Thread: Arthropoda

Generally, I do not comment on bugs of any kind, unless they are out of control. I have commented on wasps/hornets when there are a lot of nests and evidence of animal intrusion in the foundation crawlspace area.

But, what do you think about potentially poisonous spiders? I took the first pic in the crawlspace of today's inspection and then downloaded the second from the internet. The second pic is identified as a brown recluse and my little friend sure looks like the same type of critter. However, I am not an expert on arachnids.

So, what do you think, should I comment on this critter?

I would. What can it hurt to comment on it and recommend a professional check the place out?

I think yours is one of the 'false brown recluse spider' types.

Notice that the 'violin' on the brown recluse photo is dark on light background, and yours has a light 'violin' on dark background.

No, it does not do any harm to say 'I saw this spider which looks like it might be, but is UNconfirmed to be, a brown recluse - I recommend you get a properly trained pest control person out to look at it, shown them this photo too, because the spider may be gone when they get out here.

Brown Recluse Spider

AMNews: Aug. 5, 2002. Convenient culprit: Myths surround the brown recluse spider ... American Medical News

No its not a brown recluse.

I enlarged the picture and it appears to have 8 eyes, which a recluse has only 6.

As Jerry said the fiddle on the back is alway dark on light, not light on dark.

Leave em be when you see them, they are actually beneficial insects as they kill other pests.

Most spider bites occur on the feet due to people leaving there shoes outside or in a garage area where spiders can crawl into them.

This is the one I dislike.

Originally Posted by Fritz Kelly

That looks like it is outside. I don't think I would comment on any critter I found outside.

I do when they are in the water meter, service boxes or other locations where inadvertent human contact could be hazardous to the occupants.

Notifying them and advising them to treat or a call to an exterminator is "priceless advertisement" that costs nothing.

I've received numerous jobs from this call out in a report a few year ago.

Do you see the female black widow spider and her egg sac at the water meter? The client never saw her until I stirred the web and was grateful I showed him this.

Y'all be careful and work safe!

Fritz,

That one was in the foundation crawlspace area.

Jerry,

I have heard that the brown recluse is not present in my area. However, I was also told that the "killer" bee would never get to the U.S. In the area of arachnids, I can identify a black widow and that is about it.

Rick,

Thanks for the info. It was useful reading. I did not get close enough to count the number of eyes.
I typically don't worry about the black widow. I see them regularly and work hard to avoid them. I did have one crawl on me and she did not bite me. Of course, I really didn't give her enough time. She probably went deaf from my high pitched, girl-like scream.

Hey, Gunnar.

The "brown recluse" is not known to live in California although we have other recluse spiders, such as the desert recluse.

This site from the University of California at Davis is the best I've found for information about recluse spiders in California:

Brown Recluse and Other Recluse Spider Management Guidelines--UC IPM

Russel,

Good to hear from you again. Seems like it has been a while since I last read one of your posts.

Thanks for the info. I do not believe that my spider resembles any of the other spiders that were posted as commonly misidentified. Since I do not wear my glasses in the crawl (needed primarily for reading and other close-up stuff) I was not able to count the number of eyes. Not that I would have even known about that.

Just looking for a place to put this so I don't have to start a new topic:

-----------------

Homeowner video posted as part of a request for assistance on a DIY
board .

Video, but NOT audio, is OKFW.

YouTube - pipe leaking

Michael,

He said a few interesting words in there: "water", "walls", "roots".

My "assumptions" based on those words:
- "water": He said that must be his leak, however, if a drain pipe is holding water, that is a 'belly' or 'dip' in the drain line, which leads to drain lines becoming blocked and backing up. If there was a leak there, there would not be any water there.

- "walls": I presume that part is the vertical sections in his walls. If I remember correctly, he said "walls" after he said "water", which would mean that the 'belly' or 'dip' is in a lateral run within the house in a floor/ceiling system.

- "roots": That would indicate his camera is now either outside or in an under-slab lateral run. Roots will also cause blockages and backing up. If the pipe is not destroyed, he could keep the roots cut out with a plumber's rotary drain cleaning cutter tool. If the pipe is destroyed, replacement will be needed.

He did not state what his problem was other that to refer to 'that must be the leak' and other references to 'leaks', but I suspect he has more problems than just 'leaks'.

Just my take on that video and his talking.

I was just amused by the damn cat.

Gunnar,
I am reincarnating this very old thread to tell you that the Brown Recluse spider is indeed in the state of California because I have personally seen several of them and positively identified them as being Brown Recluse spiders. So those who say that they do not exist in California are incorrect.

My nephew was bitten by one while on a construction job site while handling wood that had been stacked on the site for quite awhile.
A huge patch of skin on his arm was eaten away by the poison it injected. He was extremely ill for two weeks and was hospitalized for several days. The pain was incredible right away and his buddy caught the spider (believe it or not) in a drink cup with a lid and took it with them to the ER. So that is why I know there are Brown Recluse spiders at least in my area of California, the Southern Sierra Nevada. So be careful.

Thank you. I do try to avoid all sorts of creepy-crawlies.

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Chambers

... in my area of California, the Southern Sierra Nevada. So be careful.

Hmmm... Bakersfield? Sequoia area? California City?

30 minutes from the gates of Yosemite national park, 8 minutes to Bass Lake. 4000 foot elevation.

Bakersfield? Ya gotta be kidding me, last place on earth I would live.

How many of you that sit and judge me, ever walked the streets of Bakersfield?

Wear a mask for Hanta virus, which is a kind of poison dust in crawlspaces. They say Deer mice carry the virus, so take extra caution around mouse habitats.

Originally Posted by John Kogel

How many of you that sit and judge me, ever walked the streets of Bakersfield?

John,

I thought you were a home inspector, not a "street walker". Moonlighting?