While doing the annual spring garage cleaning, I came across this big girl. I probably had my hand right next to her 3-4X, sometimes for 30-45 seconds. She was docile and when I moved her around for pictures, she was easy going. I’ve been around black widows my whole life and have never seen one this big. With her legs outstretched, she was as large as a silver dollar.
She was so big, the amount of venom she carried and could inject, might be enough for that rare widow bite that killed. Her abdomen was huge. I’ve never been scared around b. widows but this one kept me on edge. When I was taking her portrait, I glanced up at a hawk that was calling. While looking up, my cat brushed my leg. I nearly sh** on myself. I jumped straight up and did a dance that would make Michael Jackson proud. Might of even made some sort of MJ noise also.
I would have normally carried her way into the woods and let her go. Not this one. I really don’t want any of her huge offspring around the house. Just too damn big. I did some research and it seems she was a Northern Black Widow based on her markings. I’ve never seen one here(central NC), we usually have the shiny solid black ones with the classic red hourglass on the belly.
The large brown spider was on a door. This one was as large as the palm of my hand. No idea what kind. I ran it off hoping it will kill plenty of insects around the house.
I’d never seen a black widow in person until I moved into my house 6 years ago. I kill probably 1 a year on the outside of the house. I don’t fear them as much as I do Brown Recluses (reclusi?)
Yeah–he had to die. While I love nature, I hate spiders and that fool had to go. We get our share too here in western NC. Last run in, my folks are out of town and I had tweaked my back so I went to soak in their hot tub. There I am minding my own business when I look up and right beside my hand (maybe 2 in.) and close to where I had reached a couple times to take off the cover was one about the same size. I dealt with him and tried to resume but quickly realized I was about as far away from relaxed as possible and sore back be damned, hot tub time was over.
Use to get some like that when I was growing up in Catawba Co. They were scary only when they surprised you. Most of the time, I started to look for them after I was about 8 or 9. By the time I was 11 or so, they just got smashed.
I still look before sending my hand into places that are dark and warm.
If that had appeared at my house, the pictures would have shown the greasy aftermath of a violent arachnid death. No way in hell I’m letting it live long enough to go get a camera.
I’ve been bitten twice by black widows and once by a brown recluse. Don’t get me started on the massive bastards I saw in Brazil a few years back. They are my sworn enemy. To paraphrase Adm. Halsey, “Before I’m done with them, the spider language will be spoken only in Hell.”
[Snake Support Mode] No! Spiders do an incredible service to us all! If we kill all the spiders, then we all may be overcome by the sinister insect population explosion. [/Snake Support Mode]
The BW bites were painful for several days. Both bites were on my wrists. Localized swelling and redness. Docs gave me some antibotics and steroids both times…no long term affects. Other than intense spider hatred, of course.
The recluse bite was much worse. It was under my pillow and bit me on the side of my face, just under my left ear. No pain at first, but that changed in a hurry. I got to the ER about 30min after the bite and necrosis had already set in. The whole left side of my head felt like it was on fire and there were red streaks extending from the bite area. I had a pretty severe reaction and spent 36 hours in the hospital. The tissue around the bite had to be removed due to the necrosis and I have a pockmark about the size of a pencil eraser. This happened 8yrs ago and I still have occasional shooting pains from the site due to permanent nerve damage.
:eek: Yeah, screw that. I’ve heard the recluse makes a heck of a mess and you just solidified it. A buddy of mine on the other side of town was bit by a recluse on the arm – left a hole in his arm damn near to the bone and as big around as a 12ga shell. Nastiest shit I ever seen…
