Brown Recluse Spider vs. Me: who would win?

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wxmann_91
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Brown Recluse Spider vs. Me: who would win?

#1 Postby wxmann_91 » Sat Jul 07, 2007 3:15 am

So I had a gala experience tonight. It's 1 AM and I ain't going to sleep anytime soon.

It all starts when my eyes spot a spider - a brown one. I immediately recognize it as a brown recluse or a variant. Of course, I know what a brown recluse can do, and it is not pretty. I hate killing anything, even spiders, nor would I want to use bare hands to kill this particular one. I've nothing but paper downstairs, which I don't want to deal with since everyone's asleep, and toilet paper... gotta love how it tears at the slightest tension. So I turn to another idea, which is how I delt with a brown recluse a few years ago - trap it.

In my infinite wisdom, not wanting to use a container which I have a slightest chance of actually drinking from, I find a little baggie and a stick. Easy enough, right? Sorta like scooping ice cream. Well, nope. Living up to its name, the Recluse runs away, frantically, at a rapid pace. I try it a couple of times, and then I realize that it isn't going to work. Again in my infinite wisdom, I poke it, and of course, again, the Recluse scurries out. I did not want it near my desk, so I made it go up. Bad choice.

The next thing I know, the spider is on the ceiling. And I realize that I'm in trouble. There's this something called gravity, and the spider was right above me. Obviously, it would not be excessively pleasant for a spider to land on my face - especially given my pseudo-arachnophobia. So I finally use a container, and I place it directly under the spider, holding it to the top to the ceiling. But the spider's legs are strong. More importantly, however, the spider has some brains. Perhaps amounting to more than what I have. I move the container away from the ceiling, sure that everything would be fine and the spider would be caught in the container. Wrong. It was still up there, and of course, seeing that the threat was over, it started scurrying again.

At this time I was completely concentrated on the spider, and I had totally forgotten my surroundings. Note to self and others: that's not good! Trying to catch the spider again, I bumped on the rod that held the curtains, and it came down with a crash. I was sure the spider was laughing, and my grandparents next door were stirring - I had to stop. But with the spider just above, I dared not put the rod back on. It was in shambles anyway, so I did the natural thing and reassembled it. Meanwhile, I regained my stubbornness, or maybe should I say my excessive fear, and I went back to trying to catch the spider, thinking there was a chance it could somehow wander to my bed.

Same old routine with the container. Place it on the ceiling, hold it, see what the spider does. Same result. Spider's pretty smart. Except, oh no! OH NO!!! It fell. In utter shock, I scramed back, and for a couple of minutes was dumbfolded enough to stare at the original location of the spider. Where did it go? Was it dead (yeah, right)? For 15 minutes I jumped back and forth, wanting to get the spider - I was definitely going to kill it this time - but then realizing that I could just as easily accidently find it, either stepped on or on my hand. I did not want to get bitten, so like a snake-handler dealing with the deadliest snake in the world, I used the fallen rod to chew through whatever stuff that was near where the spider could've fallen. While doing that, it seemed that every time, I felt there was a spider on me. Perhaps I screamed like a girl a couple of times, I don't know. I kept feeling that stuff was tingling inside my shirt.

Eventually, I did find it. Of course, subsequently I lost it again. But knowing the vicinity of the spider at least, the HAZMAT team of myself deemed it safe to go on my computer again. I was going to end this long, drawn-out story with a "so it's still scurrying around, in the darkness", which of course is not entirely false, but I just spotted it on my window while I was typing this! No doubt moving about, going where it wants to go. For me, I'm giving up. Just too tired and have to clean up from my stupidity. Still got some work that I vowed to do the hour before I sleep.

Kudos to the spider. Shame on me.

What a night.
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Re: Brown Recluse Spider vs. Me: who would win?

#2 Postby coriolis » Sat Jul 07, 2007 5:41 am

First round goes to the spider. I'm sure that you're not done with this yet. Good luck getting the little bugger. Next time, just kill it without any hesitation. In the mean time get an aerosol product - either bug spray or hair spray. Yes hair spray. It quickly immobilizes small creatures and is more environmentally friendly for indoor use.
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#3 Postby feederband » Sat Jul 07, 2007 6:28 am

One of his uncles nearly killed me...Kill it or leave the house.... :eek:
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#4 Postby Aquawind » Sat Jul 07, 2007 6:42 am

Yeow.. I would make this a quick match up. :eek:
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Re: Brown Recluse Spider vs. Me: who would win?

#5 Postby petal*pusher » Sat Jul 07, 2007 9:29 am

First of all.......Excellent writing! Ya had me laughing out loud....you're GOOD!

Secondly.......brown recluse aren't to be taken lightly! find that little fella and flush 'im!.......p :eek:
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#6 Postby CajunMama » Sat Jul 07, 2007 12:20 pm

Wouldn't take me but a nanosecond to squish that spider especially with it being poisonous. You may not want to kill a spider but think about the rest of your family that may get bitten.
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Re: Brown Recluse Spider vs. Me: who would win?

#7 Postby DaylilyDawn » Sat Jul 07, 2007 2:58 pm

A quick spray of hair spray will take care of it being so mobile so you could knock it into the baggie.
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#8 Postby alicia-w » Mon Jul 09, 2007 8:05 am

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

no brown recluses in california....
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#9 Postby azsnowman » Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:46 am

I was bitten by one over a year ago and the wound still "seaps" a nasty fluid to this day...the doctor said it will do this for years and the wound may never heal due to the area (my underarm). Nasty little SOB's they are and like petal pusher said ,"GREAT STORY!" :ggreen:
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Re: Brown Recluse Spider vs. Me: who would win?

#10 Postby Category 5 » Mon Jul 09, 2007 11:12 am

Brown recluse bites are rarely fatal to humans, but are gruesome to look at.

Shall I post pics? :D
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Re: Brown Recluse Spider vs. Me: who would win?

#11 Postby azsnowman » Mon Jul 09, 2007 11:35 am

Category 5 wrote:Brown recluse bites are rarely fatal to humans, but are gruesome to look at.

Shall I post pics? :D



No thanks, I see mine every morning when I "attempt" to put BO deodorant on! :ggreen:
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Re: Brown Recluse Spider vs. Me: who would win?

#12 Postby Category 5 » Mon Jul 09, 2007 12:33 pm

azsnowman wrote:
Category 5 wrote:Brown recluse bites are rarely fatal to humans, but are gruesome to look at.

Shall I post pics? :D



No thanks, I see mine every morning when I "attempt" to put BO deodorant on! :ggreen:


The scars are permanent I believe am I correct?
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#13 Postby Windswept » Mon Jul 09, 2007 12:36 pm

Great story!!!

However .. having being bitten some years ago by one of those nasty little buggers ... it would have met my shoe immediately with absolutely no remorse.
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Re: Brown Recluse Spider vs. Me: who would win?

#14 Postby prettywitty » Mon Jul 09, 2007 12:51 pm

One of my co-workers was bitten a few weeks ago by one of those little SOB's. It was horrifying, but it's almost gone now and it doesn't look like it's going to leave a scar. I feel no remorse about killing something that could hurt or disfigure me, and is looking as though it intends to!
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Re: Brown Recluse Spider vs. Me: who would win?

#15 Postby azsnowman » Mon Jul 09, 2007 2:39 pm

Category 5 wrote:
azsnowman wrote:
Category 5 wrote:Brown recluse bites are rarely fatal to humans, but are gruesome to look at.

Shall I post pics? :D



No thanks, I see mine every morning when I "attempt" to put BO deodorant on! :ggreen:


The scars are permanent I believe am I correct?



Some do, some don't!

My step mother is a RN at the local hospital in the ER...she had a gentlemen about 2 years ago, he was camping, needed to use the restroom, the camp ground had a OLD, OLD outhouse, wooden seat etc. WELL....he sat down and felt a "tingling" in his *ahem* family jewels...and sure enough :( I guess they had to take one of the jewels and he suffered for MONTHS!
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Re: Brown Recluse Spider vs. Me: who would win?

#16 Postby Janie2006 » Mon Jul 09, 2007 3:42 pm

I thought brown recluse spiders could kill human beings?
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Re: Brown Recluse Spider vs. Me: who would win?

#17 Postby Windswept » Mon Jul 09, 2007 5:20 pm

Janie2006 wrote:I thought brown recluse spiders could kill human beings?


I'm still here, but have had a scar for nearly 25 years that looks like someone took a cigarette and burned a deep hole in my thigh. It took at least 6 months to heal.

I suspect the severity depends on where one is bitten. Some areas of the body probably would be much worse.
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Re: Brown Recluse Spider vs. Me: who would win?

#18 Postby feederband » Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:45 pm

Janie2006 wrote:I thought brown recluse spiders could kill human beings?



They can and do but rarely....Some will just try to treat it themselves...Which if they wait to long could kill you...I was in a induced coma for eight days...My heart, right kidney,liver and lungs all failed..Heart and right kidney still shot...Even if you think you are healed you might not be...That was the problem in my case...The poison effected my blood stream...
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Re: Brown Recluse Spider vs. Me: who would win?

#19 Postby DaylilyDawn » Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:38 pm

So sorry to hear about that Feederband. I have have to deal with my son's kidney problems from his birth. He was born with abnormally small kidneys and kidney disease that affected his growth. He eventually had to have a kidney transplant on Sept. 2, 2000 after his left kidney failed completely. Right kidney couldn't handle the overload of work and continued to produce urine but the toxins built up in his bloodstream till the levels were toxic and he came within 24 hours of passing away in his sleep. He was on dialysis for 1 year and a couple of months. Then he got the call for the transplant.
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Re: Brown Recluse Spider vs. Me: who would win?

#20 Postby MSRobi911 » Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:00 pm

I know that we have Brown Recluse spiders here in Pascagoula, but rarely did you see a Black Widow Spider around here unless deep in the woods in the northern part of the county. NOW, since Katrina, all you see are Black Widows and BROWN WIDOWS! They have taken over our lot in Pascagoula and we are not real enthusiastic about going down to cut the grass these days. We went down there on the 4th of July to put some things in our trailer, even though the fireworks had been cancelled we were going to have them on Saturday so we just put everything in the trailer. On the way in under the steps and above the door and all around, even though Robi had cut the grass in the front yard were Brown Widow spiders with babies and everything! We had never heard of Brown Widow spiders until one afternoon on TV they were talking about them on our local station and them being around and then Robi and Bud went down to the slab and were picking up some wood for the Chimnet to burn and low and behold, but what did they see....but 3 black widows and 4 brown widows. He killed them of course and turned them over and there was the little red hour glass on their belly.................achkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!

Mary

Oh, back on topic, having worked in an Orthopaedic Surgery office for 27 years and the ER for 7 years before that, believe me the Brown Recluse can have a nasty bite and cause the patient extreme pain and loss of skin and tissue and sometimes fingers, toes or what ever was bitten. I have seen some of the most grusesome wounds after a bite and they only get worse before they get better and can lead to death if the infection gets into the blood stream and is not treated promptly.

Some spiders eat the bugs....these eat people, kill them!
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