility less so.