I'm freaked out by this spider loose in my room

[Izulde]

It's a medium sized black spider with a red stripe on its back. I tried to kill it when I saw it scuttle out on the side of my bed but by the time I found something heavy enough, it'd disappeared.

And now I have no idea where it is.

It's freaking me out because it looks very much like the Australian redback spider, which is poisonous.

I'm afraid to sleep now.

[Lathum]

dont be such a fag

[DaddyTorgo]

how would you end up with an australian redback spider in the US?

[stevew]

It's probably going to build a nest behind your star wars poster.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

how would you end up with an australian redback spider in the US?

That's what I was wondering. Aren't they limited to Australia, New Zealand, and parts of UAE?

[DanGarion]

You sure it's not a black widow?

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

how would you end up with an australian redback spider in the US?

That's what I'm trying to figure out. We've got a lot of international students in these apartments... maybe some are from or were recently to Australia and a redback stowed along in their luggage and got here and made it to my room?

Something similiar happened to one of my cousins in Wisconsin. Got bit by a brown recluse or some other super poisonous spider not native to the state and it was touch and go with him as to if he'd even make it.

I'm so not wanting to die any time soon.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

You sure it's not a black widow?

They do look similar.

[EagleFan]

It's probably not an Australian Redback unless you moved to Australia. Of course it might be a Black Widow which doesn't help alleviate your fears much.

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

You sure it's not a black widow?

I don't know. I just did a search for spiders that sounded like what I saw and the redback looked just like it.

...Course, it being a black widow doesn't make me any less paranoid. Unless it's a male? The males aren't poisonous right? And how would I tell what its gender is?

[stevew]

Let it bite you?

[MrBug708]

As long as it doesn't get in your car

[Lathum]

this thread is all a ruse to uphold your image

[Kodos]

One of my favorite posts of all time:

The Black Widow in my mailbox - Front Office Football Central

The Black Widow in my mailbox

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For the last 3 years I have lived with Black Widows in my mailbox. About three or four of them are cycled through each summer. Shortly after the Heat bakes one mistress in her oven like home, a new occupant readilly moves in. Sometimes a Daddy long legs takes their place, but sadly they don't fare much better in the summer months. The mailbox is completely unoccupied during the cold weather months. My wife is usually the one to get the mail, and since she is unaffected by the spiders presence this has been an arrangement I have been willing to live with for some time. Something happened this weekend that changed all that.

Sunday afternoon, the family is arriving home after lunch with relatives, when my wife asks the fateful question. "Can you get the mail? I forgot to get it yesterday." I give her that look. The look that says "You know I am scared of spiders, and I KNOW there is one in there". In truth I haven't gotten the mail in weeks, so I am really only afraid there might be a widow in residence. Well in at any rate, my machismo overcame my common sense, and I relented.

I pulled up to the mailbox. It is a big sturdy industrial strentgh beast, readilly up to the challenge of a bout of Mailbox baseball. I reach out with a little trepidation, but hide it well. As I pull open the door, I note the corpse of a huge black widow, hanging in her web. Her abdomen is about three eights of an inch around. Luckilly for me her web is well placed, at the far back of the mailbox. For some reason they always set up bug catching operations way back there. There is some mail in the box, and as I reach for it, I note a bit of web at the front of the box. As my hand brushes out of the way, I note that it doesn't feel as tough as black widow web usually is. "Hmmm not a widow web, I wonder what the new occupant is?" I think to myself as I start to pull the four or five envelopes from the box. As I am pulling the mail back into the car, I contemplate the possibility that perhaps that was actually a black widow web clinging to my fingers. I wonder if maybe it was "fresh" web material, that just hadn't fully "cured" yet. In a moment of lucidity, I decide to shake the mail, just in case I have an unwelcome stowaway on board. I firmly tap the envelopes downward on the top edge of the rolled down window. Happilly nothing is dislodged with my downward thrust. With growing confidence I go to tap the mail again, as I raise and begin to lower the mail for a second tap a black widow spider sails up in the air in front of my eyes.

I freeze and note with amazing clarity that she is twisting about trying to find purchase for her web as she seemingly hovers before my face. Then she falls, faster than gravity would normally allow, right into my lap. How I yearned for that second she was floating harmlessly in front of me. I find the courage to stop bouncing about the driver seat, restrained by the seat belt, and try and smash her there on my leg. After a few blind slaps I look down, and see her on the inside of my thigh, scurrying toward my knee. Then she is over the side, and out of sight. I can't get out because I am strapped in by the seatbelt, and the door will not open while I am stopped this close to the mailbox. I pull the car up a few feet, park and bail out. For the next 5 minutes I reflexively stamp my foot, just in case the bitch had crawled up my pant leg. I am glad I didn't consider stripping at that point, or I likely would have.

Once my wife and daughter are safely in the house, I am stuck needing to get back in the car, and drive it to the house. It is about 100 yards of unpaved driveway. I manage to do it, but throw up a pair of dirt and dust rooster tails nearly the length of the driveway. Upon getting safely inside, I strip. I play no games, I strip. Now that I am certain she didn't climb up the inside of my pant leg I begin to contemplate how to kill her in the car. I am a huge advocate of a raid "spider and bug bomb". My wife reminds me that it is her car. She will be the one driving it, and she doesn't want it to stink.

Cursed work calls. update later to "The Black widow in my car"


Black Widow in my Car redux

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a little deja vous

Allright Now just to refresh everyone's memory. I am standing in my living room wearing only boxers and black socks, Spider bomb in hand. My wife is adamant about not stinking up her car. "I am gonna be the one driving it. You need to kill it some other way" she says. She says "maybe the shop vac". I maintain that the bomb is the "Only Way to be sure". Again against my better judgement I give in, and pull out the shop vac.

Stalking a spider in close quarters with a 6 inch vacuum implement provides it's fair share anxious moments. "what just touched my hand" is among them. "Did something touch my neck" is worse though. You have to ask yourself the question "Do I really want to put my head down there so I can see what I am doing?". My answer was "No freaking way". So after a semi thorough vacuum run, I was left without a confirmed kill. The car is simply not useable in that state.

I return to the house, Strip and shower. I am really not taking any chances. The next two hours are spent arguing with my wife about how to kill our unwanted passenger. She suggested driving, in another car of course, to the store and getting a can of traditional RAID. I am pointing out that we don't even know where the hell the thing is now. "It could be anywhere." She is adamant, and now she has read the spider bomb box where it says not to use in a room smaller than 5x5. She has amunition now, so I have to pull out the big guns. "It could be up under the dash" I tell her. I suggest that it might have even gone into the air conditioner. "You don't want her flying out of the vent at you, do you?". Then I lay down the coup de gras..."She might even lay eggs." I shuddered at the thought even as I said it, and so did she. "BOMB IT" she declared.

So I prepare my plan to bomb the car without ruining it. I mean if I do ruin it, I will just explain to the insurance people that there was a black widow in there. It all made sense to me at the time. I approach the car, with not a little trepidation, but I figure I am pretty well committed now. When I peer into the car I note the shiny web below the steering wheel. I open the door, and look more closely. I can't see her, but I can see a pretty intricate web set up from under the driver seat up to the steering wheel, and below the dash board. I quickly move to plan B.

I go back into the house and return with a small strip of newspaper, about 1/8th of an inch wide and 5 inches long, and a flyswatter. In my youth I had the occasion to lightly pick at spider webs to see what the spider would do. What can I say? I had an inspirational biology teacher. A few memories stick out. First a "wolf" spider that scared the bejesus out of me as it moved in from it's position three feet away in about a half a second. Second was the many spiders that wouldn't go anywhere near the plucking because whatever they had caught in their web was too damn big to deal with. The little strip of paper was my way to deal with the second thought. To rationalize ignoring the first thought I had seen black widows before, and none of them had moved anywhere near as fast as that wolf spider. So began "Plan B".

I gingerly open the car door, using a flash light to verify my prey wasn't anywhere I wouldn't be looking. After making sure there were no spiders on the door that would be behind me I moved into position. I crouched in the little space between car and door. Newspaper strip in my left hand, fly swatter in my right. I was pretty sure the spider was under the seat. I sort of have a sense for these things I tell myself. I position the flyswatter so that as soon as she appears on the web just in front of the seat, I can knock her to floor where she should be easy prey. I pluck, pluck, pluck at the web with my bit of newspaper, but nothing. I remind myself to be patient now, because I really want to end this thing right here and now. "Gentle, Gentle I don't want to scare her." I think and I decide to just hold my hand still. "Wait for it....Wait for it", and then I am reminded of that feeling I had earlier while vacuuming. You know that "what was that that just touched my hand" feeling. Earlier I had been moving my hands around, and it was quite a disturbing notion. Now with my hand being extended under the steering wheel, being held perfectly still it was absolutely terrifying. I freeze, and look. I see the spider. It was there black as night, big as day, on my hand. Now as I think back to it, I am certain that she was headed for my sleeve. (NOTE to SELF: never hunt spiders while wearing a long sleeve shirt) Well she wasn't headed for my sleeve. In fact she had decided that whatever she had caught in her web was indeed too damn big. She was actually trying to get off of me and as far away as possible.

I was still frozen in place, I think now it was a memory from earlier in the day regarding the profound unpredictability of flying spiders that kept me from jerking my hand away. Just a second after landing on me, she was off and climbing quickly up toward the steering wheel. I pulled my hand back, and swooped in with the fly swatter. She fell to the floor near the brake pedal, scrambling toward the safety under the front seat. I cut her off, and managed to squash her with a jab of the fly swatter. I confirmed that I did, in fact, have a spider corpse on the floor. I breathed a sigh of relief, and went in to tell the wife the car was safe once again. Oh and to take a shower.


OK so now my wife and I are in agreement. We kill the spiders in the mail box, and I never get the mail again. Really, having the spider touch me, and seeing it hanging there next to my hand is gonna creep me out for some time to come. Okay back to work for me now. If you are half as creeped out as I am by the events of yesterday, then I have done what I set out to do.

[Galaxy]

Black widows are the most potent of the spiders.

[DeToxRox]

Izulde .. that you?

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Izulde

And how would I tell what its gender is?

Put on some Barry White and see how it reacts?

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

Black widows are the most potent of the spiders.

huh? They aren't even deadly.

[EagleFan]

Did it look like this?

[EagleFan]

Some wuick info about the Black Widow:

Black Widow is considered the most venomous spider in North America.

The venom of the black widow spider is 15 times as toxic as the venom of the prairie rattlesnake.

Only the female Black Widow is dangerous to humans; males and juveniles are harmless.

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

Did it look like this?

Something very much like that, yes.

[EagleFan]

Oh:

Males usually have yellow and red bands and spots over the back

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Izulde

Something very much like that, yes.

That's a black widow. Again, I know that doesn't help with the fear though.

[DeToxRox]

I really don't think Izulde is real.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

huh? They aren't even deadly.

If you get to a hospital and treated right away.

[EagleFan]

Black Widow Spider bites, symptoms and treatment. - DesertUSA

[st.cronin]

My backyard would make Izulde cry.

[Lathum]

It's venomous but without looking it up I believe its mouth is so small it cant really inject you with much

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

Izulde .. that you?

Amusing, but no. Although I hate cockroaches I wouldn't run away from them, nor have I run away from this spider.

The only thing that'd make me scream and run away would be a snake.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

If you get to a hospital and treated right away.

Actually, they are the most poisonous of American spiders but that is based on concentration. They don't inject enough to generally make the bite life threatening. You still need to get it looked at immediately but shouldn't go into a panic.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by Izulde

Amusing, but no. Although I hate cockroaches I wouldn't run away from them, nor have I run away from this spider.

The only thing that'd make me scream and run away would be a snake.

Hope you don't wake the neighbors.

[EagleFan]

dola: He would have more to worry about if it were an Australian Redback. Hell, what is the stat, something like 8 of the 10 deadliest spiders in the world are in Australia.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Izulde

The only thing that'd make me scream and run away would be a snake.

your not helping your case

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

Actually, they are the most poisonous of American spiders but that is based on concentration. They don't inject enough to generally make the bite life threatening. You still need to get it looked at immediately but shouldn't go into a panic.

Ah, thanks for clarification.

[DeToxRox]

It's evolution, Izule.

You went from watching girls sleep to spiders watching you sleep.

Progress.

[Galaxy]

Maybe it was looking for perfume.

[Izulde]

Well, as long as it's not deadly, I think I'll be able to sleep okay. Just hope I don't get bitten during the night because I sleep really soundly and deeply and it'd be literally hours before I was able to get it looked at.

[MrBug708]

Just remember that a human eats 7-8 spiders, while sleeping, in their lifetime.

[Lathum]

uh oh, MrBug posted, are you scared Izulde?

[Blade6119]

Originally Posted by stevew

Let it bite you?

Stevew is the winner!!! This post was perfect for the question it responded to

[stevew]

Alright, I'll tell a couple spider stories.

The other day my wife dropped me off at work. The whole trip there was spent trying to accelerate enough to knock this gigantor spider off of the passenger side mirror. Fuckin thing was able to hold on the whole way, even at 55mph. Needless to say, I crunched him when I got out of the car, but it was freaky to look out the window the whole trip at this monster. I knew he wanted to bite me.


The other night I swear I saw something black and devious looking sprint across my leg as I was driving. The next 60 miles were somewhat fearful.

[Tasan]

Originally Posted by Kodos

One of my favorite posts of all time:

The Black Widow in my mailbox - Front Office Football Central

The Black Widow in my mailbox

I tell this story, or a reasonable facsimile whenever someone tells me they're afraid of a spider, or saw a scary one.

[DanGarion]

Brown Recluse is much more deadly then a Black Widow.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

dola: He would have more to worry about if it were an Australian Redback. Hell, what is the stat, something like 8 of the 10 deadliest spiders in the world are in Australia.

Oh yeah, we get all the fun spiders and snakes over here.

Last weekend I was helping my mate clear out his garage and I noticed that a box I'd just had my hand in had a whole mess of webs at the bottom, with a couple of redbacks to boot. One redback wouldn't kill an adult - though I'd still rush myself to the emergency room - but I think being bitten by 3 or so redbacks wouldn't be so pleasant.

The real nasty ones are the funnel-web spiders. I've seen a few, but thankfully out the burbs we are spared most of these nasty spiders and snakes.

[EagleFan]

Ooh, since we're sharing spider stories...

Wearily getting in the car and heading to work and then seeing something decending in front of my right into my lap. That one almost caused an accident.

Kayaking in an area where there are brown recluse spiders. The "river" has some areas which were tough to get around because of some fallen trees and such. After having to push myself away from being wedged in between some of these trees and finally hitting an open area I was cruising along and suddenly felt something on my leg. I look down and find a brown recluse initially starting to go up my leg (this led to some very bad possibilities if it were to get under my bathing suit) but then it turned and ran down my leg and into the front of the kayak. That was the closest I came to capsizing myself on purpose but I was afraid any odd movement like that might lead to a bite before I could get into the water and away.

I'll admit it, I usually freak if a spider is on me. I have no idea why and how I stayed so calm during that second story.

[Flasch186]

Killed two hideous monstrous sized Water Moccassins this year. Unfortunately after they bit my dogs (as you know). Snakes. Fear incarnate.

[Bonegavel]

No need to worry

red-back spider, redbacks or lactrodectus hasseltii is potentially a poisonous spider with a red stripe marking on the body. they are related to the notorious black widow spider but smaller in size. a native of australia, it is highly venomous and when bitten, it is characterized by intense pain and around the bite area.

[Dr. Sak]

Does anyone else think that this "spider" is actually a woman that is naked in his room right now?

Red stripe = Landing strip
Poisonous venom = ...well i won't go there but you get the picture.

[Senator]

The only way you will ever get over your fear of this spider is to have sex with it.

[Thomkal]

So what happened right after reading this thread? Walked out the front door to get the paper and right into a spiderweb. Thanks for the nightmares.