TICKS - BEES - SPIDERS

TICKS

Frequently check your clothing and body for Ticks!

BEES

If you have a known allergy to Bee stings, seek medical attention immediately!

If you do not know if you are allergic to Bee stings and you suspect that you were stung, seek medical attention if:
  • You feel dizzy, faint, or numbness
  • You have trouble swallowing
  • You have intense swelling
  • You have intense itching or rash

SPIDERS

BLACK WIDOW
Features: The black widow is a medium-sized spider whose body is about a half-inch long. The name is derived from the mistaken belief that the female invariably kills the male after mating. Although the spider is mostly found in the southern United States, it may be seen throughout the US. Five species are common to the US, with two of them being the most common:
  • The southern black widow has the shiny, black, globular abdomen with the distinctive red hourglass on the underside.
  • The northern black widow has a row of red spots down the middle of the upper surface of its abdomen and two crosswise bars on the undersurface. The markings can also be yellow or white, and the spider itself may be brown or have red legs.
Habits: Black widow spiders are nocturnal and, thus, are active at night. They prefer dark corners or crevices. They are said to avoid human dwellings, but you can find them in such areas as outhouses and garages. Only the female black widow bites humans, and she bites only when disturbed, especially while protecting her eggs.
Black Widow Bite Causes:
Local pain may be followed by localized or generalized severe:
  • Muscle cramps
  • Abdominal pain
  • Weakness and tremors
Large muscle groups (such as the shoulder or back muscles) are often affected, resulting in considerable pain. In severe cases:
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Fainting
  • Dizziness
  • Chest pain
  • Respiratory difficulties 
The severity of the reaction depends on the age and physical condition of the person bitten. Children and the elderly are more seriously affected than young adults.
In some cases, abdominal pain may mimic such conditions as appendicitis or gallbladder problems. Chest pain may be mistaken for a heart attack.  Blood pressure and heart rate may be elevated. The elevation of blood pressure can lead to one of the most severe complications.
People rarely die from a black widow's bite. Life-threatening reactions are generally seen only in small children and the elderly.
BROWN RECLUSE
​Features: Brown recluse spiders are notable for their characteristic violin pattern on the back of the cephalothorax, the body part to which the legs attach. The violin pattern is seen with the base of the violin at the head of the spider and the neck of the violin pointing to the rear. These small non-hairy spiders are yellowish-tan to dark brown in color with darker legs. They have legs about one inch in length. The name of the genus, Loxosceles, means six eyes. Most other spiders have eight eyes. Yet this unique feature of the brown recluse is lost on the casual observer because the eyes are too small to be seen with the naked eye.
Habits: These spiders are not aggressive and bite only when threatened, usually when pressed up against the victim's skin. They seek out dark, warm, dry environments such as attics, closets, porches, barns, basements, woodpiles, and old tires. Its small, haphazard web, found mostly in corners and crevices, is not used to capture prey. Most bites occur in the summer months.
Brown Recluse Bite Causes:
The brown recluse venom is extremely poisonous, even more potent than that of a rattlesnake. Yet recluse venom causes less disease than a rattlesnake bite because of the small quantities injected into its victims. The venom of the brown recluse is toxic to cells and tissues.
 Side effects of the spider bite:
  • Destruction of red blood cells
  • Low platelet count
  • Blood clots in the capillaries and loss of ability to form clots where needed
  • Acute renal failure (kidney damage)
  • Coma
  • Death
Symptoms of a Brown Recluse spider bite:
Brown recluse spider bites often go unnoticed initially because they are usually painless bites. Occasionally, some minor burning that feels like a bee sting is noticed at the time of the bite and a small white blister develops at the site of the bite. Symptoms usually develop two to eight hours after a bite. Keep in mind that most bites cause little tissue destruction.  Victims may experience these symptoms:
  • severe pain at bite site after about four hours,
  • severe itching,
  • nausea,
  • vomiting,
  • fever, and
  • myalgias (muscle pain).
Treatment for serious reactions to a Black Widow or Brown Recluse spider bite will be beyond the scope of most medical offices and urgent care centers. Pain relief may require the use of narcotics and antivenin (antitoxin to counteract the effects of the spider venom). The decision to seek emergency care should be made early. If the person who was bitten has more than minor pain or has whole-body symptoms, seek care at the nearest hospital's emergency department. If symptoms are severe, call 911.
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