Re: black widows & copperhead snakes (in great number in NC this season)

**"* L* <t*@earthlink.net>**

All: Having met rattlers while walking in the woods of North Carolina, this 
has been a fascinating examination of the double threats of spiders and 
snakes.
But when it comes to the black widow spider, they are for more common in the 
Southeast than what gardeners might suspect. And their danger seems to be 
mostly based on stories of attacks back in the years of the 19th and 20th 
centuries. Did you know  at that time most bites occurred when people used 
out-houses and the spiders spun webs beneath the holes as the files were 
numerous. Then when bitten the victims received a bite at the best place for 
maximum distribution of the venom. Upon the victim making it to the 
homestead, immediately they were given a shot of liquor; it's amazing so 
many survived. And often being bitten with a full dose of venom is rare as 
the spiders use it for killing their food all summer long.
No one has mentioned that a worse threat is the black widow's relative, the 
brown recluse, which is far more dangerous because many doctors when looking 
at the result of the bite--often on the face of neck of the victim, 
immediately think of shingles. The recluse while not pushy, possesses a 
terrible venom which kills nerve cells.
So beware of the triple threat.
Regards, Peter 

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