Dangerous insects encountered during inspections

rlondon · October 20, 2009, 3:33pm

Hey all,

I’m thinking about getting an article going about stinging insects, disease-carrying rodents, and reptiles encountered during inspections. Special emphasis on spiders and snakes. What are some that you have found? Have you ever been bitten/attacked? How did you evade the predator? I figure inspectors should be able to identify a tarantula from a harmless spider when they enter crawl spaces, for their own safety and that of their clients. Comments?

jpope · October 20, 2009, 4:29pm

Black Widows and rattle snakes are common in SoCal. Tarantulas are harmless. . .

Chuck_Lambert · October 20, 2009, 4:36pm

Here in So Cal we also get the Brown Recluse spider, nasty little buggers!!

Chuck

bkelly2 · October 20, 2009, 5:40pm

Bees living in the house always get my attention

cevans · October 21, 2009, 12:15am

Here’s a couple. Feel free to use the images for your article.

http://toolserver.org/~daniel/WikiSense/Gallery.php?wikifam=commons.wikimedia.org&img_user_text=Mcevan

bhartley · October 21, 2009, 12:24am

Wasps — YELLOW JACKETS

rnewland · October 21, 2009, 1:20am

Black widows are common here in GA. Usually found in the inground water meter box.

dedwards · October 21, 2009, 1:30am

We live in FL. WE got everything under the sun here that can and will bite you if given half a chance. This little fella was caught at a Outlet Mall in St. Augustine last month. Some say it was over 10 ft but at least a couple said it was over 15 ft which is a new world record for Eastern Diamond back. I hate snakes.

rnewland · October 21, 2009, 1:33am

Me too!

rray · October 21, 2009, 4:38am

There are no brown recluse in California. We do, however, have the desert recluse, but it’s not as problematic as its cousin the brown recluse.

Chuck_Lambert · October 21, 2009, 3:24pm

I stand corrected. Thanks

ktownsend · October 21, 2009, 4:10pm

That snake would not only kill you with it’s venom but break a leg or back when it struck you. Nasty giant creature!!

jbushart · October 21, 2009, 4:14pm

Brown recluse are common in Missouri attics.

fcarrio · October 21, 2009, 4:34pm

WOW!
I would hate to run across that one during an inspection!

Here is one from Texas!:shock:

bdoles2 · October 21, 2009, 5:34pm

Is he using his “Gopher” from WalMart to hang on to that thing!? I knew it was used for more than picking up beer cans.

ppendley · October 22, 2009, 2:01am

Love running into these mamas…NOT!!!

ppendley · October 22, 2009, 2:07am

And really glad that I didnt run into what ever made this nice hole and left bird feathers behind…

ecrofutt · October 22, 2009, 2:13am

Poisonous critters in the crawl space!

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!

I’d buy 10 feet on the snake but you can almost see his tail in the first picture. The second picture is an optical illusion. The guy is a lot further back than it looks. Used to make my fish look bigger the same way. Hold them way out in front of me. Big fish, small Erby. Hey, it was bragging rights at stake.

ppendley · October 22, 2009, 2:20am

This one greeted me as I entered the attic access…She was a fat one.

ppendley · October 22, 2009, 2:34am

I would be more worried about this kind of spider…