In the past, some of you guys have asked about, and some have used, used shipping containers for storage, shops, etc. This is just a simple warning, from one who had to deal with these daily, sometimes 20 or more a day. Last week, we had one come in loaded, and we were to reload to ship back. One of our jobs is to sweep out the container, and check for insect infestations, and general condition before reloading. During the cleaning process, one of my guys somehow got in a nest of spiders that were in a small nest near one of the vents in the corner. Mama spider was also there. The babies didnt do anything but mama did. The spider was a brown recluse and the person who got bit had to have his hand amputated this morning. While I know this is a once in a blue moon event, please guys watch those things if you decide to use containers in the future.
john in la
Well-known Member
A brown recluse is nothing to mess with.
If you live in this area including Mexico and Central America or deal with shipments coming from these areas you should educate yourself on them.
So sorry to hear about your coworker.
If you live in this area including Mexico and Central America or deal with shipments coming from these areas you should educate yourself on them.
So sorry to hear about your coworker.
Steve in VA
Well-known Member
- Location
- Natural Bridge Virginia
Yes, sorry to hear that news and, yes, nothing to mess with. Virginia isn't included in that map but I worked with a fella in the central area that was bitten by one inside gloves he left in his out building. That's the reason I don't leave gloves, coats, or boots outside the house.
Just my experience here in TX......stack a bunch of cardboard boxes in garage and you will find brown recluse. I don't know why they like cardboard? Maybe because it is brown like them?
Russ from MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- Bemidji MN
I just heard about those recently! I was telling our neighbor here in Arizona that I needed to crawl under our deck to check something, and he warned me about them, he has seen them here. When I googled them I found out how bad they can be, but not always, I think if you get medical care right away problems can sometimes be avoided. W see Tarantulas occasionally when out hiking, but I understand they're not too dangerous.
john in la
Well-known Member
Did the person that got bit seek any kind of medical help immediately?
He may not have even known he was bitten.
The bite can sometimes be painless.
He may not have even known he was bitten.
The bite can sometimes be painless.
SweetFeet
Well-known Member
Not on the map... BUT brown recluse spiders are in Minnesota too!
About 15 years ago, my nephew was walking in sandals, across the town park. He was bitten on the top of his foot... a bite causes necrosis of tissue - he did a lot of doctoring and still lost a large patch of flesh on the top of his foot.
It could have been SO much worse!!
Fortunately, just prior to that... I had read an article in a magazine about brown recluse spiders. So I told my sister to take him to the doctor a.s.a.p. [The doc said, "You're not going to believe this, but your sister was right... your son has been bitten by a brown recluse spider.]
Tx Jim
Well-known Member
- Location
- Coyote Flats, Texas
Several years ago I put on a coat that was in a closet during our first cold spell. Brown Recluse bit me on the back of my neck. I thought that sore place would never heal & IT HURT REALLY BAD. My flesh died & left a hole in my neck!!
Dingo3
Well-known Member
- Location
- Southern MD
I have seen a few in MD moist likely from shipments from the south.
We called them fiddle backs because of the markings on their backs.
We called them fiddle backs because of the markings on their backs.
I know someone that was bitten in Florida. Lost a chunk of flesh from his calf.
wjytexas
Well-known Member
That map doesn't go far enough southwest in Texas. They're down here.
He did. One of the other guys had caught the spider in a cup and when EMS arrived they immediately took him to the ER. I dont know what all they did there. According to his wife, he had to go back to the ER Friday because he was in so much pain. She said his hand up to about midway up his arm was blue and black, and where the bite was was bleeding bad. The doctors told her that he had a hole about the size of a dime where trhe flesh had started eating away from the venom. Folks, keep in mind this contanier came from France, left the ports there the middle of December, and theres no telling where all it went from there. They come to us from the port in Charleston mostly, some from Savanna, so those spiders could be anywhere.
dcarp
Well-known Member
- Location
- Schulenburg Texas
You are right, John. When we lived in Katy, Tx, my wife was bitten on the knee by one. Spent 6 weeks taking IV treatments for the bite. Has a scar where the bite happened.
bmaverick
Member
- Location
- ■YANMAR GURU■ EXTRAORDINAIRE
Also powder dry cayenne pepper into olive oil poultice works as well.
Those spiders absolutely thrive where I'm at, no telling how many times I've been bit but I know of two confirmed. I've studied these bastards, I know how they think, how they survive, where they hide, I hate every single one of them. Anyway, what prompted the emergency for EMS and then the ER? Was he having a panic attack or something unrelated, maybe a strange allergic reaction? How many days between the bite and amputation? I have two theories what happened, 1, Most of your body has thicker layers of skin, fat, and muscle, those layers provide an immune defense and barriers to deplete the toxins, maybe since it was on the thin layered hand, the toxins could quickly spread into tendons, ligaments and maybe even bone? 2. Several days into care, the open wound got infected, probably staph, early infection warning signs ignored.
The effects of a Brown Recluse bite is usually nothing to worry about, I bet most people never know they've been bitten. A low percentage of bites do produce those nasty necrotic wounds. Some of these wounds are probably better called an "Ulcer". Deep wounds (Ulcer) are very susceptible to infections and that's where most people have their problems, sadly they probably infected their own wound using poor wound care practices.
The effects of a Brown Recluse bite is usually nothing to worry about, I bet most people never know they've been bitten. A low percentage of bites do produce those nasty necrotic wounds. Some of these wounds are probably better called an "Ulcer". Deep wounds (Ulcer) are very susceptible to infections and that's where most people have their problems, sadly they probably infected their own wound using poor wound care practices.
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