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HI, I HAVE UNFORTUNATELY, A PROBLEM WITH FALSE WIDOW SPIDERS.

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  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I'd not heard of them before, but an interesting article from the Natural History Museum has enlightened me.
    In 50-odd years of gardening I'm not aware I've ever been bitten by a spider.
    Had a few wasp stings, a couple of bee stings and numerous gnat bites - the most damage I do to myself is when removing brambles and nettles

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    what Pete8 said but more years


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    The only bites/stings I've had are from bugs stuck in my clothing. Keep gloves and shoes etc covered when not in use as a precaution.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Most of my bites are from ants.   And they do hurt!   Also mossie bites cause my immune system to overreact and I get big hot itchy lumps.  But I'm not aware of being bitten by spiders.  

    I'm also not aware that diabetes causes a bad reaction either.  Interesting.
    I wish I was a glow worm
    A glow worm's never glum
    Cos how can you be grumpy
    When the sun shines out your bum!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    A family member was bitten on the neck by a spider on a plane journey back from New Zealand via somewhere in the Far East (not sure where) ... his head and neck swelled up alarmingly and he was quite poorly for a while, requiring medical attention on the plane and hospital attention when he landed ... he recovered well but it has left a scar.  They don't know what sort of spider it was, just that it was a spider ... but consequently I am aware that some spider bites can be pretty nasty.

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    nutcutlet said:
    what Pete8 said but more years
    But forever young :)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    But Dove, New Zealand and Aussie spiders are a whole different ball game, eh?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Oh yes, absolutely  :) ... but it does seem that False Widows can be nasty for some people too ... that's why I think the OP needs some proper advice from a health professional. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • pete8 many thanks really informative...in answer to some comments diabetes does not cause the reaction but leaves person open to slow healing/ulceration/further infection..diabetics have to take more care with any wounds!.

    thank you all for your input I am awaiting a call from head bugman London zoo...here's hoping he will want them for his collection....alive of course, because I really do have more than I can count or want, ans some of them are as big as 50pence pieces so easily spotted.

    thanks again

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Good luck with it.
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