So a spider bit the hell out of me in my sleep
 

I recently just like last week got attacked while sleeping by some spider(s). I woke up and had bumps about the size of two rice grains on my foreamn, my chest, and my leg. They were gross and pussed up, and began to heal. Except for the one on my forearm. I got bigger and bigger so I went to the doctor. Turns out some bacteria got into my spider bite and now I have a bacterial infection, a staph infection so to speak.

I was in shock...I was like well I am pretty clean shower every day, sometimes twice a day if I work out. I always wash my hands before I cook or after I use the restroom. The doc told me it had nothing to do with my immune system. He said you can have the strongest immune system and this would still infect you. He prescribed me some antibiotics and I started taking them. The very second I got near a computer I started googling the hell out of it. I find out that around 25% (estimated) people in the US carry this bacteria around all the time. They carry it in their nostrils (yeah i know weird), their mouth, their hair, and their swimsuit areas. I also googled the diagnosis of it, and the medication my doctor prescribed me. Actually, I was very pleased with the results. Everything I researched was pretty much exactly what he told me. he also mentioned that it gets misdiagnosed sometimes just as a boil, and ingrown hair, or some sort of allergic reaction to a bug bite.

It only effects you once it get into your blood stream. Now, deducting what happened I can gather this. One night all peaceful I am slumbering, bothering no creature in site, and this gang of ruthless punk spiders decide to bite the crap out of me. A few days later when the spider bites are starting to irritate me I scratch at them (1st mistake). Some how I picked up the bacteria either on my hand, or when I was scratching it I opened up the wound just a bit for the bacteria to enter. The bites on my chest and on my leg start to heal and get smaller. The one that I irritated on my forearm got infected.

I work for a public school system in over 55 buildings with tons of kids. The bacteria could have come from anywhere. I got all OCD and did all my laundry (I mean everything), cleaned and bleached my place. Since this particular type of bacteria pretty much lives everywhere and anywhere. It is also antibiotic reistant. Meaning I have to make sure its dead before I stop taking my medicine or it just gets stronger. Overall, I am a very low risk since I caught it early on and am on medication. I am also still pretty young and healthy which also helps.

Anyways, it is some scary stuff that I didn't even know about until it happened to me. I read on BBC.com that over in the UK MRSA (the bacteria) has caused, at one point, like 3,000 deaths/year. Of course they don't go into that statistic of how many people didn't have health insurance, or how many of them didn't treat it. But if any of you remember a wash your hands campaign over in the UK, that is apparently what it came from.

info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MRSA

Staphylococcos aureus is one of the classical "opportunistic pathogenic" bacteria, meaning it accompanies approx. 50% of us without causing disease, but if it sees a chance, it will try to do (some) harm. This chance may be just a slight immune suppression, caused by a cold, medical treatment, severe disease or - a spider bite.

Excessive washing of clothes and yourself are pretty pointless if you have this bug in your microflora (it may even weaken your body's own defense); even if we assume you do not pick your nose - just sneeze once and they are there again....

BTW, there is usually no reason to get upset about MRSA; they are found almost exclusively in hospitals, where they cause, of course, a lot of harm.

But, on the whole, this is just a thing that happens and nothing to worry about (- and believe me, this is not the worst bug we carry around) ;)

cheers, pink

Well, I am not totally worried just mad really. The spider bite is almost healed up now, and the other two I got are pretty much gone. I went to the book store yesterday to pick up a Vonnegut book (RIP) and when I was there I decided to pick up a copy of the Qur'an so I can learn it, then call out Jihad on all the spiders in my building and kill them all.

I was just unaware of this type of bacteria, and people all over carry it on them so it is kind of crazy

Oh those poor spiders. Don't you see what's really happening here? Those 'punk' spiders are the result of a horrid upbringing in the squalid areas of the lower eastern walls district. Asbestos use probably seemed like the only way to escape the horrid abuse dealt them by life. But, sadly, the asbestos has taken their minds, and now they are a "gang of ruthless punk spiders" as you call them, madly attacking anyone that reminds them of their deep and unsettling insecurities.

Don't cry holy war! Instead find the compassion to forgive them, and find ways to improve their living conditions. Remember that only you can prevent these atrocities from reoccurring!

Baring that, try this.

Yes, but the battle between me and the arachnids has been going on for over a decade. There is no hope of finding peace between us. I have several permanent scars from spider bites over my life time. I kill one in self defense, and their brother comes the next day for vengeance, and I kill him in self defense. It is an endless downward spiral. It is no longer about the difference between our beliefs or our lives. It is about territory and blood at this point.

Thanks for the link on the spider spray. I am going to call my landlord this weekend and let them know I have been getting eaten by spiders, hopefully they will exterminate.

He he...thanks for playing along. I was rather tired this morning and something grabbed hold of me...

I do have to wonder though, what kind of spiders are they? Do you know off hand? I used to let a whole horde of spiders live in my room, but they were the friendly kind. They would keep the bed bugs away. My siblings, who were not so wise, would kill the spiders and end up with bed bugs bites all of the time... Which makes me wonder, is there some natural predator you could put in your room that might take care of the spiders for you?

well I am not 100% sure what is biting me in my sleep. However, I have caught and killed several rabid wolf spiders in my apartment over the last 6 months. They are hunters, and are aggressive. They are non venomous but the spider venom was never the problem in my case. It was the infection that infiltrated my spider bite.

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.ed...sa_rabida.html

I live in midtown and my building is probably over 100 years old. Our basement has one of those old coal heaters in it still when back in the day someone had to go shovel coal into it to warm the building. There is part of the foundation in the basement that is earth. I almost guarantee the spiders live down there, and since I am on the 1st floor of my building they come up through the vents looking for food.

They are fast, and I mean fast, and they fear nothing. One ran across my floor real fast in front of me. I tried to catch him, and then he ran towards me. I wasn't quite sure what spider it was so I immediately grabbed it with a paper towel and tossed it into a jar. After matching up pics on google image search I figured it was a rabid wolf spider. That one I let go. I found several of them when the season changes and started killing them because they are aggressive and will bite me in my sleep. Also, in my neighborhood there is a whole gang of cats. I mean it is even Steven King creepy how all the cats hang out in circles in the parking lots and sit in straight lines under a tree. There are rival cat gangs and you can hear cat fights all the time at night. I figure all those cats probably force a lot of the spiders in doors since cats are known to kill and eat bugs.

And last year I got bitten by a spider that caused necrosis on my left calf. You can still see the dark spot where my flesh has not fully recovered. So, I am already a bit paranoid of being bit by spiders.

Maybe the spider was carrying the bacteria on it's fangs when it bit you.

What you need is a small, fast breed of reptile that likes to eat bugs. We've got Geckos all over the place here in BKK, and they really keep the insect population at bay. Maybe you could try buying something like that for your home. Just be warned that introducing a foreign species into your ecosystem might be disastrous in the long run.

I also recommend cats for home defense, although some cats that I've had couldn't be bothered to catch anything that wasn't in the food bowl. :)

We get a lot of white tail spiders (http://www.csiro.au/resources/ps1od.html) wandering through our house. There was a lot of media hype a few years ago about them causing necrosis so they still freak me out but the link has been pretty much debunked. If anything they probably keep down the redback population (http://www.csiro.au/resources/ps1rv.html) which we also have a lot of (thankfully they mostly stay outside).

tlarkin: sorry to hear about your travails. Being OCD about cleanliness is prob not going to help, as suggested the spiders (or other bug?) maybe the carriers. Most of those superbugs-killing-thousands stories are people with very compromised immune systems in hospital (very old, very sick, post-op etc).

fazstp: I don't think the white-tail - necrosis link has been debunked entirely. Just that you pretty much have to be one of the few people that have a particular reaction to their venom. My wife was bitten eight times by one - very painful little welts that took weeks to go away entirely, but still more annoying than serious. However I know a direct link to someone who was bitten at work and had serious probs for years afterwards.

Granted this study was based on only 130 confirmed white-tail bites. One problem is that the spiders are often not positively identified in cases of actual necrosis.

http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s926733.htm

well the messed up part about it is, that I don't know where I picked up the bacterial infection from. I got multiple spider bites and they all healed but the one on my forearm I picked at it, and bumped it a lot and it ended up getting infected. You don't realize how much you use the outside of your forearm every day. From opening doors, lifting things, walking through crowds, in your sleep, slinging your backpack on/off, etc. I got bit on a place on my body that gets a lot of contact. Since the other spider bites did not get infected I can only assume that I picked up the bacterial infection some where else.

Since this particular strain of bacteria seems to live every where there is no telling where I got it from.

BTW, fazstp, those are some scary looking spiders you got down there. I really do not like spiders because of how dangerous some of them can be. I remember catching tons of black widows at my parents old house and killing them. My old job for a while had an infestation of brown recluses in the building and a few times i would open like a box to a HD TV or a monitor, or a computer part and there would be a spider in there just chilling. That was also scary. Open up a box and reach in to pull out a motherboard to notice that some spider slipped in there to take a nap.

I'm just glad we don't get the Sydney Funnel Webs down here in Melbourne. Those things can bite through a toe nail.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_funnel-web_spider
http://www.csiro.au/resources/ps1o3.html

This may sound odd. But I usually approach problems as if "what if this was happening to me". Going Jihad on their butts is a good attitude. Here are some things I would try.

Putting a small pie-plate or dish under each leg of my bed with baking soda or something "spider-no-likey" so you can get a decent sleep. That will not prevent their block and tackle approach, but will stop a ground assault. If you can install a ceiling fan, keep it running on low and that will discourage web building.

Make some frames out of wood that will fit inside your vents. Staple a fine mesh on to them. That will allow cool air to pass, but hold off the infiltration of the arachnidites. Use caulk to seal up the sides that they might be able to squeeze past.

Make your living area air-tight. Use spray foam inside outlets, caulk cracks, put in window seals.

Find some fly paper and put a tidbit they might like in the center. Perhaps a chunk of your flesh?--they seem to like that. ;)

Buy some lizards and keep them in an aquarium.

Those white tails are good at squeezing through the tiniest cracks. And when you try to catch them they have this extremely effective drop-run-hide strategy. I lost one once and pulled the place apart looking for it. I finally gave up and sat down for fifteen minutes and it crawled up the wall from where I'd looked over every square inch. I had lifted everything and checked every nook and cranny and it wasn't a small spider so I don't know how it hid so well.

wondering if you'd like to clarify what you mean by that?? sounds sorta offenisve

Read my statement earlier, it was meant as a joke. I just recently started reading the qar'an and was making a joke about declaring jihad on the spiders that were biting me.

whats it like?


I read the dictionary once..... turns out the zebra did it. :D

It is a lot like the Holy Bible but I have only scratched the surface. The book I have has each page split into two collums, one has the original arabic writing of the holy book and the one next to it is the english translation. Now, only if i read arabic I could verify the translation.

Typically I read more about mythology and ancient religions, but I figure its time to expand my knowledge on current practiced religions.

I for one would be interested to hear what you think to it...

As religion is a banned topic on this forum I wont share my thoughts on it... or even prevoke a debate.. :D

I study ancient religions too! Well...Buddhism, Shinto and Daoism anyway, in their ancient forms. Just one word of caution, if you are trying to study current religions, you really should seek out teachers in the different sects of that religion. It seems no matter what the religion there are always a good hundred takes on the same verse of scripture.

If I could talk to some of those old master, well...I would. All I'm saying is, you have the opportunity, so you should take it. ;).

sure, overall it is a nice experience to read what everyone over in the eastern side of the world practice. I do think you are right and learning from someone who knows it is probably best but I like to interpret it myself. I don't follow or practice any one religion in particular, I kind of pick up things i Like about certain religions and just kind of combine them all together in my philosophy of life.

Like I said I have just started reading it, so I don't really know much about it. What I do know is that the whole jihad on the spiders comment was purely meant as a joke, sorry if it offended anyone.

guess i took it too seriously lol

Back to the spiders...
They just might get a taste for more -- perhaps already have. :cool:

well I am not sure if they are there anymore. It has been almost two weeks and I have not seen any spiders, unless they are ninja spiders hiding in the shadows. My friend and neighbor has a couple of cats, I may just borrow one of hit cats one day to see if they hunt any of them down.

The nice thing about cats is that they are nocturnal predators, so they go to work while you sleep (ideally). They might not actually eat the things crawling around in your home, but likely if they spot something moving, they'll jump on it and pull it into dozens of smaller pieces. As with anything, your mileage may vary from cat to cat. I would put my money on a younger, skinnier cat being a more effective home sentry.

The downside, there's always a downside, is that you may end up with the cat attacking you if you don't wake up early enough in the morning to feed it.

Well the funny thing is my neighbor, who is also a long time friend of mine, has three cats. We joke and call him the crazy cat lady. I used to be roomates with him some years back and his oldest cat, buster, was living with him at the time. That was back around year 2000ish. I moved into the adjacent apartment complex almost a year ago, and buster still remembers me and knows where I live. He will come and break into my house if I have the back door open and the screen door shut. He knows how to grab the screen door and pull it open with his claws.

I joke around and call his cats a band of gypsies because they break into my apartment and try to steal my stuff. One morning another one of his cats was in my apartment, and I had no idea how he got in. I think he snuck in when I was taking out the trash and then hid until I fell asleep. When I woke up the next day he was purring and meowing for food. Which threw me off b/c I don't own any pets.

I found these paper things online that attract spiders and other bugs with scent (pheromones?) and it traps them on it and kills them. I may buy a few of those.

Ha, that's a funny story!

Wait, maybe the spiders are getting in when the cats open the screen door.

The spider paper sounds great! Let us know if it works.

Are you finding webs in your ceiling corners?

Nope the spiders I have caught are hunters and stalk their pray, so no webs. There are webs in our basement where our laundry facilities are though.

Is this a good picture of the culprit?
http://pecanspiders.tamu.edu/species/rabidosarabida.htm

yup thats the culprit. Caught one in my shower and caught one hauling across my floor, I mean he was moving a ludicrous speed. Killed them both, looked them up online.

AFAIK, they are the ones that bit me. They are aggressive and not harmful really but the spider bites wasn't the problem, it was the infection. Anyways I am healing up pretty nicely, and the bite just looks like a bruise now instead of a giant golf ball on my arm.

Here in Southern California, I deal with Black Widows. Luckily they stick to outdoor sheds and not come inside. But they are still creepy gals. I was bitten once in my cable installer days--not pleasant. Most spray poisons just make them mad and they scurry about. This also does not deal with their egg sack. So I came up with a clever solution. I spray them with spray adhesive. The adhesive causes them to get caught up in their own web, so that slows them down. I then take a stick and wrap them up in their own web like cotton candy. I keep wrapping until every egg and trace of web (with momma and dead daddy) is on the stick. I then toss it in the trash.

The idea that spiders transmit MRSA infections is a myth. MRSA often colonizes the skin. People are unaware that they are colonized. But some MRSA is invasive and will enter the skin without any apparent break in the skin integrity. Most likely, you infected yourself by scratching. While you may have been bitten by a spider or another insect (I rarely see multiple spider bites), the insect bite is unlikely to have caused the infection. More likely is that the organism entered the skin via scratching.

Spiders are getting a bad rap for MRSA infections, and they likely have no contribution in the causation of these infections. The imagination can provide a lot of rationalization for most anything.

Yeah I pretty much already said that earlier in the thread. I do not believe that the spider bite was the root cause. Like I said the bite that got infected was on a place of my forearm that got lots of contact with my everyday activities.

I know it was a spider bite because I have gotten many over the years. I have a few scars from spider bites that have caused necrosis of my skin. I think I either just taste good to spiders, or the bite me after happy hour to get a bit tipsy.

I am sure the bacteria just used the spider bite as a way of entering the blood stream. I had gotten three bites that week, and only one of them flared up with an infection. From what I have read about MRSA, is that it just chills out everywhere and is transfered by contact but will only effect you once it has penetrated your skin.

Landsakes, that looks just like Uncle Jeb, who came over with Ziggy Stardust from...

But its the best way to avoid conflicts... such a talks about politics or religion is the easiest way to rise a conflict :)

Quality of the Community
 

Precisely! It’s also a good way to ensure that MacOSXHints has one of the highest content/post ratios of any such help and discussion forum on the Internet. Which is why I value this place so much.

And the fact is, even when discussing topics that necessarily touch on politics (such as The Environmental Thread, The Structure of the Internet, Privacy/Encryption issues, etc), almost everyone shows the necessary restraint.

That avoids overheating – and makes for some wonderful discussions!

Policy is one thing, but that truly says a lot about the quality of the community. :)

With gratitude and best regards,
ArcticStones

ArcticStones, if there ever was a moderator on the edge, it's you :).

I think your use of the word "discussion" is key to how this forum works. I'm not necessarily keen on "debate" as it normally leads to argument, which in my mind translates to "stupid people throwing around their uninformed opinions". (You know, like I'm doing right now :D.) I much prefer factual, or logical, discussion.

The power of thoughtful posts...
 

Thanks for your kind words!

Speaking strictly for myself, I can point to more than one occasion where thoughtful posts have led me to change my opinion on various issues. There really have been a lot of worthwhile exchanges here! And I also notice that reflective posts tend to draw thoughtful responses – across the board.

I keep my rants of that nature at Yahoo! Answers. Quite a few of those uninformed types running around. Even more that are argumentative. However, I try to look for those that seek answers. Currently, I am almost to the creation of 7,000 answers. I have about 65 people watching for my answers daily. :O
http://answers.yahoo.com/my/my;_ylt=...XXzLjkvTzpy6IX.

You could try using this:
http://www.freeverse.com/periscope/
Set up some iSights to monitor areas where you suspect spiders might be sneaking around (such as around your bed). Next, set the software to alert you when it detects motion. It should give you enough time to jump out of bed and run for cover! :D

That's a pretty cool application for this application. You are a tech guy, use your imagination. :)

The first thing that comes to mind, is "DANGER, DANGER TLARKIN!" in some robot voice probably waking me up in the middle of the night may not be a good thing. Funny though, hahahaha.

That reminds me – a graphic designer I know had a really cool "ring sound". When her mobile rang in her purse, a voice shouted:

"Let me out! Out! I want out!! Let me out, let me OUT!!!"

:D

What you need is one of those Andromeda Strain lasers that will target spiders and vaporize them.

brrvvvvvt sssss
"S p i d e r.....e l i m i n a t e d"

Well, they have got those USB powered air guns. That is a little more realistic, and might actually be doable if one had the proper software. You would need an app to detect motion and track the object while triggering the USB cannon to fire.

like these?

http://www.kleargear.com/5004.html

Actually, I was referring to a real air gun (ball bearing) that I saw on Engadget.
Another one, and yet another one!

Hey, may not kill them, but it sure would scare the heck out of them. :)

Oh, cool! Another step in forward in protection from spiders. Be sure to watch the video.

LOL the video was great, I liked that they used Iron Maiden for the music too!

This one will eradicate your home of all spiders… and walls! Actually, you may have some spider survivors, but definitely no walls.

Sometime last year......

I awoke in the morning to find a sore spot on the back of my leg behind my knee. Pretty sensitive spot, huh? No big deal, right?........WRONG!!!!

After sitting thru the discomfort all day (at a computer, with the spot rubbing against my office chair), I awoke the next morning to find my whole leg black & blue.

When I say black & blue, I really mean PITCH PITCH PITCH PITCH BLACK!!!!! A very large ring around the sore spot. It took like a month and a half to heal, each day the ring got smaller and the edge of it was pure white.

Now, I don't know what the F#$K bit me in my sleep, but it seems like bugs and spiders do love to come near me. i live in Eastern PA, so the only real venomous spider here is the "brown recluse". However, I have never come across one, ever. There are other very large spiders in the area, but not venomous.

Any ideas, what it was???????

hmmm, where do you get these? Like amazon.com?

I am not doctor, but the pure white or puss was the body naturally fighting the infection. It could have been a bacterial infection, not necessarily a venomous one from a spider. Either way, when that happens you should go see your doctor immediately.

Neighbouring kids with magic markers? ;)

Now with improved lethality. We can only hope these don't run on Windows.

After that video played, there were other videos below. There was a vid of Dean Kamen showing an articulated arm for amputees. Now that was extremely cool.

I thought this was a Huntsman last night when it came running through the lounge room (where obviously, from the pic, it met it's demise) but looking at the body shape and markings I guess it's some sort of wolf spider.

The freaky thing was the weird dance it put on when I spotted it and stood up. It was jumping up and down and spinning around on the spot. I guess it worked because it freaked me out enough for it to (momentarily) escape under the couch.

Yeah that thing would have met Mr Mossburg if you catch my drift. I don't play with spiders anymore! I kill them on sight. The one thing I don't like is spiders.

I'm freaked by Garden Orb Spiders when I ran through one of their head-high webs at night ...

I'm freaked by Sydney Funnel Webs (Funeral Webs, I like to call them) when one walked past my feet while I was on the loo, at a young age.

I'm freaked by Red Back Spiders ever since the day I was puttin' out the garbage and thought I might just check under the garbage bin handles (they were plastic moulded), and saw about 3 Red Back's hiding underneath each handle ...

I'm freaked out by White Tail Spiders just because I can be ...

I'm freaked out by Jack Jumper Ants because they are like the the Mike Tyson of the Ant world ... and they know where you live!

In the height of summer a few years ago I photographed this unidentified spider on the lookout for grub .... it was pretty much the same size as a small funeral web and looks like it would pack a chuck norris style bite:


http://img.skitch.com/20090114-cyn82...nk9ge25p2r.png

I realise all the above links have been previously posted in this thread but I have posted them again for those interested.

OK I am never going to Australia

I don't mind Garden Orbs but yeah those webs are freakishly strong when you walk through them. Plus they can stretch between supports a couple of metres apart so you don't expect a web to be there.


Ok now those suckers I hope I never meet. I believe I mentioned somewhere in this thread that they can bite through a toenail. I haven't confirmed that claim through a reputable source but I'm not about to test it myself.


I've found them under our wheely bin too. Or the lip on the plastic recycling box. On the plus side they're generally pretty placid and there hasn't been a fatality since they came up with an antivenom in the 1950s. We have heaps of them around our home so I've kind of gotten used to them.


Yeah they're always crawling through our house at night. They make a creepy plop sound when they drop to the ground for a quick escape.


They're bastards aren't they? Accidently stood on a nest once.


:D

That's such a funny visual .... but seriously I very much think that they can bite through a leather shoe + the toenail, if you see how freaky sharp their fangs are ...

You mean these fangs? :eek:

I have to admit, this thread is significantly reducing my desire to go to Australia myself...and these are just the spiders. I keep hearing about bunches of weird animals out there...

Granted, this is all balanced out by the fact that Australia has Koalas and Kangaroos, so it all kind of evens out, right?

More thoughts-- You know, come to think of it, we have our share of nasty insects over in N. America as well, but I think we've just gotten used to them. For example, I've had to catch three black widows in my living room over this last month. Beautiful spiders, by the way, once you have them under glass (so they can't bite you anymore...)

Come on guys .... show us what ya got .... we got no cougars or bears ... or wolves at that ... or even hornets ... well not where I live ...

Black Widow vs Snake:

http://img.skitch.com/20090114-prst4...7d.preview.jpg
Click for full size - Uploaded with plasq's Skitch

Which would you prefer?

Bear


or bear (ok so they're not really bears but let's ignore that fact for illustrative purposes)

:Dhttp://img.skitch.com/20090114-b1ktd...c7dswsa1m1.pnghttp://img.skitch.com/20090114-fgubb...csiqemx4wj.png
Bear or Dropbear

I don't know why, but Koalas have always been the most cudely of animals to me... I think I'd rather have a Koala than a Grizzly Bear in my house. Specially since the Grizzley would feel trapped and would probably kill me in the process of trying to get out. I'm told that's how some hikers die. They keep food in their tents, a bear comes in and can't figure out how to leave, so he becomes afraid and rips the tent (and it's inhabitants) to shreds trying to get out.

Do they have any big cats in Australia?

PS-- If we're going to have an animal fight between Australia and N. America, I think we should restrict it to snakes, since I think we both have some incredibly deadly ones on both of our continents.

Mind you when you're out camping and you do hear a Koala in the middle of the night it's pretty freaky because you can't imagine that noise coming from a Koala.


There's rumours of big cats left behind by US troops stationed in Victoria during WW2 but no native cats.

The extinct Tasmanian Tiger, (a Thylacine) has been in the news recently as scientists have been studying the genes of the last ones to have died in captivity and have said that although the technology isn't yet available ... they are getting closer to attempt bringing one back from extinction ... as well as other extinct species.

http://img.skitch.com/20090115-ccpci...ggqqbtikbx.png

Taken in 1910 at the old Hobart Zoo

It would be pretty cool if they could bring back the Tasmanian Tiger. I'm told it's slightly possible that there are some out in the wild still, and that humans just haven't found them...

I call: Inland Taipan

I call: Solid Snake

Actually, I would love to go to Australia. I have even pondered about trying to get a job out there, or in Europe for a few years to see another country that speaks english, that way I don't have to learn another language.

I just don't like spiders at all.

Spiders are not the only source of golden staph infections. A few years ago I disturbed a hornets nest among the roots of a tree while mowing the lawn, got stung on the ankle. I thought nothing of it -- I was not allergic to them, so I just finished mowing the lawn while muttering imprecations. Next day however, it was red and sore, and the day after that it was centered on a 4" diameter teardrop-shaped, hot, sore patch on my let with the pointy end of the teardrop about half way to my knee.

Showed the Doc, and was immediately sent to the ER where they drew a ball point pen line around the area and started a megadose IV of Penicillin and Ampicillin. I was to return every 4 hours (they left a shunt in my arm vein), night and day, for followup IVs. Thankfully after 2 days of that, it began to recede and after switching to pills, in 4 it was gone.

Only downside: now I'm allergic to Penicillin and its relatives, and to Hornet stings too. Next time I was stung, perhaps a year later, I broke out in hives, and had to eat Benadryl like candy to get rid of them.

My understanding is that the skin is already harmlessly populated by the bacteria and the bite just provides a means of entry beneath the skin where things start to turn ugly.

Particularly true of insects that bite or sting because they leave a hole right through the dermis.

You thought nothing of a hornet's sting to the ankle and went on to finish the lawn mowing ... that's Chuck Norris material ...

http://img.skitch.com/20090115-8tqwt...khp69aewek.png

Nova Scotian hornets are not nearly that large :-D they're only a bit bigger than a wasp and live in nests in the ground, typically near trees and shrubs. Makes them easier to get rid of because there's only one entrance to the nest.

There has been a lot said already on this topic, but from a strictly environmental standpoint, we live in a world that is bathed in microorganisms. If you were to swipe any surface and culture it out, you would find a host of bacteria, and maybe even some molds or fungi depending on the local environment.

We have staph commonly found everywhere, there is aspergilus and even anthrax found in the soil, and in our own intestines we house several species of bacteria which, when thrown out of balance can become serious pathogens.

So the bites were the setup. You just happened to get unlucky with the localized infection. Its really a scary world if you look at it in too much detail!

Yeah! For the skeptics, may I suggest looking at you carpet or bedding under a low-magnification microscope? :eek:

Speaking of Aussie spiders...


http://tools.cairns.com.au/images/ga.../23/117821.jpg

Holy *****!

:) To be fair that sort of behaviour isn't normal for an orb spider but they do get freakishly big in the tropical north.

Here's the rest of the story Spider eats bird

Wow. Thanks for the link to the article.

Ya know, I believe I've seen a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin before.

Victoria's Secret window at the mall...

:)

OH MY! I would get my 12 gauge is I saw that spider

Something like this?

I haven't seen any spiders come in this winter from the cold. I think it got so cold so all of the sudden that a lot of them probably froze to death.