Black Widow and Grapes

[riser]

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/11/22/spiders-in-grapes/?intcmp=features

I came across a black widow about 2 months ago when I was working around the pool. Very distinct, a shiny black against the blue side of the pool. Now, the article states you should capture the spider and let it free outside. What?? Kill it. They're the most venomous spider in the US, 2nd most deadly next to the brown recluse spider.

I crushed the spider I saw.. apparently they have packs so if you find one, you'll find more. Spiders also don't clean themselves as often as other insects so they're much harder to kill. If you have your house sprayed, they say about 25% of the spiders will die from insecticide. The rest will either die or leave because their food source is gone. I have my house sprayed monthly and I'm amazed at how well it works. I find the occasional spider on colder days but I never find anything else.

 

[4Ryan6]

Capture and set free?

No Way! :lol:

Killed one just the other day, a nice big fat one, and destroyed the egg sack along with it!

They love dark moist environments!

When it comes to the Black Widow or the Brown Recluse I am an equal opportunity destroyer!

 

[amdfangirl]

I have a pet blue tongue lizard who I set loose on spiders.

I use her like a snappy cold blooded vacuum cleaner.

Pretty good since I don't need to buy replacement vacuum cleaner bags.

 

[riser]

I'm amazed how many wolf spiders I have around the house. I was at a friend's house out in the Smoky Mountains last year walking through his field. It was weird.. when you angled a flashlight at the ground, you could see all the wolf spiders eyes.. I mean, hundreds of little reflective eyes. They were over the size of a quarter. Every time you step you could see them running and jumping from grass strand to grass stand.

 

[4Ryan6]

I have a pet blue tongue lizard who I set loose on spiders.

I use her like a snappy cold blooded vacuum cleaner.

Pretty good since I don't need to buy replacement vacuum cleaner bags.

You do have one of the most dangerous spiders on earth in your country the Sydney Funnel Web, is rated worse than the Black Widow simply from the amount of venom it injects when it bites.

I don't know why but I've always had a fear of spiders!

When I was little I was hanging by all fours below a tree limb scooting out the limb like a sloth hanging from the limb, I was just hanging there enjoying myself and looked up at the bottom side of the limb directly over my face.

There was a cluster of spiders, so I simply let go of the limb, and fell flat on my back on the ground, luckily there was nothing on the ground that could have broken my back or stabbed into me.

Arachnophobia can make you hurt yourself, worse than the spider could have done!

 

[gropouce]

I don't know why but I've always had a fear of spiders!

When I was little I was hanging by all fours below a tree limb scooting out the limb like a sloth hanging from the limb, I was just hanging there enjoying myself and looked up at the bottom side of the limb directly over my face.

There was a cluster of spiders, so I simply let go of the limb, and fell flat on my back on the ground, luckily there was nothing on the ground that could have broken my back or stabbed into me.

Arachnophobia can make you hurt yourself, worse than the spider could have done!

This is a very common phobia (if diagnosed .... many patients believe they have a phobia, but it is not always the case)

As well as the fear of blood, needles, snakes and enclosed spaces, fear of spiders is one of very common phobias related to anxiety disorders and neuroses, affecting about 10% of Americans.

I try to send you a summary of a U.S. study of phobias and how to fight against. It was interesting.


In France, we use to say that the more there are spiders in (or around) a house, the more this house is in "good health"... and spiders kill flies and mosquitoes.

http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2012/05/spider-phobia.html

http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/news/2013/09/phobias_during_sleep.html

 

[4Ryan6]

The most common spiders outside our home are the Garden Spider and the Wolf Spider and the Grandaddy Long Legs, and they do keep the insect population in check and are welcomed.

My fear is only in a trapped space like underneath a house, where anyone with any sense would want to avoid spider or snake contact or for that matter rats, or anything else running up your pants leg.

I don't really have a paralyzing fear, for some reason it automatically kicks my foot stomping mechanism into gear! :lol:

 

[gropouce]

Ok, i see

Well, i admit i have this kind of stomping mechanism too when i'm in the bedroom or bathroom...
But not in the basement...

My grandmother taught me a thing or two about spiders.
For example, their presence indicates a good moisture rate and the right temperature in a house. If they are leaving home, you can be concerned by unhealthy changes for your walls ... or a too high concentration of CO...
She also taught me to have chestnut wood beside windows or "fresh marrons" in the corners of a room to keep them away.
My grandmother was exceptional ... scary, but exceptional. ^ ^

 

[4Ryan6]

Grandmothers are a true blessing, I really miss mine!

 

[gropouce]

I really miss mine too.
My earliest memories go back into her arms.
I will always remember her serious tone when she told us about the war and the constant fear during the Resistance. Eventhough she always keep her little warm smile..
She was not afraid for her, since the Germans did many unsuspecting women, but for her father and her boyfriend.
An incredible woman. Peace to her soul. She deserves it.

 

[4Ryan6]

I really miss mine too.
My earliest memories go back into her arms.
I will always remember her serious tone when she told us about the war and the constant fear during the Resistance. Eventhough she always keep her little warm smile..
She was not afraid for her, since the Germans did many unsuspecting women, but for her father and her boyfriend.
An incredible woman. Peace to her soul. She deserves it.

You're OK in my book Sir!

 

[chunkymonster]

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/11/22/spiders-in-grapes/?intcmp=features

I came across a black widow about 2 months ago when I was working around the pool. Very distinct, a shiny black against the blue side of the pool. Now, the article states you should capture the spider and let it free outside. What?? Kill it. They're the most venomous spider in the US, 2nd most deadly next to the brown recluse spider.

I crushed the spider I saw.. apparently they have packs so if you find one, you'll find more. Spiders also don't clean themselves as often as other insects so they're much harder to kill. If you have your house sprayed, they say about 25% of the spiders will die from insecticide. The rest will either die or leave because their food source is gone. I have my house sprayed monthly and I'm amazed at how well it works. I find the occasional spider on colder days but I never find anything else.

There have been several article about spiders in fruit, especially free trade fruits. Here's an article from the Sun UK about a woman who had a Brazilian Wandering Spider egg sack on her free trade bananas.