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Brown Recluse Spider: Range Could Expand in N. America With Changing Climate
Science Daily.com ^ | Apr. 23, 2011 | ScienceDaily staff

Posted on 04/26/2011 1:07:00 AM PDT by Daffynition

ScienceDaily (Apr. 23, 2011) — One of the most feared spiders in North America is the subject a new study that aims to predict its distribution and how that distribution may be affected by climate changes.

When provoked, the spider, commonly known as the brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa), injects powerful venom that can kill the tissues at the site of the bite. This can lead to a painful deep sore and occasional scarring.

(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...


TOPICS: Pets/Animals; Science
KEYWORDS: brownrecluse; spider
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To: battousai
I really didn't need that mental image. lol

I will say that posts like that are neutralizing the creepiness factor of spiders. ;^)

81 posted on 04/26/2011 4:33:59 PM PDT by TigersEye (Who crashed the markets on 9/15/08 and why?)
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To: TigersEye
I took a few Benadryls as well. But the potato poultice seemed to draw out the toxin. Nasty stuff. I reapplied it later the next day, after work. Site was sore and leg was stiff for a week. Minor scarring.

These Brown Recluse bites can sometimes look like third degree burns. Skin sluffs off. Oderiferous. And can leave one crippled to some degree.

82 posted on 04/26/2011 4:44:55 PM PDT by donozark ("Never wound a King." Machiavelli)
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To: donozark

Potato is well known for its drawing properties. The poultice formula I have heard of for recluse bites has Plantain (not the kind that makes banana type fruit) used for its drawing properties and it has enzymes that neutralize the venom. Earlier I said activated charcoal was part of it but I looked up the formula and it is steamed bituminous coal powder. That soaks up the exudate from the wound and neutralizes the bacteria. It also has Comfrey to stimulate cell proliferation, Echinacea to stimulate immune response and Lobelia which I can’t think offhand the purpose of.


83 posted on 04/26/2011 5:03:14 PM PDT by TigersEye (Who crashed the markets on 9/15/08 and why?)
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To: Daffynition

Flawed conclusions flow from flawed premise.


84 posted on 04/26/2011 5:13:02 PM PDT by TASMANIANRED (We kneel to no prince but the Prince of Peace)
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To: TigersEye

The poultice is a hand-me-down. Somewhere I have an old book with notes my grandmother wrote of various medicinal remedies. I recall her once saying she used a “root-poultice” when my grandfather was injured on the farm. Stopped bleeding/prevent infection. Old timers had no choice. Far away from med facilities. Guess it worked. My grandfather survived the incident...


85 posted on 04/26/2011 5:24:29 PM PDT by donozark ("Never wound a King." Machiavelli)
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To: TigersEye

I nearly took that spider out with my 30-06. probably would have if i wasn’t trying to make sure sure the thing wasn’t on my back or something.


86 posted on 04/26/2011 5:31:31 PM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: driftdiver

LOL Arachnophobia. The reason individuals aren’t allowed to own nukes. ;-)


87 posted on 04/26/2011 5:35:25 PM PDT by TigersEye (Who crashed the markets on 9/15/08 and why?)
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To: TigersEye; Daffynition
You can add norther Colorado to that map.

And western Montana too (which means Wyoming too, in between)

88 posted on 04/26/2011 5:41:50 PM PDT by roamer_1 (Globalism is just socialism in a business suit.)
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Today I spotted a single strand of web going 30 feet across my yard about 20 feet above ground the entire 30 feet...any ideas?


89 posted on 04/26/2011 5:45:50 PM PDT by Oystir
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To: rlmorel
Ever read “1984”? The part where he has his face put into a cage with hungry rats in it?

Yes I remember that scene well LOL.

Its funny I had an incident a bit like yours as a kid too, when I lived in Zimbabwe there used to be a stream running adjacent to our elementary school and rumour had it that there were crabs in a pool a little ways downstream there (they were fresh water ones but living in a landlocked country most my life this was exciting news) so after school a bunch of us headed there to see.

The pool formed under a bridge along the road next to the school that the stream ran under, we headed down the stream from the school side, me in the lead, as we got to the bridge the stream formed a sort of gulley so there was only the way forward or back with shrubs blocking the sides, smack dab in our way there was quite a large web with a couple of gold and yellow orb web spider blocking the way, I almost walked into it and so freaked out and ran back, everyone else didn't know what I was running for but figure they should run too... running along the muddy ground by the stream got everyone's uniforms filthy with all the splashing and when they finally asked me what I was running for they were all pretty ticked that it was 'just a spider' LOL (last time I took point on these adventures!).

We eventually got to the pool by crossing the road and decending from the other side and sure enough there were fresh water crabs so it was worth it in the end to see them LOL. So I'm just glad I noticed that web in time because those spiders were most certainly NOT dead :D
90 posted on 04/26/2011 6:41:49 PM PDT by battousai (Conservatives are racist? YES, I hate stupid white liberals.)
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To: battousai
"...and ran back, everyone else didn't know what I was running for but figure they should run too... "

ROTFLMAO! I can see that perfectly. No wonder adults are constantly flummoxed by the responses they get from kids when they ask them "Why did you do that?"

I don't know what it is about spiders that brings this out in people, though.

91 posted on 04/26/2011 6:52:27 PM PDT by rlmorel (Capitalism is the Goose that lays The Golden Egg.)
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To: djf

OMG! I think the other post about nuking it from orbit is appropriate. The only good thing is, my wife wouldn’t question why I turned the house into smoking glass.


92 posted on 04/26/2011 6:53:55 PM PDT by rlmorel (Capitalism is the Goose that lays The Golden Egg.)
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To: Oystir

World Wide Web?


93 posted on 04/26/2011 6:55:20 PM PDT by steve86 (Acerbic by nature, not nurture (Could be worst in 40 years))
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To: TigersEye

Good info to have. Thanks.


94 posted on 04/26/2011 6:57:37 PM PDT by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life :o)
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To: driftdiver
Kind of a funny story though not a spider story...recently I walked into my bedroom, and saw this HUGE bug that looked kind of like a mosquito on steroids. Its legs had a span of nearly three inches. I thought, "There is NO way I am going to bed with THAT frikking thing flying around the room..." I had visions of it flying into my snoring mouth, you know how that would be. I had NO idea what kind of bug it was, but is apparently called a Cranefly.

So, without taking my eyes off it, I groped for a magazine or ANYTHING I could whack it with. This was a killable bug. No mercy. I roll up the magazine, creep over and...WHACK! I MISSED the damned thing, when I was trying so hard not to miss. And then, don't I lose sight of it, and cannot find it. I had to get a BIG flashlight and hunt for it. After 15 minutes, I saw it again, and...WHACK! Don't I miss it AGAIN! It drops to the floor and disappears. SHIT.

Now, this is a MAJOR, DEDICATED bug hunt. I look for twenty minutes with no success, swearing and muttering the whole time. My wife is in the next room and thinks I have lost my mind.

Finally, with a sick feeling, I have to give up. As I put down the magazine, I feel something crawling on my leg, inside my pants. I roll my eyes at myself and tell myself "Get a grip. You are just feeling itchy, there is nothing there."

Then, a few minutes later, I feel something again, and I grit my teeth and silently say to myself "Good God. THERE IS NOTHING THERE, knock this crap off and get a hold of yourself."

As I am telling this to my wife, I feel something and "ARRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHH! THERE IS SOMETHING THERE!" I rip off my pants, and sure enough, that damned big ugly bug had flown UP MY FRIKKING PANT LEG!

I know the old saying about keeping enemies close, but this was ridiculous. I then spent the next fifteen minutes hunting it down, and DID NOT MISS again.

95 posted on 04/26/2011 7:01:14 PM PDT by rlmorel (Capitalism is the Goose that lays The Golden Egg.)
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To: Oystir

An alien or a big big spider.


96 posted on 04/26/2011 7:20:49 PM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: Liberty Valance

See #83. I give more detail there. There are a number of websites that sell “recluse bite kits.” I gather, grow and buy my own herbs though.


97 posted on 04/26/2011 7:28:41 PM PDT by TigersEye (Who crashed the markets on 9/15/08 and why?)
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To: rlmorel
I know the old saying about keeping enemies close, but this was ridiculous.

ROTFLOL Sounds like Murphy's Law was working overtime.

Were you too wound up to fall asleep after that? That's how those bedtime surprises work out for me.

98 posted on 04/26/2011 7:33:35 PM PDT by TigersEye (Who crashed the markets on 9/15/08 and why?)
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To: TigersEye

In retrospect, what was really hilarious about it was my wife’s reaction to it. She had no idea what I was doing, and finally after all that time had piped up to ask me what the heck I was doing with all the banging, huffing and indiscriminate flashlight beams going in every direction… when suddenly I started frantically ripping my pants off… being married to somebody for any length of time always has the capability of new discovery, and I think for a few seconds my wife really set up and wondered what she got herself into… :-)


99 posted on 04/26/2011 7:45:54 PM PDT by rlmorel (Capitalism is the Goose that lays The Golden Egg.)
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To: Daffynition

Dangit! Now I’ve got the creeps before bed, and I live in Washington State, and I have seen MANY of these. Crap! I HATE SPIDERS!!! Hubby had one JUMP OFF THE WALL onto his ARM in the middle of the night one time. Said he woke up, saw it on the wall and thought...no way can that be in here when Shawna wakes up! (I love my husband, BTW!! :) ) Told me the next morning about it JUMPING off the wall onto his arm, still freaked me out, but was glad I wasn’t awake!


100 posted on 04/26/2011 8:22:21 PM PDT by Mama Shawna
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