Crickets, and snails and other creepy-crawlies...they don't scare me.
Snakes? Nah, they don't scare me either unless they're making rattling
noises or standing at attention to an accompaniment of music from a
snake charmers' flute. Neither do I suffer from arachnophobia (a general
fear of spiders). Perhaps that lack of general concern for critters and
such is a product of having been reared in central Florida where bugs
are seemingly everywhere.There is one particular fear, though, that I do
have...whether it be founded or unfounded, good or bad...and that's the
quite reasonable (in my estimation) fear of unknowingly coming in too
close contact with a Loxoceles reclusa...a Brown Recluse
spider. If the truth were to be accurately conveyed...the very thought
gives me the heebie-jeebies. The Brown Recluse is one of the few spiders
that are harmful to humans. Another spider that is harmful to humans is
the Black Widow with which most of us are at least vaguely
familiar...but for some reason they just don't bother me too much
although I am always "on the lookout" for them too.
Having
performed thousands and thousands of Raleigh home inspections, I have
had the opportunity to go in some great homes. I have also had
the...opportunity, if you will...of going into some homes that were,
well, not so great. Even in homes that look perfectly safe and in near
pristine condition, there are potential dangers that may be lurking
about.
Here in the eastern United States a large percentage of
homes are constructed upon crawl space foundations. Crawl spaces have
the deserved reputation of being less than desirable places to "hang
out". I don't know anyone who finishes dinner, for instance, and says to
their significant other "Honey, let's go down in the crawl space for a
little while and...." You get the picture; it's just not the favorite
part of the average persons' home. But it is an important place into
which I must willingly and gallantly venture in the performance of my
professional duties as a Home Inspector. Now, don't get me wrong, I
don't relish the thought of being bitten by anything, really, but
especially not a Brown Recluse spider. These spiders can be found in
places other than crawl spaces. But it's usually there...in darkness and
separated from the outside world, that I sometimes think about them
(and other potential local hazards) and am usually in a heightened state
of alert for any creature that might be observing me while I am making
my observations...it's the things we don't see or hear that often impart
the most fear in us, is it not?
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
The Big Little Bite - Brown Recluse Spiders, Your Home, and You
