Myths and misconceptions known and chat thread

[Sting Chameleon]

This thread is about myths and misconceptions known.


Misconception #1: Although an adult female black widow spider's venomous bite can cause harm
to Fira777 on YouTube many people die to a venomous bite by an adult female black widow spider."


Fact #2: Although yes I can be harmed by a venomous bite by an adult female black widow spider
death (especially after Thursday February 12, 1987) is highly unusual.



Myth #1: Absolutely zero percent of venomous bites by an adult female black widow spider
has been fatal to a human being after Thursday February 12, 1987


Fact #2: False. Although human death is less than two percent of cases of a venomous bite by
an adult female black widow spider, their have been at least two cases of someone dying by a
venomous bite by an adult female black widow spider which are:


A guy died two weeks after his nineteenth venomous bite by an adult female black widow spider in 2004
in North United States of America and another case of someone dying by a venomous bite by an adult female
black widow spider is a guy in Spain who died in 2003 by a venomous bite by an adult female black widow spider.


Still death is in less than two percent of cases to a person being venomously bitten by an adult female black widow
spider.

[Baruch]

I don't mind spiders.  They are necessary.  But most people have an irrational fear of them.  Venomous spiders need to live outside ... not in my house or my garage.  I kill trespassers of all kinds, including hornets (they are crazy aggressive, so I had to eliminate their nest).

I have had a brown tarantula as big as my hand, put on my arm, and let it crawl a bit.  I wasn't afraid of it, it wasn't afraid of me, we said hi, and my helper put it back outside where he found it.  It is hard to believe that something that has to breath thru pores in its carapace ... can get larger than X ... because it is physically challenging to do that.  That is good, otherwise we would have six foot spiders walking about, as big as Shelob.

[Flanker1Six]

I don't mind spiders.  They are necessary.  But most people have an irrational fear of them.  Venomous spiders need to live outside ... not in my house or my garage.  I kill trespassers of all kinds, including hornets (they are crazy aggressive, so I had to eliminate their nest).

I have had a brown tarantula as big as my hand, put on my arm, and let it crawl a bit.  I wasn't afraid of it, it wasn't afraid of me, we said hi, and my helper put it back outside where he found it.  It is hard to believe that something that has to breath thru pores in its carapace ... can get larger than X ... because it is physically challenging to do that.  That is good, otherwise we would have six foot spiders walking about, as big as Shelob.

I was very fearful of spiders when I was younger........................gotten over most of it as I've aged.  Though if I saw Shelob in the corner of my storage shed I'd probably still get pretty excited!      Not the good kind either! 

One of the projects I worked in Afghanistan was a hi pro (high profile=open weapon carry; body armor etc) PSD (Personal Security Detail aka body guarding) gig where we escorted personnel to "where ever" so they could "do their thing".  This particular instance; an escort for some US police mentors to  meet with their ANP  (Afghan National Police) counterparts at a District ANP HQ several dozen miles away from our base.  We were also escorting two Com Techs (Communications Technicians) so they could upgrade, or install radios, sat comms or whatever at the HQ. 

So we get there OK; the mentors and Com Techs are all doing their thing.  The other security guys and I have all taken up positions to keep an eye on our secured vehicles (to make sure no Taliban admirers in the ANP were attaching "stuff" to the undersides of the vehicles), the back of the HQ Compound, and the several privately owned "businesses" (aka Hadji Marts) across the highway from HQ, as well as passing traffic. 

As usual it was around 125 F/52 C in the shade.  In the sun it was easily 135 F/57 C.................THAT is hot!  So while we're keeping an eye on things, and swilling water like crazy; we ALWAYS get in the shade if possible.   My bud and I take cover under a thatched roof "car port" like thingy that gave us an excellent view of our vehicles, the Hadji Marts and highway traffic; we're just BSing to pass the time when I notice the LARGEST FUCKING HORNET I've ever seen buzzing around the underside of the thatch ceiling, just over my Bud's head! It was yellow and brown, and as big as my thumb!  So I say, "DUDE!  Look straight up!"   My Bud rolls his eyes up and says, "Fuck me, let's get out of here!"  So we both scrambled outside, into the sun in an unseemly hurry!   We both started laughing, and he comments, "Two guys with assault rifles and pistols just got run out of their shelter by a bug!"  I says, Yea, but there's too many witnesses..................if we bust off a round on his ass; we'll have to file a report, and we may get fired (all true)."   *$&^$@# hornets!   

Think it's a story (well.......................it is, but it's not BS)?     

To paraphrase Tony Montana, Say hello to our little friend!





The Giant Asian Hornet! 

[stromboli]

I was very fearful of spiders when I was younger........................gotten over most of it as I've aged.  Though if I saw Shelob in the corner of my storage shed I'd probably still get pretty excited!      Not the good kind either! 

One of the projects I worked in Afghanistan was a hi pro (high profile=open weapon carry; body armor etc) PSD (Personal Security Detail aka body guarding) gig where we escorted personnel to "where ever" so they could "do their thing".  This particular instance; an escort for some US police mentors to  meet with their ANP  (Afghan National Police) counterparts at a District ANP HQ several dozen miles away from our base.  We were also escorting two Com Techs (Communications Technicians) so they could upgrade, or install radios, sat comms or whatever at the HQ. 

So we get there OK; the mentors and Com Techs are all doing their thing.  The other security guys and I have all taken up positions to keep an eye on our secured vehicles (to make sure no Taliban admirers in the ANP were attaching "stuff" to the undersides of the vehicles), the back of the HQ Compound, and the several privately owned "businesses" (aka Hadji Marts) across the highway from HQ, as well as passing traffic. 

As usual it was around 125 F/52 C in the shade.  In the sun it was easily 135 F/57 C.................THAT is hot!  So while we're keeping an eye on things, and swilling water like crazy; we ALWAYS get in the shade if possible.   My bud and I take cover under a thatched roof "car port" like thingy that gave us an excellent view of our vehicles, the Hadji Marts and highway traffic; we're just BSing to pass the time when I notice the LARGEST FUCKING HORNET I've ever seen buzzing around the underside of the thatch ceiling, just over my Bud's head! It was yellow and brown, and as big as my thumb!  So I say, "DUDE!  Look straight up!"   My Bud rolls his eyes up and says, "Fuck me, let's get out of here!"  So we both scrambled outside, into the sun in an unseemly hurry!   We both started laughing, and he comments, "Two guys with assault rifles and pistols just got run out of their shelter by a bug!"  I says, Yea, but there's too many witnesses..................if we bust off a round on his ass; we'll have to file a report, and we may get fired (all true)."   *$&^$@# hornets!   

Think it's a story (well.......................it is, but it's not BS)?     

To paraphrase Tony Montana, Say hello to our little friend!





The Giant Asian Hornet! 

Yes. I studied Entomology in 4H back in the day and have always had an interest in the creepy crawlies. You see these puppies in the U.S. and you have got some really serious invasive species issues.

[Baruch]

A friend served in Desert Storm.  They had trouble with camel spiders.  They would beat the hell out of their bunks and boots before they put them on or climbed in.  I know the scorpions there are super venomous too.  Anyway, the best way they found to kill a camel spider, wasn't shooting their M16 at it, but hitting it with hairspray.  Suffocation by shellacking.