A brush with death
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
On Sunday, I finished a month-long first aid course for climbers (MOFA). One of the instructors made a big deal about the brown recluse spider – a very poisonous little arachnid. Click here if you’d like to see what a bite can do; it’s not for the faint of heart!
Depending on which resource you believe, they may or may not live in Western Washington. I figured the chances were pretty low, because our climate is so cold and wet, but I dutifully studied the pictures anyway.
Fast forward to today. I was walking to the door of my house when I noticed a small bug crawling on the stone walkway near our porch. I like bugs so I bent down to see what it was.
Yikes!
Wouldn’t you know it was a recluse, easily identified by its six eyes, grey furry abdomen and striping where the legs met the body. A little more research suggests this isn’t a brown recluse, but rather some other type of recluse spider. Necrosis was still definitely a possibility if this guy decided I wasn’t his friend.
Normally I let spiders be spiders. I’m ashamed to admit, however, that this one is now in spider heaven. I don’t want me or the cats to become spider mincemeat, thank you very much.
Write a Comment
Powered by ExpressionEngine
Comments
I absoluely HAVE seen brown recluse in Western Washington, more than once. I’m pretty darned sure. Also, a friend was bitten in his woodpile, and had the hideous wound to show for it. So I’m in the “yes they’re in Western Washington” camp.
I hate spiders. Seeing this one appear on my screen gave me the absolute CREEPS!!!!!
I’ve heard that funnel spiders (named for their funnel-shaped webs) are more common here. They are equally dangerous.
In what other locations would this Spider be found in? The reason why, I’m asking is because..just today my Boyfriend spotted a Spider and thought it would be fun to show me...Ever,since I’ve seen that spider I went online, to check the information on that one spider.
This Spider’s body is weird shaped..As if it has only one whole body..but the leg’s caught my attention. They, were black and yellow stripes. I went online and checked out a whole lot more than I intended.
So, that’s why I was asking...where else would these spiders be found??
This site should give you some good information. Looks like we don’t usually have them in the Northwest.
http://www.brownreclusespider.org/brown-recluse-spider-location.htm