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SPIDERS!

© Kathleen Newton

As summer gives way to fall and the weather becomes cooler, it seems that we humans aren't the only creatures looking to spend more time indoors. My dogs have fleas, and my house has spiders. Now, I can deal with the dogs' fleas, and get rid of them fairly easily, but spiders are an entirely different matter. I don't like them, and I don't know how to get rid of them. Most people I talk to say there really isn't much you can do, no matter where you live. That's the bad news. The good news is that out of the estimated 3,000 species of spiders in North America, VERY FEW of them are poisonous to humans. I guess that's good news, but I still get a chill when I see a spider sprinting across my ceiling when I'm trying to fall asleep. Although your chances of seeing, or being bitten by, a poisonous spider are quite low, there are three species of spiders in North America who are well-known for causing illness, and sometimes death, in humans: the Black Widow, the Brown Recluse, and the Hobo spiders. This week I'll be focusing on bite prevention and overall avoidance of spiders. In my next article, we'll be looking at the infamous spiders mentioned above, where they live, and the poisons they can inflict.

You'd be hard-pressed to go your entire life without seeing a spider. However, avoiding a spider bite isn't hard. When you're outdoors, keep in mind these few tips to help you minimize your exposure to spiders and other creepy-crawlies you may encounter:

*Dress in long sleeves and long pants to lessen the chance of a spider gaining access to your skin.

*Use an insect repellent spray on exposed skin. A repellent containing DEET (diethyltoluamide) is most effective.

*Avoid piles of brush and other materials. Spiders and other insects, as well as small animals love to live and hide in dark, damp places. If you startle a spider in his home, he may bite out of fear (or annoyance).

*If you see a spider, leave him alone. You're in his natural habitat, and just as we dislike spiders in our home, they dislike us in their home, as well!

Spiders can also inhabit areas in and around your home:

*When putting on gardening gloves and/or boots, shake them out first. Once again, here's a nice dark hiding place for a spider to hang out.

*Avoid creating piles of anything (such as clothes, papers, etc.) in your basement, garage, or just about anywhere in your home. As with piles of brush outdoors, piles of just about anything indoors can create a spider-friendly environment. A laundry basket full of clothes waiting to be washed makes a favorite spider hangout, at least in my house!

The copyright of the article SPIDERS! in First Aid is owned by Kathleen Newton. Permission to republish SPIDERS! in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.