brown recluse in my wading boots

[Kyle]

just a quick reminder for everyone. i had my wading boots on my front porch. my boot laces were tucked inside. i reach my hand inside to pull the laces out and a brown recluse jumped on my hand. im not to scared of spiders but someone may be. dont forget to shake your boots out if your fishing or camping. a brown relcuse can give a nasty bite that may require an ER visit. i dont think they are to agressive as the spider didnt even bite me with my hand in its "home" but you never know.

 

[tomgamber]

After living in Idaho, I don't get into bed or put on shoes without some subtle check anymore..

 

[Swattie87]

just a quick reminder for everyone. i had my wading boots on my front porch. my boot laces were tucked inside. i reach my hand inside to pull the laces out and a brown recluse jumped on my hand. im not to scared of spiders but someone may be. dont forget to shake your boots out if your fishing or camping. a brown relcuse can give a nasty bite that may require an ER visit. i dont think they are to agressive as the spider didnt even bite me with my hand in its "home" but you never know.

Where were you located? Brown Recluse aren’t found in PA.

 

[Bamboozle]

I once encountered a bear while fishing and ended up with brown REFUSE in my waders...

Not as dangerous but equally as frightening...

 

[tomgamber]

Where were you located? Brown Recluse aren’t found in PA.

I was told they had them in ID when I moved there. They don't. Turned out to be something called a Hobo spider. I was also told of scorpions. Never found any of those either. Did see Black widows. Even the big wolf spiders are nasty looking. They're everywhere. They're big and wil get into the covers of a warm bed.

 

[FarmerDave]

Here is an interesting read from Penn State Extension.

link

Although PA is not part of their natural range, there apparently are isolated pockets there as well as in NJ. Rare but not completely unheard of.

Also, the same article mentions a close relative known as the Mediterranean recluse that are "established in the steam tunnels of Penn State and in other locations in the Northeast." One of the most invasive spiders. I googled them, and they do look VERY similar. Apparently the bite is not as bad, but when it comes to spiders, why take a chance?

Spiders are one of the few things that "bother" me. Bees were the other, but becoming an amateur beekeeper has cured that. I am not going to become a spider keeper.

Maybe my "fear" of spiders was because I was bit several times one night when I was a kid (maybe 8 years old). At least that is what was concluded. Apparently one got inside of my PJs that caused 13 small bruises on the back of my knee that itched like crazy.

On one hand, spiders still make me cautions. On the other hand, I do like them when they are outside, because they eat a lot of other biting insects.

 

[Bamboozle]

One morning while camping near Pine Creek I felt something in my street shoe when I put my foot in and discovered a GIANT hellgramite!! I accused a fishing partner of putting in it there but he vehemently denied the accusation.

For the record, the list of bugs that freak me out is long and varied. It consists mostly of critters that flew in my face or landed on my neck in total darkness while fishing or crawled into my tent or ended up on my person while camping...

 

[mt_flyfisher]

Don’t fool around with them.

Tacoma man faces amputation after mysterious spider bite

Jesse Elting spent nearly two weeks in the hospital after getting bitten by a venomous spider.

www.kiro7.com

 

[FarmerDave]

One morning while camping near Pine Creek I felt something in my street shoe when I put my foot in and discovered a GIANT hellgramite!! I accused a fishing partner of putting in it there but he vehemently denied the accusation.

For the record, the list of bugs that freak me out is long and varied. It consists mostly of critters that flew in my face or landed on my neck in total darkness while fishing or crawled into my tent or ended up on my person while camping...

That would certainly freak me out.

One of the first timea I saw a Dobson Fly (adult Hellgramite) I was about 18. Using a creeper, I slid under a pickup at work to drain the oil. I even parked it inside a covered cement slab. I turned my head to one side, and there he was, and I do mean he. All I saw was massive pinchers within about a foot of my face. If you were there, you would have sworn that creeper had jet propulsion.

Cool bug, but not when it is that close to my face.

 

[TimMurphy]

That would certainly freak me out.

One of the first timea I saw a Dobson Fly (adult Hellgramite) I was about 18. Using a creeper, I slid under a pickup at work to drain the oil. I even parked it inside a covered cement slab. I turned my head to one side, and there he was, and I do mean he. All I saw was massive pinchers within about a foot of my face. If you were there, you would have sworn that creeper had jet propulsion.

Cool bug, but not when it is that close to my face.

Dear Dave,

I'll bet the bug thought the exact same thing about you!

The Susquehanna River in Broome County NY used to get huge swarms of Dobsons in summer evenings. I've seen them the sizes of cheap stogies buzzing around gas station lights.

Afish the moderator might be able to confirm this because I think he is from up this way but the old time river fishermen around Wilkes-Barre were known to keep hellgrammites in their hair covered by a damp baseball cap. I guess the Bryll Cream they slathered on their hair kept the Dobbies calm.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[sixfootfenwick]

Where were you located? Brown Recluse aren’t found in PA.

Tell that to the one that was in my waders years ago and put a hole in the side of my leg.
It's what the doctors diagnosed and it caused me all kinds of problems. I always chuckle when someone says they aren't found in PA, yet it happens though rare.

It's actually well documented that the brown house spider makes its way into PA via shipping containers and skids every year from the south.

 

[Kyle]

Where were you located? Brown Recluse aren’t found in PA.

north west jersey. i am sure they are in PA as i am 5 min drive to PA.

 

[Swattie87]

The literature says they’re not here, by a pretty wide margin (like two states to the southwest), but I get they can be transported. I’ve seen Arachnophobia.

Great, another invasive. The native orbweaver and wolf spider guys are gonna flip and start discussing this in every thread.

 

[FarmerDave]

The literature says they’re not here, by a pretty wide margin (like two states to the southwest), but I get they can be transported. I’ve seen Arachnophobia.

Great, another invasive. The native orbweaver and wolf spider guys are gonna flip and start discussing this in every thread.

Swattie, it could be a conspiracy like the one where the Game Commission says that there are no Mountain Lions in PA.

 

[Kyle]

i probably should have taken a photo of it. but was 100% brown recluse. violin head. long, skinny, and very fast. but the violin head was the give away.

 

[foxfire]

Spiders, snakes, bees, Bigfoot’s, etc. do not phase me. TICKS on the other hand. Yikes! Getting the willies just typing this.

 

[afishinado]

Afish the moderator might be able to confirm this because I think he is from up this way but the old time river fishermen around Wilkes-Barre were known to keep hellgrammites in their hair covered by a damp baseball cap. I guess the Bryll Cream they slathered on their hair kept the Dobbies calm.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

^ True dat!! believe it or not. I never used the hat trick. And they aren't called "hellgrammites" up there, they're called "clippers".

On the River guys would ask "what'cha uzin" and their answer would be "caddies and clippers" ("caddies" were stonecats or actually madtoms to be exact)

Just about everyone crawled around in the shallow riffles picking caddies and clippers for bait before fishing and everyone had galvanized metal bait cans hanging from their belt next to their stringer.

 

[jifigz]

^ True dat!! believe it or not. I never used the hat trick. And they aren't called "hellgrammites" up there, they're called "clippers".

On the River guys would ask "what'cha uzin" and their answer would be "caddies and clippers" ("caddies" were stonecats or actually madtoms to be exact)

Just about everyone crawled around in the shallow riffles picking caddies and clippers for bait before fishing and everyone had galvanized metal bait cans hanging from their belt next to their stringer.

"caddies" and "clippers" are by far the two best smallmouth baits to be found 'round these parts.

 

[FarmerDave]

Spiders, snakes, bees, Bigfoot’s, etc. do not phase me. TICKS on the other hand. Yikes! Getting the willies just typing this.

What he said. Can't stand those little buggers.

 

[Bamboozle]

"caddies" and "clippers" are by far the two best smallmouth baits to be found 'round these parts.

After getting humiliated by a couple of guys fishing "caddies" on the Susquehanna I went searching for an alternative. I found it in a hand poured "plastic" version made by a company called "Case" (not sure if they still exist).

Anyway, their stone cat & hellgrammite imitations worked pretty well without the hassle and terror factor coming into play...