Author Topic: Black Widows Spiders (Read 1754 times)

Leslie · « **Reply #75 on:** June 17, 2004, 02:14:11 AM »

Anyone ever heard about Black Widow spider web strands being used for the crosshairs in sight reticles back in the old days? Like Nuke said, they're strong and I suppose they were sandwiched between two layers of optic lenses to make the crosshairs.

I know I heard about that somewhere before. Anyone know the particulars, or if they were used in the Norden bomb sight?

Les

Steve · « **Reply #76 on:** June 17, 2004, 02:19:28 AM »

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Steve was in a butler's outfit, minus the pants and was pouring me a glass of whine.

Am I up next or is it that you can't afford to buy me pants?

rpm · « **Reply #77 on:** June 17, 2004, 02:31:44 AM »

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Originally posted by NUKE
Nah, that never happened.... I made it all up.

Reminds me of the time I was riding my horse, Dusty and something felt lose in the saddle. I looked down, and *poof* the horse disapeared and I was now riding on the back of the very sexy Stacey, Steve's wife. Steve was in a butler's outfit, minus the pants and was pouring me a glass of whine.

SaburoS · « **Reply #78 on:** June 17, 2004, 02:58:14 AM »

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Originally posted by Sandman
If you're worried about them, just keep an eye out for webs and then go out at night with a flashlight. They'll be out. Quick blast of insecticide and they're done.

Actually, using any household/glass cleaner (409, Windex, etc) is effective plus the added benefit of not worrying about poisoning the baby from overspray. Heck, if that area is around the house, you can clean up that 'dirty' area after the bug dies.

Waffle · « **Reply #79 on:** June 17, 2004, 03:30:21 AM »

I got bit s few weeks back from a spider...not sure what kind it was. Anyway...I noticed it after a show at 5am when I was hammered and climbing on a bus...thought it was a zit on my forearm...lol
Next day I got up at 2pm for load-in, and noticed that there was a red ring about the size of a quarter on my arm...lighter white in the middle and 2 little red dots in the center (fang marks?)

Anyway, I found the paramedic booth and got some antibiotic ointment from them. After that show, and I got back to my own vehicle, I had a 2 hour drive...towards the end of it I noticed that my breathing seemed labored..lol not too bad thought, figured all day in the sun, just tired tired....

Anyway - next day - on the internet...praying it wasn't a recluse bit, or if it was...I wouldn't have a "bad" reaction to it. I was counting hours from when I first noticed...lol

Anyway, the breathing thing, and small muscle twitches make me think it could've been a black widow...a less serious bite - maybe male. It's been about 3 weeks and it's pretty much gone now....
but you talk about being nervous about something.

Never went to the doctor, just treated it with antibiotics and some benadryl.

Flyboy · « **Reply #80 on:** June 17, 2004, 05:25:45 AM »

black widowes eat scorpions (!!!)

allso how would antibiotics help in case of venom?

Leslie · « **Reply #81 on:** June 17, 2004, 05:27:30 AM »

Speaking of spiders, I remember when I was 4 or 5 years old I used to play in the garage part of our garage apartment out back.

There was a spider that lived there that was usually to be found in a small funnel of webbing between two wall joists. Once I discovered it, I was fascinated by it. I used to poke at it with a twig and it would usually come out after the twig.

One time it came out fast and I threw the stick on the floor. The spider had a body about 1/2 inch long and was about the size of a half dollar coin (or smaller) all together. It was very hairy, almost furry, and the entire back part (abdomen) was red. Strangest spider I'd ever seen, then and to this day. I remember it was very colorful. Never seen a spider like it since. Guess it could have been a BW, but it was furry and looked more like a wolf spider. Probably what it was.

Now we do have something called a Tiger ant in these parts, and I may be confusing these two. Tiger ant is about an inch long, furry, red in back and black up front. It's like an Army ant and its bite is worse than a regular ant bite. May be poisonous, don't know.

Fire ants will bite the hell out of you, and leave scars that last about a month.

Les

Waffle · « **Reply #82 on:** June 17, 2004, 05:31:10 AM »

lol - i didn;t know if it was a black widow..lol - course my mind was all over the place

I didn't feel bad, and there was no pain..just a little where the bite was when pressure applied

myelo · « **Reply #83 on:** June 17, 2004, 08:25:22 AM »

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Originally posted by Sandman
From what I've been taught, the bite of a Mojave Rattler isn't nearly as painful as the bite of a Sidewinder.

It depends on the Mohave rattler. Most rattlesnake toxin contains various digestive enzymes that can cause severe local pain, swelling and tissue death -- as seen in the picture someone posted. Other pit vipers have similar toxins. Brown recluse toxin also contains digestive enzymes, causing a similar local tissue damage.

On the other hand, Mohave toxin affects the junction between nerves and muscles, resulting in paralysis. It is generally less painful because the local tissue damage is minimal Mohave toxin is the most lethal venom found in US snakes.

Only some Mohave snakes have this type of toxin. Other populations have the typical rattlesnake toxins, while even others have both types of toxins. The toxin type is largely dependent on the geographic region.

BTW coral snakes and black widows also have a nerve toxin.

Otto · « **Reply #84 on:** June 17, 2004, 11:39:59 AM »

Black Widows can weight up to 5 pounds and only move at night. You'll never see them till it too late and they always go for the throat.

Your best bet is a Flame Thrower set to Max

BTW, Zoombies are not effected by BW bites. Keep that in mind.....

Sandman · « **Reply #85 on:** June 17, 2004, 01:30:28 PM »

Here's a Mojave Green... Friend at work took the pic... It's a beautiful thing.

http://www.pbase.com/image/29654947