Wolf Spiders--

Lycosidae

Wolf spiders are particularly large spiders, as with the legs outstretched, they can be up to 4" long. Although, they range in size, with body lengths ranging from 1/4" to 1". They do not usually build webs, as they stalk their prey rather than wait for the meal to come to them. In fact, they got the name because of that habit, stalking their prey, because wolves do that as well. They hardly ever go into houses, and they most likely do that because a door was left open. Because of their rather big size, they can't slide in through cracks under the door. Wolf spider bites are very rare, and as harmful as a bee sting. In fact, bee stings are more common than wolf spider bites, because bees have to protect their hive, whereas wolf spiders are quick enough (most of the time) to evade capture. Wolf spiders only bite when handled or picked up, so if you find one, gently guide into a big enough container with a stick or pencil. They can be black and brown, and hairy. They resemble tarantulas in appearance, but are not. They have very good eyesight, and the females usually attach the egg sac onto her spinnerets until the babies hatch, as seen above. The wolf spider has eight eyes, four on the bottom, two extra big ones in the middle, and two medium sized eyes at the top. In total, there are more than 2000 wolf spider species. Wolf spider bites are usually emitted by the larger species, as the smaller ones do not have the ability to penetrate skin. It may swell, turn red, itch, but usually it goes away within a few hours. Because the bite may get infected, wash it frequently so this will not happen.

Loxosceles reclusa-The Brown Recluse

The brown recluse spider is venomous, as venomous as a black widow. It is about the size of a quarter, and is noted for the violin shaped marking on its head, with the "neck" of the violin pointed at towards the spider's back. The prefer to build their webs in dark, dry places. This makes them different from the black widow, because the black widow prefers dark, moist places to live.
The brown recluse' bite is a large, red, swelling blotch, followed by nausea, vomiting, restlessness, fever, and shock. After the bite turn red, it turns into an ulcer. If left untreated, it can--but not always--cause the victim to die, as the black widow's can too. The ones most likely to be the most affected by the venom are children under the age of sixteen, and the elderly. The red mark on your skin can both: be 1-2 and 3/4 inches long; and once it heals, it can leave ugly scars.
The brown recluse is mostly found in the mid-south, including Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas. Though it can live almost anywhere. The most common ways for a brown recluse to change its home is to move with you in old boxes that haven't been opened in a long time. Some of the most common times that a brown recluse with bite is if you are getting dressed, and the spider was hiding in your apparel, and if putting on shoes that the recluse was nesting in. The brown recluse hardly ever bites you in your sleep, as it usually only bites when in danger, and your weight would most likely squash the recluse before it could bite. They will only nest in places where they can find food, so if you keep all pests out of your house, the recluse will have to leave as well. The same is true for all spiders, and bugs that eat other bugs, such as ants. Yes, I have seen ants carrying a granddaddy long legs to their hill. I actually thought it was a large crumb at first, but then I saw the legs, and I thought: "Wow, I've never seen that before!" I was surprised. Well, that is what I know! And stay tuned, because holly bushes and trees are starting to get berries! So I will be editing my post to include those as well. Bye-bye, and I hope to have more readers next week!

Black Widows-

Southern Black widow, or Lactrodectus mactans

I have never seen a black widow for more than ten seconds before, so I don't have any pictures to show you. But, I can tell you some things about them. Females are most recognizable by a distinct hourglass marking on their under-abdomen. Females are always black, with a glossy tint. Males can be black, but are usually red or brown. The black widow in general, whether it be male or female, has a cephalothorax that is much, much smaller than the abdomen. The abdomen is shaped somewhat like a sphere, very round, and large. The venom of the female black widow is rarely fatal, if given immediate medical attention. The usual signs of a black widow bite are nausea, vomiting, sweating, cramps, faintness, headache, itching, and increased blood pressure, to name a few. If bitten by a black widow, or, now that I think about it, any spider at all, instantly seek medical attention. Black widows, despite their notorious reputation, are not as aggressive as you might think. Even if disturbed in it's own web, a black widow will most likely try to run away rather than bite. To prevent spider bites, wear heavy gloves when working outside, especially when reaching into unseen places, such as in a log, under a log, under a house, etc. Black widows prefer to have their webs close to the ground, or a solid surface, such as a large shelf. Don't worry about juveniles, whether male or female, because they are harmless to humans. Try to keep your smaller pets (such as small dogs and cats) away from places where a black widow might be, because us humans are big, so there are only small traces of venom in our blood, where as cats, for example, have less blood, so there will be larger amounts of the venom in Mr. Whisker's blood, which may be deadly. Black widows will eat most anything that is smaller than it, such as flies, scorpions, even other spiders! I wish I could give you more information, but this is all I know. Bye-bye!