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I just moved to the north after being in Dallas 10 years. I never EVER killed a spider in the house before I identified it! Used to get out my magnifying glass which I kept right in the kitchen drawer. Totally paranoid. Had a friend who had them in her house and couldn't get rid of them. Our local jail had to evacuate for MONTHS because of BR's and still couldn't be rid of them.

I feel for your room-mate.

I'm paranoid now. I'm killing anything that moves. He says it doesn't hurt much, but he's got a low grade fever and his knee hurts. The doc gave him two shots and he's got to go back for another tomorrow.

I never EVER killed a spider in the house before I identified it! Used to get out my magnifying glass which I kept right in the kitchen drawer.

This is good advice - most people just kill without looking, but not knowing what shares your house with you is just inviting trouble.

Heck, if it's not poisonous (to humans), I'll even leave them in the house - any insects I can't get through normal means, they'll get, and less insects ("food") helps reduces the chances of BRs, etc., moving in.

My sister was bit by a BR - it was in some pants that she had kept stored in the back of a closet for winter, and as soon as she put them on, she felt a prick, and quickly realized what had happened (thankfully).