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A couple nights ago, my roommate crawled into bed and felt something sharp against her leg. She was tired and a little tipsy, so she didn't pay much attention.

The next day, it was obvious something was seriously wrong. It was swollen and bubbly and just...icky. She could hardly walk. Anyway, she went to the hospital and all symptoms point to the Brown Recluse Spider. (Ughshuddereww.)

We're both freaking out. Anyone have an effective way to get rid of spiders? I'm literally losing sleep.

By Patr1ck (Patr1ck) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 09:00 am: Edit

thats horrible. try bug repellant, go to home depot to buy that

By Alleya17 (Alleya17) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 09:31 am: Edit

Call your housing department -- they should take care of any kind of pests you get (ants, mice, spiders, etc.) Plus, if there was a brown recluse in your room, they should be told about it anyways (it may be more than just your room that should be sprayed).

By Pink17 (Pink17) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 11:55 am: Edit

this is your roomate that is always drunk, and forces you to drink, corerect?

By Megofou (Megofou) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 01:04 pm: Edit

Um...no. She drinks a lot...I don't really.

But yes. The housing department has been told. They just tend to take a few days to get to these things. We're worried about it because we can't find the little bastard in the mean time.

By Harpgirl27 (Harpgirl27) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 02:03 pm: Edit

*shudder*

that's a horrible horror story...

By Alongfortheride (Alongfortheride) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 02:09 pm: Edit

Brown recluse spiders tend to hide, which is ironic given their agressiveness. I know three people that have been bitten. High fever, painful and literally destroys the skin at the site. Your roommate will need to follow up with the doctors on this one. All of the bite victims I have known were on anti-biotics and steroids for awhile.

Meanwhile, for everyone's safety. Go through EVERYTHING piece by piece. Bedding, clothes, drawers, under the beds. My best friend was bitten on the face while trimming shrubs, a family friend was bitten while installing windows at a house and my cousin's daughter was bitten while disassembling a bed. I saw a piece on the news about a woman that was bitten on the hand because one was in her gardening gloves. Look up brown recluse spiders on the internet and get a good look at one. Also, there may be more specific info on where to look. But whatever you do, don't assume there was just one.

By Alleya17 (Alleya17) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 02:28 pm: Edit

You should call housing back up and tell them that waiting a few days is NOT acceptable. You are paying a large amount of money to go to this school and to live in their dorms, and sharing your room with a poisonous spider is nowhere in the deal. Don't be afraid to put your foot down on issues like this where your health is at risk.

By Ndbisme5 (Ndbisme5) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 02:53 pm: Edit

That's...gotta...••••...suck

By Over30 (Over30) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 03:02 pm: Edit

Make housing come spray now. And I agree you should go through your clothes, drawers, etc. Store everything in plastic containers with tight lids. I know two people who were bit, one putting on her coat and the other sitting in his backyard. I've also heard horror stories of people losing arms and legs, and even dying from brown recluse bites.

There is spray that can be used. In our state there is a law that if a certain number are found in your residence or business, you have to move out and have the building tented and treated, until no more are found. This can take quite a while. You can get spider traps that you put out near cracks, in closets, drawers, etc. Pest control people use the traps to see how bad the infestation is.

They are nocturnal, which is why people are often bitten in bed. Make sure your bed coverings don't touch the floor or curtains. Check your bed before you get in. Check your shoes and clothes before you put them on. Sorry to be such an alarmist, but brown recluse bites can be very dangerous.

By Megofou (Megofou) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 03:22 pm: Edit

Oh, don't be sorry. I don't think you could scare us anymore than we already are. My immediate reaction was to visit 39047828 websites and read all I could.

My roommate can't help look. She's afraid to get on the bed to look (we have them lofted), so I did it for her. I combed every possible inch of the bed, pillows, sheets...everything. I've looked through our closets and clothes and in dark areas where they're supposed to hide.

Mom called and told me to stay with my friend for a few nights, but I've not because my roomie is afraid to stay alone at the moment. But it's also too hot to sleep. I spent all last night wandering around the room with a flashlight and eventually fell asleep in my chair. (Heh. Not good for the first day of class, but oh well.)

I'm calling housing now annnnd no one is picking up. If I get bitten...I shall raise all sorts of hell. Until then, I guess I'll just...stay out as much as possible. >.<

She went back to the hospital today though. They have her on Vicodin and some anti-biotic thing. On top of everything else, she may have an apendix infection...or something. Heh. I feel so bad for her.

By Alongfortheride (Alongfortheride) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 06:04 pm: Edit

Meg, good luck to you and your roomie. This is not a good way to start the year.

By Lame (Lame) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 06:54 pm: Edit

Actually, what I know to be the treatment for recluse spider bites is spending some quality time in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. Aren't there sound-things that you plug into an outlet and that keep insects away? Perhaps get one of those. Vacuum frequently, and keep your clothes hung up and dont let things pile up, which is where spiders and other insects like to hide. Hope she gets better.

By Kwtortoise (Kwtortoise) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 07:54 pm: Edit

My college actually held a seminar on that sort of stuff--like, all the wildlife around here and how to be safe while hiking and camping. It was informative, but scary.

You should have some sort of emergency number to call for housing, and they should take action. At the least, have another room for you to stay in until it can be sorted out.

By Glowingamy (Glowingamy) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 11:41 pm: Edit

Oh noooo recluse bites suck so much, I know. Give her some random HS student's sympathy and best wishes for feeling better. Don't scratch(!!!)

By Sandwraith (Sandwraith) on Thursday, September 09, 2004 - 12:14 am: Edit

well im officially never gonna go to ohio now...

By Alongfortheride (Alongfortheride) on Thursday, September 09, 2004 - 12:16 pm: Edit

Sandwraith, they're everywhere. The three people I know that were bitten were in Texas and Oklahoma.

By Megofou (Megofou) on Thursday, September 09, 2004 - 07:53 pm: Edit

Sand...don't come. It's boring.

But, in Ohio's defense, I've lived here all 18 of my years and this is the first I've met a person who's been bitten.

By Lame (Lame) on Friday, September 10, 2004 - 02:27 am: Edit

THERE IS A RECLUSE SPIDER IN MY HOUSE. I saw it last night, and tried to kill it, but it ran and I lost it. TERMINEX!

By Jl87d (Jl87d) on Friday, September 10, 2004 - 08:15 am: Edit

Wow, I'm very suprized some one has not sugested this... I mean 19 posts and no 1 comes up with the Simplist, Easyist, and Quickist solution. Go by your local Walmart and pick up some bug bombs, read the directions and use, then go about your life as usuall.

Whats a bug bomb(fogger)?
http://www.killsbugsdead.com/fop_cdrf.asp
http://www.chaseproducts.com/products/insecticides/insectfogger.cfm

By Megofou (Megofou) on Friday, September 10, 2004 - 09:01 am: Edit

Hm. Well, that would have been the smart thing to do, but neither of us has a car on campus. (Freshman aren't allowed.) It's like pulling teeth to get someone to drive you to WalMart. They just as soon you crash on their floor for a few nights.

But the spray people came and we're almost half sure they did an okay job.

Still getting those plug in sound thingies. Whenever mom's package arrives, I shall run the extension cord up to my bed and be spider free.

Good idea though.

By Elizabeth22 (Elizabeth22) on Wednesday, September 15, 2004 - 04:28 pm: Edit

Oh my God. I would have DIED. Good luck!

By Kaibacorp (Kaibacorp) on Friday, September 17, 2004 - 10:57 pm: Edit

OMG

Thank god they don't come up north often..
http://spiders.ucr.edu/images/colorloxmap.gif

By Glowingamy (Glowingamy) on Saturday, September 18, 2004 - 08:40 am: Edit

that map is wrong! they're all over Ohio