spider bite

[Waulie]

It is a big brownish spider with big thick hairy legs with well defined body segments resting legs not fully extended it was about as round as a typical coffee cup.

This sounds like a wolf spider. I grew up calling them wood spiders because the love the stacks. I've been moving my stacks into my wood room and shed the last few days and have seen dozens of these spiders. They will bite but only if you really piss them off. It stings a little but is harmless (unless you happen to have an extremely rare allergy). They can get absolutely huge and are definately freaky looking. They move really fast too. I had one in the kitchen yesterday that was just trucking across the tile.

Also, they don't build webs. They hunt. Hence the name wolf spider. They really freak people out because they look downright nasty, but I like them as they keep bugs out of my stacks and scurry right away as I move the wood.

 

[Waulie]

Hopefully it wasn’t a mommy, if so and the eggs hatch they might just carry away my wood pile.

Oh yeah, I was also going to mention that the mommies carry huge, white egg sacks that you can't miss. When the eggs hatch the babies live on their mom for awhile until their ready to fend for themselves. I have seen big moms just covered with little tiny spiders. It's kinda cute

 

[MishMouse]

This sounds like a wolf spider. I grew up calling them wood spiders because the love the stacks. I've been moving my stacks into my wood room and shed the last few days and have seen dozens of these spiders. They will bite but only if you really piss them off. It stings a little but is harmless (unless you happen to have an extremely rare allergy). They can get absolutely huge and are defiantly freaky looking. They move really fast too. I had one in the kitchen yesterday that was just trucking across the tile.

Also, they don't build webs. They hunt. Hence the name wolf spider. They really freak people out because they look downright nasty, but I like them as they keep bugs out of my stacks and scurry right away as I move the wood.

From some if the pictures I have seen it does look very similar to a wolf spider. Myself I have a fear of spiders, been that way since I was young (4-5) when a big black one decided to take a nap on the pillow with me. Was sick with pneumonia and I woke up to it. Been afraid ever since. Though looking back at it, if this wolf spider was around then it could have crushed the black one by stomping on it. Needless to say after I saw it and since I was splitting by myself all I could picture is it hanging out on my back. :bug: Yes I probably screamed like a little girl, but thinking about it my 2 year old would have not been afraid and would have wanted to keep it as a pet.

Speaking of spider bites, my wife got bit last year by something that caused her body aches and very high fevers, it took her around a month to get over it and still has some muscle aches that could be related to the bite.

 

[Pagey]

I've found that the black widows love the pine stacks in the old hay barn you've seen me post here frequently. I always try to remember to wear gloves, pants, and long sleeves when working in there, even when it is hot. Having endured a copperhead bite, I want no part of a ferocious spider bite!

 

[stephiedoll]

Hedge apples should help repell them, at least that's what I've been told. Stores around here sell them for a buck apeace.

 

[GatorDL55]

I'm not sure you can "get rid of" them so to speak. A good dousing of the wood pile with spray will probably make them move somewheres else though. They can frequently be found in barns and garages because they are crafty. Like with most tiny little poisonous thingies, diligence is about the best thing you can do. On the plus side, those little buggers are super territorial so there aren't likely to be too many of them around the same location. If you have access to a flame thrower, I'd give that a go.
.

Good Old Flame thrower on the woodpile. I want to watch that one!

 

[andybaker]

All this talk about spider bites got me thinking about an article I read several years ago. This doctor in Texas found a way to cure Brown Recluse spider bites. Even the one where the person has been suffering for years with break outs. I think he was going to try his method out on snake bites too. What he found was that by taking and running an electrical current through the infected area, the electricity will bust apart whatever it is that causes the problem. I saw a picture of a guy that had been suffering for like 13 years and in about 2 weeks he had this guy on his way to being healed. What the doctor was using was some sort of taser, much like what the police use, only much weaker. He would set the two probes to run the current from one probe to the other through the bite area. He would move the probes around the area and keep hitting it. That's it. Sounded like success all the time. I wonder if this could help with these Black Widow spiders.

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

Sounds reasonable to me. I had read where disease is nothing more than blocked Chi or your electric power & firmly believe this now. The great Tesla would "recharge" himself on very high voltage metal plates when he felt lethargic, Randy

 

[mhrischuk]

List of poisonous spiders...

http://www.brownreclusespider.org/poisonous-spiders/poisonous-spider.htm

 

[zzr7ky]

Hi -

I had spider problems and one son got bit a couple times... I did some research and have been using a product called Cynoff WP for several years with good results. It workd so well my buddy, daughters, and parents chip in for the product so I'll spray their places. I spray once in the Spring, once in the Mid-late Summer, and I have few problems. It also keeps boats & docks pretty clear. It's a micro encaplulated poison so it lasts a while.

I do still find the occasional large Wolf spider deep in the stacks. I am a big believer in gloves and pants not dragging on the ground.

http://cs.infospace.com/ClickHandle...857.100&hash=D19584166996CA5C51B8A42911A18362

All the best,
Mike

 

[jeff_t]

Had an 'outbreak' of wolf spiders a few years ago. It was for about a week or so in the middle of the summer. Walked out the front door one night as some friends were leaving, and they were everywhere. So I grabbed a flashlight and walked around the house. There were hundreds, maybe more, all the way around on the block foundation and a few feet up the siding. Not too many in the house, but quite a few in the basement. Super creepy, like a scary movie.

 

[MishMouse]

Had an 'outbreak' of wolf spiders a few years ago. It was for about a week or so in the middle of the summer. Walked out the front door one night as some friends were leaving, and they were everywhere. So I grabbed a flashlight and walked around the house. There were hundreds, maybe more, all the way around on the block foundation and a few feet up the siding. Not too many in the house, but quite a few in the basement. Super creepy, like a scary movie.

If this happened to me I would have died of a heart attack!
The one monster spider I saw still has me not touching my unsplit wood pile, just in case it shows up again and says Hi!
Actually if I had a flame thrower I would have probably used it.

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

This thread is cracking me up. Some guy slammed into the side of my truck. If I hadn't seen him coming and changed lanes+sped up, he would have slammed into where my son was sitting. I'm trying to decide if I should drive around with a flame thrower. :lol:

If you ever take the time to notice the tiny wildlife in your world you will be shocked by the sheer biomass of spiders. Just trying to earn a living like the rest of us.

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

Yes it is funny, like the little girl that was lost to a brown recluse, or the salesman that got bit down south & barely survived after many years of surgeries. Many of these posts are about people trying to protect their young kids, Randy

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

Yes it is funny, like the little girl that was lost to a brown recluse, or the salesman that got bit down south & barely survived after many years of surgeries. Many of these posts are about people trying to protect their young kids, Randy

I read this entire thread a couple days ago and was on the fence about jumping in. Now that Kathleen has spoken up and singed has responded I will say a few words. I can relate to both of your thoughts. I'm not one to kill the spiders in my stacks just because they are spiders, they are a part of nature and they belong there. I also respect the fact that the most dangerous could potentially hurt me and make life miserable. This is why I handle every piece of wood one at a time and inspect each piece individually. I take my time moving the dried splits to the porch and when I do it I try to make sure most of the spiders don't come along. Knock on wood no serious bites, however I have rec'd small bites that have itched for a couple days. I say leave em alone unless you have a spider factory going on.

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

I should re-word my sentiments to say that I am surprised by how many people who responded to the OP are really spooked by the idea of a spider. Life is a series of calculated risks. If you factor in the sheer biomass of spiders you are exposed to across your lifetime and the probability that one will cause you harm, the number is so small you practically need an electron microscope to see it. Brown recluse are very common in many areas, yet people are rarely affected. Black widows try very hard to be very obvious. Yes it really sucks to be one of the minority that is affected. wear gloves in the woodpile. Anything else you spray often enough to make a difference will bioaccumulate in human bodies. Cancer is a much greater threat than spiders.

kartracer, I wish your son speedy healing.

 

[Brokenrod]

My apologies for waking this old thread, but i have a couple tips. I was in the extermination business from 2001- 2008. Spiders are not insects, they are arachnids. A spider will walk over most insecticides that you spray like its nothing. I would try sprinkling some food grade (not pool grade) diatomaceous earth throughout the stack, then hire an exterminator to spray some Demon WP (wettable Powder) along the outline of the stack and surrounding area. Always avoid treating your wood piles with insecticides! you run the risk of inhaling it yourself when its burning. Demon WP is appropriately named- its the bug killer from hell! Up here in No. Illinois, we have Hobo spiders- related to the recluse. Demon gives you an excellent kill rate vs other insecticides against Hobos.

 

[Sisu]

I found this gal in the corner of my deck, two summers ago. My wood pile is underneath. I haven't found any in the wood pile, yet. It is proof they are here north of the border too.

 

[egclassic]

It is a big brownish spider with big thick hairy legs with well defined body segments resting legs not fully extended it was about as round as a typical coffee cup.

This sounds like a wolf spider. I grew up calling them wood spiders because the love the stacks. I've been moving my stacks into my wood room and shed the last few days and have seen dozens of these spiders. They will bite but only if you really piss them off. It stings a little but is harmless (unless you happen to have an extremely rare allergy). They can get absolutely huge and are definately freaky looking. They move really fast too. I had one in the kitchen yesterday that was just trucking across the tile.

Also, they don't build webs. They hunt. Hence the name wolf spider. They really freak people out because they look downright nasty, but I like them as they keep bugs out of my stacks and scurry right away as I move the wood.

Man I hate those things! They are all around my house too. I caught one last year in a jar, which is nervy for me cause spiders freak me out, it was the biggest one I had ever seen. One night when I was letting the dogs out, I saw one scurrying across the patio and was carrying all her newly hatched babies on her back. I had to kill it, didn't want all of them finding their way in my house.

 

[Pat53]

I found this gal in the corner of my deck, two summers ago. My wood pile is underneath. I haven't found any in the wood pile, yet. It is proof they are here north of the border too.

Wow, I never heard of black widows anywhere near that far north. I've never heard of anyone around here seeing or being bitten by a widow or a recluse. That said, I ALWAYS wear good heavy gloves when handling my firewood, but mainly to keep from getting some nasty slivers.

Most spider love to hang out in wood stacks. When I first moved to where I live now, there was an old wood boiler in the basement and I had to bring wood inside every week or so. we were constantly killing spiders in the basement and other bugs too. The last straw was an infestation of black carpenter ants that started a colony in the drop ceiling downstairs. Took me 2 weeks to finally find and eliminate them. Everything outside now and no more bugs ! Bugs are a PIA, especially in your house.

Pat

 

[weatherguy]

My apologies for waking this old thread, but i have a couple tips. I was in the extermination business from 2001- 2008. Spiders are not insects, they are arachnids. A spider will walk over most insecticides that you spray like its nothing. I would try sprinkling some food grade (not pool grade) diatomaceous earth throughout the stack, then hire an exterminator to spray some Demon WP (wettable Powder) along the outline of the stack and surrounding area. Always avoid treating your wood piles with insecticides! you run the risk of inhaling it yourself when its burning. Demon WP is appropriately named- its the bug killer from hell! Up here in No. Illinois, we have Hobo spiders- related to the recluse. Demon gives you an excellent kill rate vs other insecticides against Hobos.

Cant anyone buy Demon WP? I didnt think you needed a license or be an exterminator to buy it.

 

[Brokenrod]

The label on Demon WP does say for " professional use only". There are some states that regulate the purchase to licensed individuals only, but most allow it to be purchased by home owners. You would have to do your own research to find out if its available in the state you're in.