Mona -
Alkmost all spiders are venomous and can cause some swelling and local infections if not taken care of properly. Prompt application of cortisone ointment minimizes itching and swelling, which prevents scratching, which minimizes the chances od an infection.

I live in AZ ... we have lots of spiders. And scorpions. And snakes.

Prevention is the best thing. If you keep the riach and cricket populaiton down, spiders have no food so you have fewer spiders. Spiders like clutter ... keep moving and cleaning things inside and outside the house and you willhave fewer spiders.

(Chuckle!) Lazygardens, your advice is great for Arizona, but Florida just isn't Arizona. Good luck keeping the roach and cricket populations down in FL. A moist and warm climate supports nearly unrestrained growth of pest populations!!!

Mona, I haven't heard of any outbreak of spider bites here in Atlanta but thanks for the heads up.

Puddlejumper

puddlejumper -
I used to live in a true tropical climate. If you keep clutter to a minimum and clean up everything you can that might give them something edible you can minimize the population.

**shudder***
spider venom contains a poison different from other biting bugs. Spider venom causes tissue to die....contains necrosing agents, and that's what causes the celulitis....not an allergic reaction like to a bee sting or mosquito bite. So when you get a bite with that tell-tale little ( or large!) area of raw tissue in the center, apply antibiotic ointment, not hydrocortisone.
Now who's going to came hold my hand if I get the screaming meemies tonight?!
Linda C

The only growing problem in MI is the Brown Recluse spider. They used to say it couldn't live through the cold winters even if it managed to hitch a ride north. So much for that. I had a friend who lost a leg after getting bitten during a migrant camp inspection. A migrant worker was bitten while sleeping and never fully recovered despite intense medical attention. NOw I'm not so careless when moving boards and other piles of materials in the yard. I also always wear gloves.

http://www.highway60.com/mark/brs/default.htm

One has bit my daughter. Took her to the Dr. The Dr.s said
put some Ice on it and lets watch it. This was a convienient
care and a young, I mean young Dr. He agreed it looked like
a BRS bite. It is black in the center, small hole with redness around.

Yea lets watch it grow into a hole on her leg.
He gave a antibotic to take if puss starts coming out.
I'm getting another opinion. Ive been told to see a dermatoligist.
Ive read about treatment with a nitroglycerin patch &
erythromycin.
I know you can read to much and get opinions but I wanted treatment not lets watch it.
Dave
TENN

I've recently heard from 2 other people in this area who have been bitten by spiders and are undergoing treatment for the bites. What's going on here? Are we being invaded by these creatures and are they turning on us?

This reminds me of my spider bite last fall. I was working in the front yard cleaning up leaves around the monkey grass. I felt something strange and looked down. INSIDE my blouse was a big hairy looking spider. I started screaming and dancing around. I ran into the garage and started pulling my shirt off. The spider ran up my chest over my shoulder, onto my back and bit me.

I called the hospital and they told me to keep an eye on it, but they could not diagnose it over the phone. They recommended I come to the emergency room. I did not want to do that so we just watched it. It swelled up and itched but that is about it.

I do not know what kind of spider it was. There is one around here called a wolf spider and that may have been it. Of course the spider high tailed it out of there when the commotion started. A friend of mine told me several months ago that they found a tarantula in their back yard. This really gave me the willies as that is what I remember this spider looking like.

I will be more careful working outside now.

In all likelihood, the spider your friend found was a Carolina Wolf spider. (Unless your friend lives in Florida. I believe they do have tarantulas there)

Wolf spiders are huge and look like a tarantula's first cousin. I've had some in my garage that were as big as my open hand.

They're not poisonous, just ugly. In spite of the name, they're found all up and down the East coast.

RuddMD: Your story of the huge spider inside your blouse is just horrifying to me! Once, when I was taking a nap, I woke just in time to see a very small spider bite me on my arm. We used to have spiders in our bedroom, but since we've gotten a cleaning woman, no more spiders (LOL!).