holy mother... that is some devotion.
Quote:The next day, the mother increases her activity, drumming with her legs, jumping around, and pressing intermittently against the clustered brood
I guess I've never heard it called the "clustered brood" before.
Must be a term the Brits use.
oh brits and their clustered broods..... scrumptious!
Hacklemesh Weaver
We think my 20yr old daughter was bit by a Hacklemesh Weaver (1.5cm long, 2.5cm leg span, reddish legs, browinish-grey body, dark brown head) while sitting at work. She thinks it had crawled into her sweatpants before she went to work as she had seen it earlier and tried to kill it but it got away. Anyway, the bite turned red and swollen which was no shock. What was frightening is that the next morning it looked like she had many bites up her hip, waist and torso and down her leg all about 2" apart. After a day or two of feeling ill, dizzy, nauseous and developing a low grade fever she went to the doctor and was told that the venom traveled through her body and presented every 2" like another bite. They drew blood, did a culture and a CBC. They tested and treated her for a staff infection that they said was a risk. She's quite healthy and athletic. Has anyone ever heard of that? Does this ring true?
Hi sweandog, welcome to a2k.
i don't know much about the spiders, but from what i researched about the hackledmesh weavers, they don't seem to be very aggressive. i suppose it's possible that the spider would bite repeatedly if trapped in clothing...but your daughter would probably feel that... (not sure, sometimes it only hurts afterwards).
here is what i found:
Hackledmesh Weavers
(Amaurobius and Callobius species)
The Amaurobiidae superficially resemble the previous spiders, the funnel weavers, in the family Agelenidae. In fact, two genera in Agelenidae, Coras and Wadotes, have recently been transferred to the amaurobiids, bringing the number of genera in this family to thirteen.
Description
Amaurobiidae have eight eyes that are similar in size, are typically of light (or white) color, and are arranged in two rows. The females range from 5 to 14 millimeters in length and the males from 5 to 12.5 millimeters. The carapace is a reddish, mahogany brown, darkest at the front in the region of the eyes and the chelicerae. The legs are lighter in color than the carapace. The abdomen is generally gray, although the background color varies from a pinkish flesh color to a dark, charcoal gray. A pattern of lighter areas or spots (which sometimes run together) can produce a larger, lighter central area. It is common to have chevron-type lighter areas on the posterior portion of the abdomen.
The web is an irregular "mesh" with an ill-defined tube retreat in the areas previously described.
Life History/Behavior
Callobius and Amaurobius species have similar life histories and behaviors. They are most often found in damp locations under bark, leaf litter, and stones, as well as in woodpiles and other protected areas.
The males overwinter as immature spiders, molt twice the following spring, and become adults in April. They die after mating. The females have been found during all seasons, indicating that they probably live for at least two years. The egg sacs are deposited in the same locations that the spiders are found?-often in the webs. The numbers of eggs found in the cocoons range from 73 to 175.
Medical Importance
These spiders are frequently found in damp basements and other areas of the home in the autumn. However, there are no indications that these spiders will readily bite or that the bites are medically important.
Thanks! I appreciate your help. I think I'm going to like a2k...
