ExiledInIllinois Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Ticks and spiders can be very serious, especially Brown Recluses. Although, living in the Chicagoland area, brown recluses should be very rare given their establish distribution in the US. Alot of people think they see brown recluses, but most of the time it's some type of wolf spider. Not that I'd want to get bitten by either one! Brown Recluses like warm, dry areas. So, you most often see them in attics or garages (especially in more southern areas). You'll have more of problem with black widdows in your area. They like dark, sheltered places though. ...and don't even get me started on ticks! I am not too worried like you said... I think at my work they distributed the info becuase of the down river field sites. I think a very slim (recluse) few (one) have been spotted near me (Park Forest)... I am not so sure how reliable that report is... I never looked it up. I live in the deep southern area of ChicagoLand. A good way to tell is the violin shape on them... The are knick-named: "fiddle spider." I guess there is a theme here... Stay away from dark, shady, wet places! On another note... Supposedly one can put osage oranges (ossage tree) in your basement and it will keep spiders away... I never looked it up, but I think it they act as a dehumidifier and keep the moisture down??? I have never seen an osage tree until I moved to Illinois (down in Kincaid, Illinois)... They float... Damnest things... Osage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 For some reason, Caladryl (the pink version) has never worked well, for me. That sucks. It works great for me. I couldn't imagine a summer without it. I am not too worried like you said... I think at my work they distributed the info becuase the the down river field sites. I think a very slim (recluse) few (one) have been spotted near me (Park Forest)... I am not so sure how reliable that report is... I never looked it up. I live in the deep southern area of ChicagoLand. A good way to tell is the violin shape on them... The are knick-named: "fiddle spider." I guess there is a theme here... Stay away from dark, shady, wet places! On another note... Supposedly one can put osage oranges (ossage tree) in your basement and it will keep spiders away... I never looked it up, but I think it they act as a dehumidifier and keep the moisture down??? I have never seen an osage tree until I moved to Illinois (down in Kincaid, Illinois)... They float... Damnest things... Osage Never heard of trying osage oranges. I prefer a good treatment of deltmethrin for my dark, shady regions. Your bigger worry for this summer, at least, is the WNV. There's quite a bit popping up out there in many of the chicagoland areas. We've found some in Chicago as well, but just this last week alone they found it in Glenview, Palos Hills, Palos Heights, Chicago Ridge, Oaklawn, and Alsip. All a little north of Park Forest, but certainly in the area. Wear your repellent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 That sucks. It works great for me. I couldn't imagine a summer without it. Never heard of trying osage oranges. I prefer a good treatment of deltmethrin for my dark, shady regions. Your bigger worry for this summer, at least, is the WNV. There's quite a bit popping up out there in many of the chicagoland areas. We've found some in Chicago as well, but just this last week alone they found it in Glenview, Palos Hills, Palos Heights, Chicago Ridge, Oaklawn, and Alsip. All a little north of Park Forest, but certainly in the area. Wear your repellent! So right... That area is totally in my neck of the woods... Not too far north, just a few miles (under 15) The rains didn't help and the skeeters are going be brutal! Last 5 or so years they have been fogging our village... And then they go by and drop something in the storm sewers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 So right... That area is totally in my neck of the woods... Not too far north, just a few miles (under 15) The rains didn't help and the skeeters are going be brutal! Last 5 or so years they have been fogging our village... And then they go by and drop something in the storm sewers... Yep. The rains, now followed by the hot weather are ideal for WNV and mosquitoes in general. The stuff their putting in the sewers is almost certainly Altosid XR bricks (unless they're doing someting completely wrong). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammered a Lot Posted August 19, 2010 Author Share Posted August 19, 2010 I recently heard of someone who got poison oak and used Metro-Gel (metronidazole gel 0.75%) which not only stopped the itching in minutes but by morning the blisters and redness were gone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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