eek a spider bite

[marylou]

I got bit by something last week while I was up on the Middle Fork Snoqualmie, somewhere near Big Snow Mountain. About 24 hours or so later, I had a quarter-sized bruise around each of the bites. There are two bite holes per bite (fangs I assume). I'm kind of surprised I did not feel the bites when the critters were biting given how big the bites are. The whole area was tender to the touch for a few days. I had someone look at it over the weekend, but it was in Salt Lake and I'm not sure if this guy knows our local critters or not, he said probably Hobo Spider. They seem to be getting better and I do not feel sick, so I don't plan to go to a doc here in Seattle.

 

Anyone know what bit me?

[Cobra_Commander]

Could be any number of things but a hobo spider is a possibility. Those bites usually happen indoors though, where they like to hang out. As long as it does not go necrotic and no further systemic s/s appear you are probably fine. There have been a lot more spiders out this season than normal due to the mild winter.

[marylou]

I suppose it *could* could have happened at home, I assumed it happened in the woods because I was up there more than I was at home before I left for SLC. Does the Hobo live in Seattle?

[Cobra_Commander]

absolutely.

 

the hobo spider is not exclusively an indoor spider, and in fact in europe (where they originate) they mostly live out in fields. They are highly adaptable though, and have taken to living in urban settings easily when there are no predators around.

[Gary_Yngve]

I highly doubt it's a Hobo.

I'm guessing it was just some average-Joe spider.

 

The WFR text states:

 

The hobo spider is an import from Eurpoe that has spread at least across the NW...

 

The bite of the hobo spider typically produces a blister that ulcerates and takes several months to heal. Approx. 50% ofpatients complain of headaches, muscle weakness, visual disturbances, and/or disorientation. Because the S/S are similar, hobo bites are often blamed on the recluse spider.

 

Bites from hobo spiders are rare. They tend to avoid large cities and congregate in small towns and rural communities. They like it under houses and deep in woodpiles and clumps of debris. Indoors they may lurk any place that is not regularly cleaned. You probably will never find one out in the far, untrammeled places. They don't bite unless trapped against the skin of an unsuspecting human with no way to escape.

 

Also, from a page earlier:

 

Few people are gladdened to learn that almost all spiders, worldwide, carry venom that can be injected through nasty fangs. On the positive side, only a few dozen species on this planet have a bite harmful to humans because the spider injects too little venom and/or too impotent a venom or the spider's fangs cannot penetrate human skin.

[marylou]

I should add one thing. I have had a headache since about when I got bit. It could be a coincidence, but given I never get headaches, I'd suspect it's not a coincidence.

[foraker]

probably from reading cc.com....

[Gary_Yngve]

Wow, there's quite the gem in Wilkerson:

 

Amost half the black widow bites reported in the medical literature in the first four decades of the 20th century were inflicted on the male genitalia by spiders on the underside of outdoor toilet seats.

[thelawgoddess]

Wow, there's quite the gem in Wilkerson:

 

Amost half the black widow bites reported in the medical literature in the first four decades of the 20th century were inflicted on the male genitalia by spiders on the underside of outdoor toilet seats.

OUCH!!! count yourself lucky, marylou!

[Collin]

I was bitting by a spider on my neck about 7 years ago. I had a hole about 1/2 inch deep and 1/2 wide. Lots of H2O2 seemed to clean the infection/bit out but I survived without going to the doctors. It lasted about a month before it started to heal. I thought it could have been a brown recluse but i'm not sure now that I have seen some nasty recluse bite photos. I fu#kin hate spiders.

[googlebot]

Anyone who has searched the web as much as I have has seen this result of a spider bite. Becareful out there!

 

[Collin]

Thats the nasty bite I was talkin bout.

[Dru]

[foraker]

i wonder how long he waited before he decided to 'have that thing looked at'?

[Thinker]

I saw ML's bites, and thank goodness they didn't look nearly as bad as that, but they looked like they were on the verge of getting significantly worse or a little better.

 

How are they doing now?

[marylou]

All better.

[Dru]

if a spider bites you, does that mean it mistook you for a bug?

[Dechristo]

Amost half the black widow bites reported in the medical literature in the first four decades of the 20th century were inflicted on the male genitalia on the underside of outdoor toilet seats.

 

Living conditions were abysmal for black widows back then.

 

Their revenge was just.