Steatoda?

[Cavedweller]

I found the Steatoda again, she set up shop right outside my mom's door. I've been watching her for the past month and a half, I found a male snooping about and she made an eggsac soon after. But last week some jerk cleared out all the spider around the apartment, even her sac is gone

In better news, when I was feeding my spiders today I noticed the escaped crickets were getting tangled up in a web (for some reason the LPS gave me crickets in a paper bag instead of a cup, and my house became Cricketgeddon 2014). At the bottom of my bug shelf sat a little S. triangulosa! I've named her Argyle.

As for the bite risk, these guys seem quite common in my neighborhood, and I've probably been unknowingly sharing my house with them for quite some time, yet I've never heard of anyone being hurt by one. I don't actually have heart problems on my own, the slightly lowered heartrate is a migraine medication side effect. A medical ID bracelet might still be in order though.

You guys think I'm better off taking her outside?

 

[The Snark]

I found the Steatoda again, she set up shop right outside my mom's door. I've been watching her for the past month and a half, I found a male snooping about and she made an eggsac soon after. But last week some jerk cleared out all the spider around the apartment, even her sac is gone

In better news, when I was feeding my spiders today I noticed the escaped crickets were getting tangled up in a web (for some reason the LPS gave me crickets in a paper bag instead of a cup, and my house became Cricketgeddon 2014). At the bottom of my bug shelf sat a little S. triangulosa! I've named her Argyle.

As for the bite risk, these guys seem quite common in my neighborhood, and I've probably been unknowingly sharing my house with them for quite some time, yet I've never heard of anyone being hurt by one. I don't actually have heart problems on my own, the slightly lowered heartrate is a migraine medication side effect. A medical ID bracelet might still be in order though.

You guys think I'm better off taking her outside?

...in a paper bag. ?? Like storing solvents in a styrofoam cup. You won't have a recycling problem anyway.

Any medication that is taken regularly that alters your vital signs should be accompanied by a medic alert. I know I'm a bit extremist there but the job of a paramed doing diagnosis can always use a little help.

 

[Cavedweller]

Yeah I have no idea what was going on. I know they weren't out of plastic cups because they packed my other purchase (a marimo ball) in one. The dog helped take care of the rest of the escapees at least. But he was also dumb enough to eat some of the crickets already in the spiderweb.

Next time I pass by the pharmacy I'll pick one up.

 

[Cavedweller]

Update! The S. triangulosa had 3 eggsacs. Two of them have already hatched, I saw some tiny little slings, and what I assume is the corpse of their father beneath the web. I wish I could take photos. Argyle's lookin pretty rough and I'm not even sure if she's still alive. I'm glad mooching off my cricket supply gave her the energy to have so many eggs at least.

I'm about to move (to the complex where I found the first S. triangulosa), which means all these spiders living on the underside of my T shelf are gonna be homeless. I'm kind of tempted to bring some of the slings and set them loose in my new place. How terrible is this idea?