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Bugs!
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Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222
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Specifically Spiders!
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Spiders are ugly, they live in our homes, around our homes and they look SCARY. They have Eight (8) eyes (most species), eight (8) legs, furry looking bodies, and sometimes
sharp fangs. In reality though Spiders are definitely a friend not an enemy to man. Without spiders our world would be over-run by insects.
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Spiders are predators feeding on
insects, other spiders, and sometimes other small vertebrates. Spiders are an important food source for many birds and other small animals. Hummingbirds Harvest spider webs for use in building their nests.
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There are 4 spiders in the US that are known to cause serious reactions in humans: The Brown Recluse, The Black, Red or Brown Widow, Hobo Or Funnel Web Spider, and the SAC Spider
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The Brown Recluse or Violin Spider
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Just one bite from a Brown recluse can cause: Intense pain, Nausea, High Fever, Chills, Flu like Symptoms, Itching, Necrosis & Death. Usually a bite will look like an ant
bite and not be particularly painful. Within 8-12 hours, the wound becomes intensely painful. Red rings and/or streaks form the center of the bite area similar to the symptoms of lime disease. Necrosis
,or tissue death, is present with more serious bites. After several days, necrotic tissue will fall away leaving a pit or open sore. Bites can lead to kidney failure, seizures, coma, and death.
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Seek medical treatment immediately if you are bitten!
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The Brown Recluse's body is yellowish to dark brown, 1/3-1/2 inch long. Overall length, including legs is 1 inch to slightly larger. The brown recluse is
identified by a distinctive, dark BROWN VIOLIN shaped marking on its head
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The Brown Recluse usually is found in dark places. Outside, they like to spend time in piles of rocks, wood, or leaves. Inside, brown recluse spiders will go to dark closets,
attics, or basements. Eleven species of recluse spiders are native to the United States.
Brown Recluse Spiders are Non-Aggressive and bite only when disturbed.
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The Black, Brown & Red Widows
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All widows are venomous. The Black Widows has a red "hourglass" shape on the underside of her abdomen
Black Widows comprise about 6 species and is considered the most venomous spider in North America. The venom of the black widow spider is 15 times as toxic as the
venom of the prairie rattlesnake.
Only the female Black Widow is venomous; males and juveniles are harmless.. The female Black Widow usually hangs belly upward and rarely leaves the web. The Black Widow is also called the "hourglass" or "shoe-button" spider.
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The Black Widow bite itself is often not painful and may go unnoticed. Black Widow spiders are not usually deadly, especially to adults, because they inject only a small
amount of venom. The poison injected by the the Black Widow bite can cause abdominal pain similar to appendicitis as well as pain to muscles. Other symptoms include alternating salivation and dry-mouth,
paralysis of the diaphragm, profuse sweating and swollen eyelids.
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Funnel Web or Hobo Spider
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The hobo spider, is a European immigrant that has only recently (1980s) been implicated as a potentially poisonous spider in the United States. Other names used for this
spider include the aggressive house spider (although this spider is not usually aggressive). The name "hobo" is linked to the spider's presumed spread to distant cities via the railways, The
name "Funnel Web Spider" comes form the Web they weave..
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Florida Butterflies!
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Photos and information courtesy of the following web sites; www.floridaorienteering.org, www.arachnology.org & spiders.ucr.edu
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