Cruiser
Chumono
Life was somewhat boring on the refuge.
Arachnophobic don't laugh and please help!
- Thread starter milehigh_7
- Start date
Life was somewhat boring on the refuge.
Michigan Tree Murderer
Masterpiece
Poison does get rid of boredom. I'm going to get a t-shirt that says "I have a Pet spider" the ladies love that stuff.
JK you do you.Srt8madness
Omono
Good eye. They are much smaller than the large black widow I found in my garage once. That one was jet black with no banding.
Good to know these weren't the real deal!!
Glaucus
Omono
Honestly, people aren't going to laugh at you because you are scared of spiders. Many people are. Maybe most are. I wouldn't want to have a black widow walk all over my arm.
But the answer is not to kill them. So people are going to tell you that. Instead of killing that what you irrationally fear, maybe try to accept your fear the same way everyone here already accepted your fear, and didn't laugh.
Michigan Tree Murderer
Masterpiece
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain. Activate and relieve your stress response. 
Charlo
Sapling
I killed one today! I am keenly aware of what to look for and where they may possibly be. I used to believe in live and let live when it came to black widows, UNTIL I was bitten by one while watering my yard one late summer evening. Having the Neuro-toxic venom make it through your body is scary and there are also many hours of pain. I had to go to the ER and get an experimental anti-venom. Any way I now have some toxic cans of spider spray in several places around my yard.
ShadyStump
Imperial Masterpiece
Hey, I only laughed because he said not to.
NateDyk47
Shohin
I was weeding with my daughter a couple weeks back... I looked up and she had a 3" spider crawling over her shoulder and down her back. Easily the biggest spider I've ever seen in the wild. She has not volunteered to assist with weeding since then.
It's Kev
Omono
i actually have a tarantula pet and i quite like jumping spiders
However
as for those webbing bunch in dark corners...
However
as for those webbing bunch in dark corners...
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Brings up a point about collecting. Whilst digging an oak along a fenceline in East Texas one late winter, I grabbed a handful of leaves/duff from around the bottom of the tree. I opened my hand and there was the largest black widow I'd ever seen easily as big as a quarter. Lucky I was wearing gloves--always wear gloves when you're doing that kind of work collecting a tree.
This feller was attached to the electric bill when I pulled it out of the mailbox. It's an East Texas cockroach.
This feller was attached to the electric bill when I pulled it out of the mailbox. It's an East Texas cockroach.
Cruiser
Chumono
Cute. Looks especially venomous.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
Husband got bit by a brown recluse spider years ago and it put him in the hospital for 2 days. When it comes to anything that could harm my family or dogs, or eat us (ticks, mosquitoes) or the house ( termites, ants), no mercy
jerzyjerzy
Mame
I have more, and more spiders (luckily they are harmless here in Poland).
A picture from three days ago. They are all less than a millimeter long, but they make up in numbers
A picture from three days ago. They are all less than a millimeter long, but they make up in numbers
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Not really. The sting is a little like a bee. My mom's cat and my dog have been stung many times. Cat got very good at killing them without getting stung.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Also if you look carefully at this critter's back and joints, you'll see some hints of orange. Those areas will fluoresce under UV light. The woods literally can light up with them if you shine a UV light on the ground and around piles of old wood, etc.
jszg
Mame
I have more, and more spiders (luckily they are harmless here in Poland).
A picture from three days ago. They are all less than a millimeter long, but they make up in numbers
View attachment 549100
If you look at a distance and squint, it looks almost like a photo of some Oncidium orchid blooms
Cruiser
Chumono
Well that’s a relief if they like to hang out in mailboxes!
I was under the impression that small pincers with a fat tail meant more venomous for scorpions. The idea being that stronger venom compensates for lack of pincer strength.
ShadyStump
Imperial Masterpiece
Scorpions are almost like crabs. Pincer size variation is just an indicator of what they eat in their habitat. Smaller pincers means smaller prey, like small insects. To my understanding there are no highly venomous to humans scorpions in the US.
But like spiders the ones that use venom as a defense are usually less camouflaged in appearance, like black widows delivering a neurotoxin. The brown recluse might be considered an exception, but it's not really venom per se. It's just an extra strong version of the same caustic enzyme solution stuff that liquefies the insides of the bugs they eat. It causes abscesses, not poisoning. Evolutionarily, it's maybe on a path toward true venom, but has a few thousand generations to go. More likely it's on a path toward eating larger prey like toads and small rodents.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Nah, this is a striped bark scorpion. Most common scorpion in Texas. I've been stung once, when I put my shoes on. Hurts, swells, but mostly a bee sting.
Striped Bark Scorpion - Field Guide to Common Texas Insects
Common Name: Striped bark scorpion Scientific Name: Centruoides vittatus (Say) Order: Scorpionida Description: Scorpions are non-insect arthropods. Adults average about 2-3/8 inches (60 mm) in length, with the tail being longer in the males than in the females. Body color of adults varies from...
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
When I lived near the swamp, once a year the spiders travel out of the swamp. They will cover the field with gossamer webs. Millions will get to my house. I had to spray several times a year to keep too many of them from getting into the house. Vast majority of them are harmless but I have found black widows and brown recluse. I use the stuff above to knock them down. Very effective.
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