in reply to...

<snip>
>The bite is typically painless (people may not even know
>they've been bitten until the skin around the bite turns red.
<snip>

the one (Hobo) that nailed me on the leg in the woods at Point No Point six
years ago was instantly extremely painful and required surgery by a few days
later (also a painful experience). The scar/ indentation was initially about
the size of a quarter but is currently about dime sized. I got this taking a
short cut through some thick vegetation (birding, of course): no doubt the
spider was just as irritated by its crushing experience in my jean's leg as
I was by being bitten.

Is it worth killing spiders other than in areas where toddlers toddle? No.
Just think of how many millions you'd have to kill before the odds of an
event such as happened to me would be changed.

On a birding note, 6 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS and a NORTHERN SHRIKE at Graysmarsh,
Sequim. Did anyone else notice above average numbers of red-thr loons this
weekend? Northwards passage?

Nigel Ball
Bainbridge Island
nball001 at msn.com