Brown Widow

[Mania]

This post is not about a pet.

Last night my husband went into the garage and found a spider had built a web right in front of the door. He doesn't like spiders so he called me to do something about it. Actually, what he said was, "Help! There's a deadly spider in the garage!"

I caught the spider in a glass to take it outside, but then Eric wanted to know what it was because he hadn't seen one like it before. Ironically, it turns out he was very slightly almost right - the spider was a brown widow. Ours looked just like this picture.

Like black widows, these are widow spiders and have nasty venom. In most cases, they aren't actually deadly - although you still don't want to be bitten. The risk of being bitten by one, however, is pretty low. Brown widows are generally non-aggressive and very timid. Certainly ours was very polite when I caught it in a glass ... even when I shook it around until it played dead and I could see the red hourglass on its abdomen.

Unfortunately, Eric threw a fit when I wanted to put the spider outside. Eventually I had to concede or face the wrath of a man scared of a spider. So I left the room and let him kill the pretty little thing.

This is my apology to that spider.

Information on Brown Widow Spiders from the University of Florida

[Cialbi]

Looks like...
...Eric has made...
*sunglasses*
...a brown widower.
YEEAAAAHH
_ _ _

Apologies, to anyone who's ever had a spouse killed, for making that joke.
That's rather interesting. We do have black widows in this area, but I wonder if we may also have their brown cousins. As for Eric's arachnophobia, I've literally heard worse - one night at summer camp, I had to suffer someone in my old Boy Scout troop shrieking (i do not exaggerate) because of a spider "the size of a quarter" in his tent.

[Azunara]

Ah, heck. Great story inc.

I'm not a fan of spiders. I don't care how tiny they are, they can frikking bite me and do bad things to me. I mean, you know those ittsy bittsy red spiders? That swarm? They freak me out too. Overall, I don't like spiders.

Today, my brother gets a fake, neon yellow spider. In normal circumstances, I wouldn't fall for it. But he screamed there was a spider, I turned and OH HEAVEN SAVE ME THERE IS SOMETHING BRIGHT YELLOW ON MY SHOULDER AND IT'S GOING FOR MY NECK.

Okay, not really. I end up freaking out, flinging the spider away and end up horribly embarrassed. When he tried it again, I whacked him in the stomach. He didn't try it again after that.

[Moore]

Spiders have been loyal to the Forsaken for the longest time ;_; I am disappointed the spider was not saved ;_;.

[Mania]

[...]a spider "the size of a quarter" in his tent.

Hah! Yeah, I kept running across that sort of thing on forums when I was trying to identify the little guy. Even worse was when I lived in Massachusetts.

Now I understand that wherever you grew up and/or live, you have a responsibility to promote the monstrous size of your insects and arachnids. But I grew up poor in Florida. I was *glad* to see a big-ass (what we called) wolf spider in my bedroom because it meant that it would be eating the big-ass roaches that otherwise would end up in my bed. We had a strict rule not to kill the spiders no matter where they popped up - even if, for example, a mother left her egg sac in the shower. We just had to do the best we could not to wash the tiny babies down the drain.

I wish I were kidding.

After a very shudder-inducing Google session (because while I like spiders, close-ups still make me shudder), I believe I am actually talking about Heteropoda venatoria, aka brown huntsman or banana spider. The flat egg sac seems particularly distinctive. Anyway, to quote:

Adult specimens have a body length of 2.2 to 2.8 cm (about 1 inch), and have a leg span of 7 to 12 cm (3 to 5 inches).

[Vephriel]

Aww, poor spider. I don't think I could ever bring myself to kill one, I'd probably secretly say I did and then let it out the back door.

That's pretty awesome about Florida though. I would definitely feel better with a large spider hanging out in my room than an infestation of other insects. ^^

[SgtMakkie]

Yaay Spider stories

Shame he had to kill it, although being the one scared of them he did well to take that step.

Well one morning I came down stairs and was about to make my breakfast when I spotted a spider above the kitchen window. However, this was basically the biggest spider I had ever seen outside a Zoo. Now remember I live in the Netherlands.. Not exactly tropical or a know hot zone for dangerous spiders Yet this thing was easily 4-5 inches, 10 centimeters from front to back (body+legs).

To this day I've no clue what sort of spider it was. Unfortunately the pictures were taken with my old Mobile Phone, so I apologise for their lack of quality. I did capture the spider and release him in the garden. If anyone has any clues, I'd love to know what it was.

Spider1 - 02102007.jpg (386.29 KiB) Viewed 3394 times

Spider2- 02102007.jpg (88.58 KiB) Viewed 3394 times

Spider3 - 02102007.jpg (87.32 KiB) Viewed 3394 times

Not scared of them, but I'd rather not wake up with one on my face

[Acherontia]

Recently, while typing on WoW, I had a spider (largish, dark, and scary--of course) skitter over my arm and across the desk. When I stood up to reflexively leap back, I discovered to my horror that it was ATTACHED TO ME with a length of silk, which slingshotted it right back at me >.> I finally caught it in a large empty Pepsi bottle, but I wound up having to keep it captive for a day, as I refuse to try and shake a spider out the window at night. You just KNOW they will crawl right back up at you if you can't see them!

But as far as venomous ones go... Although I feel bad ever killing anything--vegetarian, let spiders go etc--I will say that you'd feel far, far worse if your husband wound up bit. I say this because I once let a spider go in my bedroom--it looked suspiciously unafraid of me, but I left it alone, figuring I'd catch it and let it out the next day. Come to find out it was a brown recluse, which then bit me overnight (I killed it the next day to check the spider type, to find out what had bitten me), and I wound up in the hospital with a swollen, red and rock-hard leg, clotted with spider venom. It was NOT pleasant, and I had to stay bedridden for several days afterward. So maybe it was for the best in the long run

[Cialbi]

But as far as venomous ones go... Although I feel bad ever killing anything--vegetarian, let spiders go etc--I will say that you'd feel far, far worse if your husband wound up bit. I say this because I once let a spider go in my bedroom--it looked suspiciously unafraid of me, but I left it alone, figuring I'd catch it and let it out the next day. Come to find out it was a brown recluse, which then bit me overnight (I killed it the next day to check the spider type, to find out what had bitten me), and I wound up in the hospital with a swollen, red and rock-hard leg, clotted with spider venom. It was NOT pleasant, and I had to stay bedridden for several days afterward. So maybe it was for the best in the long run

Brown recluse - now those I am afraid of. Rarely lethal, but leave the nastiest bites.
Of course, they have to be the only other kind of dangerous spider that lives in my area (besides the aforementioned black widow).

But, unless Mania married someone who is either very clumsy or very stupid, I don't think that her husband was in danger of being bitten. Most spider bites are accidents, when the spider panics because a careless human is about to crush them. By the time this spider felt threatened by Eric, it was almost certainly too late for the spider to do anything but bite the treads of his shoe (maybe not even enough time for that).

[Rarako]

Pretty. I never knew there were brown widows. I really like spiders, unless they sneak up on me...

There was a massive black widow who lived behind the Blockbuster I used to work at. She was from the top of her head to the end of her abdomen about the length of my thumb and glossy as black onyx. I would always stop and say hi when I dropped off the trash in the morning if she was out sunning with her egg sac. Have to say though, here in the south writing spiders are by far one of the most lovely and friendly spiders you can find. Had one (maybe two?) named "Mira" who lived right outside my window that I fed grasshoppers to for about three years.

[Acherontia]

But, unless Mania married someone who is either very clumsy or very stupid, I don't think that her husband was in danger of being bitten. Most spider bites are accidents, when the spider panics because a careless human is about to crush them.

Very true. I don't have a problem with leaving spiders alive, in general, and I'd probably do it again--but there's always that "what if" that might make you feel better in the long run

My bite was, I think, due to the recluse coming into my bed at night, and me probably catching it between my calf and the blanket, and it bit to defend itself. Anything can happen.

[Kormai]

GAHHHHHHH *flails* I HATE spiders.....HAAAAATE!

Brown Recluse scare the crap out of me, moreso even than black widows really. But, Acherontia, they are definitely known for biting people in their sleep. I'm glad you recovered. My field guide also notes: "This spider sometimes takes shelter in clothing or a folded towel and bites when disturbed." I think that's probably why they creep me out so much.

[Makoes]

Spiders, sadly, are pretty much the only thing (asides from needles) that scare me. There was a time I use to like spiders, but afterwatching Arachniphobia as a small child, I've been scared of them since.

Spiders generally do not live long in my house after discovery. Often I get my boyfriend to do something about them, either killing and flushing them down the toilet or letting them go outside, either is fine with me so long as they're no longer anywhere near me. Although my Boyfriend loves tarantula's and wants to get one as a pet, which I've told him is fine, but under no circumstances am i going anywhere near it, and if it climbs onto the back of his head, well...tough for him.

[Teigan]

.

[Cialbi]

[...]a spider "the size of a quarter" in his tent.

Hah! Yeah, I kept running across that sort of thing on forums when I was trying to identify the little guy. Even worse was when I lived in Massachusetts.

Now I understand that wherever you grew up and/or live, you have a responsibility to promote the monstrous size of your insects and arachnids.

I'm not sure if this was directed at me, or just people in general who exaggerate the size of spiders in their area. I only mentioned his comment about the size of that spider because a) that particular shriek happens to be ingrained in my memory for some unknown reason and b) it helps give an idea of how hysterical he was (not funny hysterical, but out-of-your-mind hysterical). I do recognize that the spiders in my corner of the country are relatively small; daddy longlegs are probably our largest spiders, and I'm not sure if they technically are spiders.

GAHHHHHHH *flails* I HATE spiders.....HAAAAATE!

Brown Recluse scare the crap out of me, moreso even than black widows really. But, Acherontia, they are definitely known for biting people in their sleep. I'm glad you recovered. My field guide also notes: "This spider sometimes takes shelter in clothing or a folded towel and bites when disturbed." I think that's probably why they creep me out so much.

I think they tend to live in rather reclusive spots (hence the name), including wood piles. Hence why you'll see me wearing work gloves on the rare occasion that I need to get something from our wood pile. As for you, unless you have clothing or folded towels in an outdoor shed, I don't think you have much to be afraid of.

[Wark]

Have to say I'm in the "save the spiders, THEY EAT OTHER THINGS!" camp myself-- I won't go to heroic lengths to save them, but I'd estimate I have at least half a dozen comfortably tucked around my room. As long as they stay out of sight and off of me, I'm mostly good with just letting them be-- maybe if I didn't live 50 meters from a swamp, with a window screen that only screens out the laziest and puniest of mosquitos, I'd feel differently. As it is, the mosquitos and giant stink bugs bother me MUCH more than the tiny little jellybean-colored spiders. And they don't come anywhere near me, let alone nom on me or attempt to hurl themselves into my face. So we're cool.

Slightly more on-topic: have to admit that for all the time I've spent with black widows-- used to feed our captive one sometimes at the nature center I volunteered at-- I always forget about BROWN widows! I guess they just don't sound badass enough.

[Kormai]

As for you, unless you have clothing or folded towels in an outdoor shed, I don't think you have much to be afraid of.

I don't even live in their range...I know this, but that still doesn't stop me frm being freaked out by them and all other spiders.

[Moonlost]

I freely admit to being a little afraid of spiders. But it's a strange sort of fear that turns to fascination if I have a chance to watch them without fear of said spider jumping out at climbing all over me. Irrationally, I'm more afraid of the relatively harmless cockroach than the potentually deadly spiders we have.
Mostly we get daddy long-legs around here, which are adorable and completely harmless. We also has a mouse spider on our fence at one point, and I freely admit to being damn scared of that girl when I first saw her.

I calmed down after watching her though. It was a bloody hot day (43°C/109°F) and she was just splayed out in the shade trying to cool down. I could relate to that.
Also see a few redbacks around every once and a while. Think black widow, but with a red stripe on top of the abdomen as well as the hourglass shape on the bottom.

These guys are a bit prolific and we do tend to kill them if they're in our house or in places which we're at risk of being bitten. Not too long ago, we had three of them nesting just above our front door. *shudder*
By far though, my favourite of the spider species we see around here is the Huntsman. Very big spiders, easily as big as your hand, but very, very timid and pretty harmless. Always happy to watch these go about their business, although they frequently get relocated to the backyard if they're found inside.

I once had the pleasure to watch one of these guys grooming itself. I found it to be surprisingly cute. XD

[Dubhsidhe]

I grew up in Georgia. My dad's side of the family was in the 'woods' a bit. I saw more poisonous spiders than I can shake a stick at. I've probably been bitten by dozens of them.

Spiders are ok - so long as they don't come within five feet of me. Stay the hell out of my personal bubble, and we are straight, yo. You do your thing, I'll do mine. I don't do catch and release, all spider venom is toxic in someway, and it can cause allergic reactions, just like a bee sting

The arachnid that causes ridiculous amounts of fear in me? Scorpions.

When I was seven I was helping my mother unpack a doorknob and sorting the parts (Dont ask, I was a weird kid). I found this (seemingly HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE) black ball. I picked it up and started looking at the directions. This scorpion uncurled and wacked me right in the palm of the hand. My family spent a good hour freaking out running me from doctor to hospital trying to find out if I was poisoned.

Fortunately, I just spent a week with a swollen hand.

About two months ago, one tried to sneak up on me (IN OHIO, WTF). He got a phonebook to the face.

I can't even have a scorpion pet in WoW.

I'd look up a picture of the little bastard, but I can't stand to see them.

[Nick]

Spiderrrsssss ughndfklgnfkljgn ;^;

I mean, yeah, I want a pet tarantula but small spiders just freak me the hell out. Too easy to slip under the covers and in my bed.