Good study, thanks, Arthwollipot! Looks like I have the most common symptoms: pain, itchiness, persistent red mark.
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Content Warning: Spiders!
- Thread starter arthwollipot
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novaphile
Quester of Doglets
Hmm...
There's a lot of stuff in the news recently about mosquito born illnesses.
I get a reasonable reaction to mozzie bites, but they pass fairly quickly, if you do start feeling ill, or get a weird virus, please remember to mention this bite, and take some photos with your phone (if you haven't already) just in case.
I've had quite a few spider bites, and they are typically distinctive, in that I can see two clear puncture wounds at the centre of the bite.
Most likely culprit (I think) is the wolf spider I think they're as common as white tails inside homes, although much harder to see because of their colour. They are fairly active hunters and cover a lot of ground. I've had loads of bites from them (typically while weeding) and the result was on par for a mozzie bite, i.e. a raised white lump surrounded by redness.
The red line is worth watching, it could be as simple has having scratched at the bite site, but if it grows, definitely seek medical assistance.
The only time I've had a red line, was an innocuous paper cut on my little finger, that rapidly turned into an emergency after a couple of days of 'meh'. (A suddenly growing red line was the indication that something was going badly wrong).
There's a lot of stuff in the news recently about mosquito born illnesses.
I get a reasonable reaction to mozzie bites, but they pass fairly quickly, if you do start feeling ill, or get a weird virus, please remember to mention this bite, and take some photos with your phone (if you haven't already) just in case.
I've had quite a few spider bites, and they are typically distinctive, in that I can see two clear puncture wounds at the centre of the bite.
Most likely culprit (I think) is the wolf spider I think they're as common as white tails inside homes, although much harder to see because of their colour. They are fairly active hunters and cover a lot of ground. I've had loads of bites from them (typically while weeding) and the result was on par for a mozzie bite, i.e. a raised white lump surrounded by redness.
The red line is worth watching, it could be as simple has having scratched at the bite site, but if it grows, definitely seek medical assistance.
The only time I've had a red line, was an innocuous paper cut on my little finger, that rapidly turned into an emergency after a couple of days of 'meh'. (A suddenly growing red line was the indication that something was going badly wrong).
arthwollipot
Limerick Purist Pronouns: He/Him
The worst reaction I've ever got was from an ant bite.
Damn bull ant. Wasn't satisfied with biting me in the ankle, no. Had to climb all the way up and bite me in the ******* neck!
I had a mild fever for three days. Then I got better. Damn stupid ant.
Damn bull ant. Wasn't satisfied with biting me in the ankle, no. Had to climb all the way up and bite me in the ******* neck!
I had a mild fever for three days. Then I got better. Damn stupid ant.
novaphile
Quester of Doglets
Heheheheheheh, my turn to be a pedant.
The ant 'bite' doesn't do any damage.
The sting that they administer while holding on with their 'bite' is the problem.
arthwollipot
Limerick Purist Pronouns: He/Him
Thank you for that very important clarification.
The itchiness and redness are noticeably faded today, phew. Still a bit of inflammation there, and a small lump under the bite, though.
Skeptic Ginger
Nasty Woman
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When we went to Oz in 1978-79 we were greeted with the headline of a woman who died from a Sydney Funnel Web spider bite. IIRC she was about 35 yrs old. The spider was in her sheets when she went to bed. It was pretty scary.
I have since been told by one or more of you Aussies on the forum she must have been the last fatality. I dunno, but you don't forget a headline like that as an Oz tourist.
Yep, no fatalities since 1981.
Apparently she wasn't the last fatality, a child was: Sydney Morning Herald, 2006
No that was the date of the article. The story was about a man bitten in 1980.
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Skeptic Ginger
Nasty Woman
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Haha, no, obviously!
I did some searching and posted updates. Very interesting links if anyone is interested. I'm done editing now.
I did some searching and posted updates. Very interesting links if anyone is interested. I'm done editing now.
Yes, very interesting, thank you!
novaphile
Quester of Doglets
One of my defining memories, of living in Sydney for five years, was being chased around a pool deck, by a very aggressive funnel web spider. (Nice home near the North Shore of Sydney Harbour).
It was both funny and scary at the same time.
I'm happy that I saw it coming, and didn't just get fanged, unawares.
The host of the BBQ thonged the spider from behind, while it was intent on sinking its fangs into my big toe.
At least the spiders around here just jump on me rather than actively trying to rip off appendages.
It was both funny and scary at the same time.
I'm happy that I saw it coming, and didn't just get fanged, unawares.
The host of the BBQ thonged the spider from behind, while it was intent on sinking its fangs into my big toe.
At least the spiders around here just jump on me rather than actively trying to rip off appendages.
arthwollipot
Limerick Purist Pronouns: He/Him
It's theorised that huntsman spiders cause a large number of single-car accidents on Australian roads.
novaphile
Quester of Doglets
I don't doubt it.
They are disconcerting, and distracting, even if they are just walking around inside the car.
I've only seen the famous 'bungee jump' once (when the spider falls on a thread from behind a sun visor) and I'm damn surprised that I didn't crash my car.
(I did pull over as fast as possible, crossing over four lanes of traffic, during peak hour on Paramatta road, so more testimony on the amazing competence of Sydney drivers.)
Not bad since the spider was doing a tap-dance in my lap.
(I'm bloody lucky it didn't run up the leg of my shorts.)
novaphile
Quester of Doglets
Had one crawl across the dashboard once, and I picked it up and threw it out the window.
To this day, I have no idea how I did that.
To this day, I have no idea how I did that.
arthwollipot
Limerick Purist Pronouns: He/Him
You're a braver man than I.
novaphile
Quester of Doglets
In this case, I don't deserve that accolade.
It happened as some kind of reflex. I'm pretty sure that I couldn't have done it deliberately.
I can manouvre them into a jar etc. to take them outside, but I can't handle them.
(Even the jar thing practically gives me palpitations.)
It's not a rational thing.
I've been bitten a couple of times, and the bite is gross, but not that bad.
Something about the number of legs maybe?
It's hard to understand, that's for sure.
I've handled crabs with no issues, and they try really hard to cause injury (and this seems entirely reasonable to me). There's just something about spiders...
Oh well.
At least it's not as bad as a phobia.
Blue Mountain
Resident Skeptical Hobbit
I'm generally comfortable with spiders, although the smaller, the better. I have no idea how I'd react to a full sized live huntsman.
Steve
Penultimate Amazing
Yeah spiders are ok. And useful - keep the pesky bugs down. Those around here are not very big. If I know where there webs are I tend to leave them alone and let them do their job. I do hate it though when I walk into a web I haven't noticed.
novaphile
Quester of Doglets
I'm caught between a rock and a hard place with my down lights...
If I put mesh cages over them, the spiders will cover the cages with webs and then the lights will overheat.
If I don't, I have to put up with bungee jumping spiders (i.e. the current situation).
Every now and then, I find some monster that's been living somewhere in my house for a long time, mostly I round up little girls and put them outside.
(Found a red back living in the gap under a blanket box, body like a grape, definitely the biggest one I've ever seen. By all the detritus, which is how I found the spider, it had been living on millipedes - another constant battle around here.)
Skeptic Ginger
Nasty Woman
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What makes spiders give me the creeps is how fast they crawl.