Spider Life

Spiders are one of the most feared and reviled creatures on earth. No one quite knows why we love to hate spiders like we do. Arachnophobia is real, and there are people who would rather jump off a cliff than take on a spider. But in reality, most spiders are harmless. There are a few spiders, like the brown recluse and the black widow, which can cause serious harm if they bite. The majority of spiders only bite when threatened and their bites are usually less bothersome than a mosquito or fly bite. As irrational as it seems, spider fear still exists. Fortunately you can get rid of spiders fairly easily if they scare the bajeebers out of you.

Picking Up Spiders

No great skill is required to pick up a spider. They are not particularly fast or devious. Simply wad up a paper towel and scoop it up. Release it outdoors, or if you so desire, stomp it under your shoe (mean you). A vacuum will work just as nicely if you are loathe to catch a spider by hand, albeit with less personal satisfaction.

Spiders and Drains

Hint: Throwing a live spider down a drain with running water does not work. The spider will curl up into a ball and create an air pocket until their fun little water ride is over. It will then climb right out of your sink.

Ruining the Web Does Not Work

Removing a spider web does not get rid of a spider unless you take out the spider at the same time. Spider spin webs in a location because their prey is in the area. If you don't get the spider it will promptly build another web in the same location!

Spider Traps

There are commercially available spider traps that will ensnare spiders on a sticky surface. Isn't that ironic - a spider getting trapped by something sticky?

Anecdotal Remedies

There are a host of remedies that spider-haters swear by. Washing your windows with ammonia seems to repel spiders. Hedge apples (available in supermarkets during the summer months) are an anathema to spiders. Spiders hate the smell of cedar chips and eucalyptus leaves, so spreading these around your house will keep spiders away and provide you with a rather pleasant scent.

Spider Bites

If you should be bitten by a spider, watch very carefully for signs of allergic reaction. Shortness of breath, nausea and inability to swallow are clear signs to immediately seek medical attention. Brown recluse and black widow spider bites often inflict great pain and anguish and can sometimes cause death. Most spider bites are harmless, but do not fool around if you experience ominous symptoms.

You Can Get Rid of Spiders

Spiders are usually beneficial creatures because they eat other pests. However, people fear and hate spiders more than most other critters in their homes. You can get rid of spiders by removing other bugs and insects from your home. This can be accomplished by removing rotting food and garbage and keeping your outside lights off. Check cardboard and paper for spiders. You can pick spiders up with a paper towel or vacuum them up. Spider traps are available to catch spiders and there are a host of well known remedies that will get rid of spiders. Good luck to you as you do battle with your eight legged foe!

Spider Bites

Not all spider bites are bad, in fact, most are not, but there are a few spiders that when they bite, they do incredible damage like the brown recluse below!

Brown Recluse Spider. There are many types of spider bites and when scientists

Spider Identification

Spiders can be found living in almost every habitat on earth. Some spiders have been found near the ocean, living in coral near the ocean edge.

Spiders are something that humans have to be live with - it is said that there is a spider within three feet of us at any given time!

Spiders love to take advantage of any area in a house that they can find to live. Under stairs, in nooks and crannies all over the house, in garden sheds and garages, there are many places that a human could come in contact with in and around their own home. All spiders are venomous but most have venomn that is not stong enough to be dangerous to humans. In fact, having the right spiders around can actually be good thing as they eat insects that can be annoying, such as mosquiteos.


Spiders

All spiders bite and even though some spiders can help control the insect population, some can be dangerous to humans. Some commonly known to have dangerous venom are black widows and brown recluse spiders. The black widow is the most commonly known dangerously venomous spider in the United States and famous for its red markings in the shape of an hourglass; they are mostly found in tropical temperatures but have been found as far north as Canada. The brown recluse is another dangerous spider. The bite of a brown recluse can be very damaging. Spiders are everywhere, inside and outside. The only places that spiders are not located are places where humans cannot live. Like it or not, we're going to have to be used to seeing and being bitten by spiders.

Local fighting Spider

During my childhood days, I would join my friends in hunting for spiders inside a mountain that full of high grass and trees that suspected to be a good source of these local spiders. Some of my friends are more daring than others would climb up the wooden post of electric power lines. Spiders found there were believe to be more ferocious.

Philippine fighting spiders are of a variety very similar to the European garden spider .Long-limbed and slandered-bodied are the preferred choice. Spiders with red mark on their backs are called "Pulahan". They are mostly found in Tamarind trees. There are also the black or brown "Tigre-tigre" or "Tiger" with stripes and an almost triangular body shape. The "Mantalan"," Ituman" and the yellow spider found on horse-radish plants. Different fighting styles like fast moving, unpredictable body movements, quick acting venom, aggressiveness and spiritedness are all taken into consideration when choosing spiders
We stabled them in empty matchboxes or in a specially constructed box which usually have separate cells to house several spiders. they are feed with insects but we avoid feeding them before a fight to make them more aggressive
Some petty larceny was sometimes resorted to acquire the necessary stake money. A bill or two missing from a parent's wallet. Occasionally we were found out because of a tattletale schoolmate (usually a girl). Needless to say, a lot of us got to taste the leathery sting of a belt.

Heated arguments from hot heads sometimes occur because some boy felt he was cheated or welsh on a bet. Fistfights were not uncommon and going home with a bruised eye and soiled or torn school uniform resulted in the discovery of our illicit activities and the accompanying consequences. Although it never deteriorated to such tragic outcome as the news stories below:

"2 minors killed over spider-fighting bet"
Over an unpaid 5 peso bet (10 cents) a 15 year old stab to death a 13 year old boy. Upon learning of his son's death, the father sought out his son's killer and hacked him to death with a jungle bolo.


September 20,2010 Liloan town,Northern Cebu,Philippines.

"Man killed, one hurt over spider-fighting"

A spider fight in a local town ended in tragedy with one man killed and another wounded after an argument over a disputed bet. The suspect armed with a hand gun fired point blank at the head of his opponent killing him instantly and wounded another as he fled the scene of the crime.
Spider fighting is now generally discouraged since it affects the educational performance of children. It is also thought to be indirectly responsible for crop damage since spiders are useful in controlling insect pest population. Ordinance against the sport are now in effect in some cities where it is considered as a form of illegal gambling.