Spiders in OK?

[Grand58742]

Okay, first off, I don't care for anything with more than four legs. Four or less (to include snakes) are cool, but more than four, forget it. Small yippy house dogs toe the line sometimes, but can be tolerated.

Anyway, in the past 24 hours I've killed a black widow spider under the outdoor seat in front of my billeting room (she had a disagreement with the sole of my sandal) and this morning I had a brown recluse attempting to swim in the shower (while I was in it mind you, she had a disagreement with a spare washcloth).

Is this a seasonal thing for Oklahoma or regular? The abundance of spiders I mean.

[goatlady]

I don't think 2 counts as an "abundance", guy! LOL. I had 3 Brown Recluses in the tub a few weeks ago and every room in the house seems to have several Daddy Long Leg spiders. I figure it's the heat driving them in for a bit of cool off. We do get a true abundance in the fall as they try to get inside for winter.

[610Alpha]

had a buddy that did basic in Ft. Sill and he said there were lots of spiders there....dunno if it is seasonal.....ask Matt.

[Grand58742]

I don't think 2 counts as an "abundance", guy! LOL. I had 3 Brown Recluses in the tub a few weeks ago and every room in the house seems to have several Daddy Long Leg spiders. I figure it's the heat driving them in for a bit of cool off. We do get a true abundance in the fall as they try to get inside for winter.

Okay, two is more than I care for in a year, much less a day.

After having been to the Middle East several times and having to deal with camel spiders there:

GOOGLE PIC LINK

I have an aversion since that breed pretty much blew it for the rest of the species.

You don't realize how much I don't care for spiders lol

[RVN11B]

Just to help you out.....spiders do love Oklahoma! And for those who have to reside in the Ft. Sill area, watch out for the tarantulas! Tons of them there, you betcha!

Now as for having aversions for spiders, don't feel like the Lone Ranger. I have an extremely huge dislike for the buggers. I nearly lost the use of my right leg due to several bites from that damned brown recluse critter.

As long as I can see them first Ill give them a pass. If they get too close or act aggressive then it is boot to the head!

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Yep, normal
Critters of all kind is the norm here, no biggie
Got me a nice scar from a rot out fiddleback on my right thigh
Buckup there tough guy survivalist military man! LOL

[Grand58742]

Yep, normal
Critters of all kind is the norm here, no biggie
Got me a nice scar from a rot out fiddleback on my right thigh
Buckup there tough guy survivalist military man! LOL

4 legged critters, 2 legged critters, no legged critters, no big deal.

Little tiny hairy six and eight legged critters that crawl around on you while you're asleep? I draw the line.

Ever see anyone have to replace a bathtub because it suddenly has a 7 1/2 shot 20 gauge hole in it?

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Ever see anyone have to replace a bathtub because it suddenly has a 7 1/2 shot 20 gauge hole in it?

LOL ok or you can get some orthomax home defense spray and give the place a good going over inside and out! That should also help with scorpions too.

[goatlady]

I second that Orthomax stuff. It last a long time inside all around the baseboards and in the cabinets. Have a few in my stash for the future.

[Urban Survivalist]

I did my boot camp in Fort Sill and from May to Aug. and the spiders and flying insects were crazy. We had 2 guy bitten by a brown relcues and they went to the hospital and missed alot of training and was recycled. I stillhave a scare on my hand from a unknown insect bite. This Arizona boy and Oklahoma didn't get along due to insects and that dang humidity. I love my dry heat.

[slingshot]

Funny to come across a "spider" thread while I'm nursing a bite on my belly. Noticed it Tuesday this week. Now I have a little dark hole, with red welts around it and a long red welt running up to my right chest. The welts are hard and hot. I don't know when I got bit, much less of what kind of spider it was. Been putting some antibiotics on the hole and ice packs on the whole thing. That seems to help more than anything to relieve the tenderness and reduce the welts for a little while anyway. The bite hasn't slowed me down any, but I keep having visuals of a hole the size of a basketball rotting out of my belly (have plenty belly to spare, might help my figure some!) LOL

[ibetiny]

I will charge an enemy held machine gun nest with nothing but a knife and a prayer, but put a spider there and I'll take a pass any day. My fear, yes fear, of spiders is well known amoung my friends. Once I got my wife up out of bed at 1:00 AM to come downstairs and kill a spider. I would not let her leave untill I saw squished parts. I was in Okinawa and got aquainted with banana spiders while there. They eat birds and small mammals.

[Cimarron]

Saying 'spiders and Oklahoma' is like saying 'peanut butter and jelly'..they just go together.

A problem to consider is your house. A cinder(sp?) block house is the worst, with brick coming a close second for creepy crawlies. Some years ago I rented a cinder block house with my brother and a couple room mates. We had Black widows, the recluse, and scorpions!. It was a 3bdrm home in town with a little creek running beside it (think drainage ditch). The house also had older metal windows, the kind that crank and the window pane angels out. All kinds of crawl spaces for these little critters. My brother showered with a scorpion..until he noticed it and we heard this high pitched screaming, we thought there was some little girl in there with him at first..nope just him :D

Another that comes to mind is a trailer house. All the older models where the skirting and/or the bottom plastic just underneath the trailer that covers the duct work seperates. Also when the paneling on the inside walls starts to buckle or come away from the studs. Any thing to give them a dark covered walk way..which brings to mind of an oddity this summer. My FIL found a black widow on one of his tomato plants..very strange, and unsetteling..since my kids help him in his garden.

A rule I have heard many say is don't keep card board of any kind in the house. Especially boxes. spiders love to build in cardboard.

[miked2345]

Every time I think about moving south from Michigan, another reason not to pops up. Brown recluse spiders!! I've seen some real NASTY photos online of the damage they can do to the human body!! I think the cold winters up here are the reason we really don't see them here.

On a side note - I once read in a science journal that if spiders were as big as house cats, that man would be extinct!!

[610Alpha]

On a side note - I once read in a science journal that if spiders were as big as house cats, that man would be extinct!!

If they were as big as a cat they would be easier to see and it would be harder for them to bite us!! I think we would do better than what that journal said.