Delia Online

Re: Bitten by a spider......
11 May 2008 20:42

I tried to move a garden spider from it`s huge orb web as it decided to make it across the entrance to our summerhouse. It ran up to my hand, and gave me 2 ferocious bites on the knuckle. Fortunately I`ve only got a painful finger, not swelling and other symptoms as described on the internet.

Pretty big beige coloured girl, with stripey legs, watch out for`em. I knocked her off my hand injuring her legs, so I`m sorry, but she is no more. I`ve never been scared of spiders till now. anyone else been bitten?

Replies

By Yummy: Re: Bitten by a spider......
11 May 2008 21:17
My Hubby has some horrendous reactions to even the smallest of spiders, huge blisters, and really bad swelling. Now he starts taking anti-histamine as the summer approaches as he also gets the same reaction from Mozzie bites..........He has already had 3 and both his forearms came up like Popeyes !!! Mozzie net over the bed today just in case and any little blighters on the loose in the night, tomorrow we will fit them on the outside doors too.
Yummy, Brittany

By Dolly: Re: Bitten by a spider......
12 May 2008 01:01
Crumbs,
Sorry to hear about your incident.....hope you are ok and
finger not too painful....poor you....
never been bitten....but when I see a spider usually put into dustpan and take outside onto grass...if it was left up to daughter or OH they would kill....although sometimes I do use the vacuum....
Dolly

By Broomstick: Re: Bitten by a spider......
12 May 2008 07:12
Oh Crumbs - you are brave! If a spider had even touched me I would have gone out in a dead faint. I've lived in the Middle East and whilst I don't care for cockroaches, especially the big ones on the wing, I would have ten of those for every spider. I hope the bites have improved. If not praps you shd take advice. xxx

By *Crumbs

Re: Bitten by a spider......
12 May 2008 08:19

Yummy, that`s a nightmare for your hubby. Mozzies love me too, but I`ve discovered a wonderful Avon dry oil spray called Skin so soft, so fresh and it`s so effective the soldiers use it in Iraq. Mozzies HATE the stuff. It comes in a green plastic bottle.

Crumbs and Broomstick, thanks for your concern, but I have no pain at all today.

Normally spiders here are ok, and we don`t have any real nasties, but I`ve found out that there are about 9 biting varieties in the UK, so I`ll be less gung-ho about moving them in future.... I`m sure Middle Eastern ones can pack a punch!

By Yummy: Re: Bitten by a spider......
12 May 2008 08:38
Thanks 'Crumbs for the tip on Skin so Soft, I used that when in the Uk as a bath oil, I remember the smell, I thought it was lovely so if the mozzies hate it too that's got to be a bonus. Plus my hubby's will benefit with having skin like a babies bum !!!
Thanks
Yummy

By *Crumbs: Re: Bitten by a spider......
12 May 2008 11:02
I meant to add it`s specifically the Woodland Fresh one of the Skin so soft range which does the trick. It doesn`t exactly smell like Dior, but who cares?

By cupcake

Re: Bitten by a spider......
12 May 2008 11:56

Ouch! Crumbs - I have a phobia of spiders so I wouldn't go near one for love not money. I was stung several times by a vicious wasp once and my arm swelled up like a balloon and was very painful.

Hope your finger gets better soon.

Even you description of the spider made my stomach churn.

xx:) cupcake

By Sam, worthing west sussex, uk

Re: Bitten by a spider......
12 May 2008 12:38

A relative of ours, was asleep it was about 2 am... and something woke him, it was the feeling of being stung in the chest...it was a spider bite......but this spider actual;ly brought on a heart seizure (not an actual heart attack) but something weird happened, and he was in hospital for about 4 days.

Also, we have a relative of the black widow spider in the UK, did you know that....not sure if its only a south thing for the time being as our weather is normally hotter, but they have been found in cornwall, hampshire, dorset devon, sussex and kent and also parts of essex i believe.

They can vary in size, the female larger, not poisonous but can sting and leave that area feeling tingly and numb and may swell (like mozzies bites - we are like yummy's OH, we both react badly to them) they are a very very dark brown colour very shiny and the 2 parts of the spider are very round, they like to hang out in composters, houses, garages and shed, and flower pots...anywhere basically.

By Jennifer: Re: Bitten by a spider......
12 May 2008 13:07
Tea Tree Oil or Melaleuca Oil is both an insect repellant and a great antiseptic. It is often recommended for bites of spiders and other insects. If it gets dark or red around it and the center starts looking cratered seek medical help immediately, they can put you on a short course of relatively cheap antibiotics to clear it up.

By Expat Badger: Re: Bitten by a spider......
12 May 2008 19:34
we have black widows here- i'm terrified of spiders so unlikely it would get near enough to get me, but i worry the cat might get bitten if she comes across one as she hunts and eats insects....bleurgh. (Blue bottles are really crunchy, btw).....

By *Crumbs: Re: Bitten by a spider......
13 May 2008 04:36
Cupcake, it sounds as though you`ve been allergic to the wasp`s sting.
Sam, I`ve just read about that nasty spider you talked about, funny how I`m now taking an interest ........
Thanks Jennifer for the info re the oils. I`d never heard of Melaleuca, so off now to investigate. Tea tree is used regularly in our home,
Expat B, I tried to catch a B Widow in North Carolina when I was babysitting a 2 year old in the sixties. I loved it`s big shiny back! Thank goodness it ran away. Hope your daft cat stays safe.

By iliketobake

Re: Bitten by a spider......
13 May 2008 11:38

Back last year i was walking through town, i was wearing trousers and t-shirt, it was lovely hot day and all of a sudden i felt like a prick on my skin as if i got a splinter or something.

I rubbed my leg not taking much notice and that night i had a lump on my leg. so i circled around the leg with a pen to see if it got bigger and it did me being silly and dreading going to hospital and waiting hours made me not go for 5 days when at that stage my whole thigh had swollen up like a ballon and i was unable to walk on it without and herrendous pain. In the centre where i must have been bitten there was a hole which was big and i could see so far into my leg.

As a health care worker in the health sector i should have known better but like many of us we let things slip and think it will be alrite. i had so much puss in my leg i filled a pint glass. I went to A&E at this stage as it was terribly scary thinking my leg went so bad. The doctor said i had been bitten by soemthing vicious but they was unable to say what it may have been. They gave me a strong course of antibiotics and it took 2 courses before the swelling died down. They told me it turned to cellulitis. Well even thou my leg is ok now i am tourched by the scar of the hole which still remains.

I have never reacted like this to a bite before and i am not a creapy crawly person so any creapy crawly come by me now i have no option but to squat it before it may get me.

By Expat Badger: Re: Bitten by a spider......
13 May 2008 16:16
see - bugs are evil. Poor you iliketobake, sounds terrifying

By Yummy

Re: Bitten by a spider......
13 May 2008 19:56

Well, talk about topical......we had to ring our Medicin this afternoon as my OH had a spider bite on his foot after cutting the grass yesterday !! Came up like a balloon again, and after he had been taking his anti-histamine as well, but obviously not in the strong enough dosage.
I administered first aid as advised by the Doctor last year and returned from the pharmacy with a big bag of antibiotics, antihistamine, foot bath and dressings !!
Looks like a summer of anti-histamine again for him.

Yummy

By *Crumbs

Re: Bitten by a spider......
13 May 2008 20:46

Bless me, what stories. Iliketobake, that`s horrific, lucky it healed at all by the sound of it.

Yummy, he`ll have to wear wellies in future. If you can`t get the Woodland Fresh, I can keep an eye out at our car boot, sometimes the Avon lady is there. Sooner the better, hope he heals soon.
xx

By redguide: Re: Bitten by a spider......
14 May 2008 04:34
Its called Anaphylaxis: A small percentage of the population is allergic to wasp or bee stings. If you suspect that you or a family member might be allergic or is developing an allergy, go to a physician or allergist for testing. Allergic reactions to bee and wasp stings can develop anywhere on the body and may include non-life-threatening reactions, such as hives, swelling, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and headaches. I have to carry an Epipen with me at all times. It wasnt the first or even the second sting that got me, but the fourth in one summer. My leg visibly swelled in front of us and then I got wheezy and my throat was starting to close up. Speedy trip to hospital, I can tell you. We also have Benadryl in the house at all times. Whenever anyone gets stung by anything we take a dose of that.....

By Yummy: Re: Bitten by a spider......
14 May 2008 09:03
Yes Crumbs wellies at the ready !! Thanks for looking out at the carboot, did go onto the Avon site yesterday but couldn't see it so have emailed them in the hope they can still supply. My friends is going to the Uk next week and her niece is an Avon rep so hopefully all options covered. OH seems OK this morning although the blister keeps filling up and we have to keep popping it to release the poison with a sterilised needle, (as per Dr.)
Yummy

By iliketobake

Re: Bitten by a spider......
14 May 2008 11:19

My experience with creepy crawlys, avoid them whenever possible, things are so small thou can't ever notice them.

I have been bitten few times before and never reacted at all to any bite including bee sting, lol when i was 10 i remember see a bee and i squashed it in my hand it stinged me and that did not cause me any reactions apart from last bite i had which was terrifying.

By Broomstick: Re: Bitten by a spider......
14 May 2008 11:47
What horror stories! Wish I hadn't read any of this. I feel really spooked now and keep looking in corners. I am about to look for Woodland Fresh.

By judicupcake: Re: Bitten by a spider......
14 May 2008 13:03
I think it's called soft and fresh now, at least I used it all last year and it worked. I use the dry oil body spray. I know the US army use it as an insect repellant.

By Yummy: Re: Bitten by a spider......
14 May 2008 13:53
Yes you are right judicupcake, I contacted Avon in the UK as I couldn't find it on their website and they confirm it is now Soft and Fresh. Got one on order from my friends niece, hope it arrives quickly !!
Yummy

By Sheelagh, Rossett nr Chester: Re: Bitten by a spider......
14 May 2008 19:13
I don't really like spiders - but ...crumbs!!!! - I didn't know UK spiders would bite you - now I'm REALLY scared!!!!!!!!!!!
All these scary stories....

By *Crumbs

Re: Bitten by a spider......
14 May 2008 21:30

Don`t be scared, folks, one in a thousand is a nipper, and even then, although I was bitten by quite a big spider, nothing sinister happened. No worse than a wasp sting.

It`s a bit like Crimewatch, all this scary stuff. We just have to leave them alone, and they`ll leave us alone. I poked her and moved her beautiful home, so fully deserved all I got!

By Azalea: Re: Bitten by a spider......
14 May 2008 23:22
Sorry to tell you this, but ALL spiders can bite, though not all are venomous!

By *Bramble: Re: Bitten by a spider......
15 May 2008 11:21
I always wear disposable gloves for gardening, on account of the cats round here, but now it looks as if I should be wearing them for housework too, I can do without spiders biting as I get a dreadful reaction from midges and mosquitoes.
I have never heard of anyone in England being bitten by a spider before, surely it must be very rare?