Suspicious Spider Bites on LI, NY...Black Flesh Symptoms

Newsday ^ | 6/29/02

[DaughterofEve]

"In what experts say is a rare if not near-impossible occurrence on Long Island, at least three people have been diagnosed with brown recluse spider bites this week." "The clustering of three or four cases in one week left many skeptical."

[swheats]

She is such a sweetheart too. Still at the stage of wanting to shred everything and loves socks. Overall very well behaved considering we got her from a stranger in Petsmart parking lot.

[2sheep]

While the author of your link, an entomologist, makes a strong case for "There are no brown recluse spiders in California!" there appear to be brown recluse spiders elsewhere and something is going on in L.I., N.Y. The author is an entomologist writing to protect spiders, like a herpetologist writes to protect snakes.  They write with an emotional bent like an Animal Rights Wacko protecting ravenous grizzly bears patrolling a kindergarten.  While I respect their right to their career choices, I despise their subjects.

[per loin]

...and something is going on in L.I., N.Y.

Yes. Wish the article had given a bit more info. It mentions that the victims are from different parts of the island, but fails to give the locations. Nor does it give stats by which one could understand just how rare such a bunching of bites might be.

[morjon]

I was bit by the recluse two years ago (commonly called a fiddle-back) it destroyed my anti-immune system and I've had a varity of side effects, most notably extreme joint swelling...I don't think as much is known of the effects of the recluse bite as is other venomous bites...I can tell you it took over a year to get feeling decent again, and I still experience joint pains during periods of humidity...I never was afraid of spiders before, now if I see one, I run, then call the wife to stomp it!

[morjon]

uh, "anti-immune=auto immune.

[2sheep]

I referred to the author of your link as an entomologist, however, he more particularly describes himself as "a highly volatile arachnologist who is bloody tired of everybody claiming that every little mark on their body is the result of a brown recluse bite and who believe with a religious zeal that brown recluses are part of the California spider fauna despite the incredibly overwhelming evidence to the contrary. The tone of this article is purposely crafted to mimic the hyperanxious state of the paranoid public because many of them have trouble listening to boring cold scientific presentations (of which this may still be guilty despite my intentions) when their beliefs are solidly based on erroneous general consensus."

Thanks for the link.  I really enjoyed it.  I'll save it for whenever I think scientists are too stuffy and I'll go away laughing...as I look for my can of RAID.

[ex-Texan]

The Hobo Spider is more dangerous than the Brown Recluse.

This is One Big Ugly Spider

View Report

[ex-Texan]

* ping *

[arthurus]

Full recovery may take several months

Full recovery may not occur at all. There was a local lady who got bitten by a brown recluse several years ago who still has neurological symptom.

[CDHart]

How close is this to Plum Island?

Carolyn

[Pharmboy]

Well, you'd have to drive about 40 miles to the tip of the North Fork of Long Island (Orient Point), then take a boat about 7 nautical miles from there.

[Pharmboy]

Number 12, 17 and 18 are the spots, respectively, Port Jefferson, Orient Point and Plum Island. Number 13 is at the beginning of the Hamptons, FYI.

[RandallFlagg]

At least there's some good news about this creature. They are webbers and their webs are irregular like the web of the Black Widow. This is a plus because they stay in their webs and are not wandering hunters like the Wolf Spider.
I hate spiders with a passion. I'm not afraid of snakes, rats, bats, bugs, heights, widths(except for Rosie), or sharp pointy things. Spiders have always given me the heebeegeebees. I see one coming, I go the OTHER way, smoking as many cigarettes as I can. I DO know a lot about them, though.
"Know your enemy"

[Wednesday's Child]

Geez. It's 7AM, I just woke up and this hits me from all angles. An email from my son, front page of Newsday and of course, FR! I really hope they DO give more info on where these people were when they got bit. Indoors or out? Attics , garages, back yards? And WHERE ...what towns?

[DaughterofEve]

Most likely the communities are relatively close to the hospitals named in Suffolk County, as I doubt there is any "specialization" available anywhere for this rare occurrence. Unless they are the only ones with this chamber.
I wonder if they'll give us more details.

[max61]

Brown recluse's are native to Florida. I would suspect that a few BR's hitch a ride back to NY on a regular basis.

---max

[ncpastor]

They're not garden spiders. They live in unpacked boxes of clothing, in bedsheets that are folded and sitting in the closet, underneath furniture, especially that's been stored in warehouses. You might find them in a gardening shed but normally inside or underneath something. The are small and truly reclusive. They have a pattern resembling a violin on the abdomen (top part).

We thought my husband had been bitten last year. The bite got a white "head" and then got red, then the skin around it got black (but all very small, had to have a magnifying glass to see it). He was going to be Mr. I Don't Need Medical Attention when I showed him a couple of photos. We went that day. The dr. put him on antibiotics. He still will get an itching on his arm that is like fire, turns bright red and radiates down to his hand.

[Wednesday's Child]

I would like to think that the towns involved are way out on the island where it's woodsy and very rural. And I do believe Mather Hosp. is one of a few with this chamber. The hospital spokesperson would not say what towns they were from. I could see not giving names or condition for privacy reasons but wonder why they won't give the locations.

[Wednesday's Child]

Also, as a kid, I was always told that the recluse was a really nasty spider and to avoid it. (The spider I'm thinking of built a coccoon type nest.) I really don't care much for spiders and I'm certainly not going to get close enough to inspect it and see if it has a "fiddle" design on it's back! lol

[DoctorMichael]

Given the amount of GLOBAL WARMING currently going on, many animals will extend their 'range' northward. It doesn't surprise me to see this southern pest appear in the north.

Of course, once the polar ice-caps melt, flooding Long Island, the people there won't have to worry about this threat.

;-)