IamA spider bite tester! AMA!

At what age did you realize that you were masochistic?

Oh, 15 or so, when I did the "cutting" thing because a girl didn't like me back.

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope dealing with spiders has helped you deal with any afflictions.

Sure has! Also, I faced death in the Indonesian jungle and realized I have a lot to live for.

Well shit, now you have to elaborate on that story!

I'm writing a book about my jungle escapes right now, so I don't want to give too much away. But I got lost in a jungle on the island of Sulawesi, panicked, injured myself on thorns etc, then decided to float down a river to find help. At the end of the river was a bay and I got picked up by Bugis fishermen, and had to make a deal with them for a ride back up the river to get my backpack/passport/money and then a ride to a town. Bonus: caught malaria!

How much are spiders paying you for this?

Enough silk to make a circus tent, yo.

I was thinking of a different form of payment out of their butts.

You mean like silken dollars?

What spider had the worst bite?

Great question, and there's not a good single answer for you. The Sydney funnel web spider has a very potent bite, but so do the Brazilian Wandering spider and some of the South American recluse spiders.

Deaths from spider bites are extremely rare.

I think he was asking which spider that you've been bitten by was most uncomfortable. Awesome videos by the way!

Thanks!

The most uncomfortable a spider has ever made me was when one of my tarantulas brushed its stingy ass hairs into my hand. Ouch!

EEP. I'm not gonna lie, as a bug nerd you're my youtube hero and I'm pretty stoked that you replied to me. Have you checked out /r/whatisthisbug or /r/spiders? Pretty cool community of bug/spider nerds over there.

Thanks friend, those subs do seem intriguing!

Have you ever let a bullet ant sting/bite you?

No, but I would definitely try it! I've had the piss stung out of me by army ants, wasps, hornets, etc. Not too fun, but I'd do it for Science.

How did you get this job. Did you just watch that scene from spiderman ,and you said "shit I want to do that" ?

It's self employment. Did you see those tiresome ads before the videos? I get some revenues off that, which enable me to continue to produce content.

An answer more from the spirit, though, is that I have gotten so stung and scratched up and bitten during my travels that I don't fear this kind of pain anymore. I'm not just hurting myself for upvotes, though it may smack of it, but I'm doing it in controlled conditions as a demonstration. I really feel like spiders have gotten an ill rap, and I think these visceral displays will help tamp down some of the paranoia. And let me just bring it back to the jungle here - I had these amazing connective experiences with the life-forms there, spiders and moonrats among them, and the whole "shared energy" thing as trite as it may sound really resonated for me. 99.9% of my bites in the jungle were insects, and lots of them bit bloody holes out of me and made me sick - and through all that, the spiders were relentlessly maoing down hordes of the bugs all the time. So now that I know how cool and friendly all the ones are that I used to smash, I feel like it's honorable to return the favor and try to help people understand they don't need to kill harmless, helpful eight-legged anti-pest elves.

Did not watch the videos ,but I will tomorrow when I get up for school. Another question ,which spiders in México do you like ,and have you traveled here before?

Solo como turisto con mis abuelos. Estudiaba bichos de agua en Arizona, cerca de la frontera, y tuvi algunos especimenes de Chihuahua, pero no he visitado como ciencia o explorador. Me gustaria estudiar las idiomas diferentes de primera gente.

Do you own the specimens in your videos? How many spiders do you own? What do you feed them?

I own two spiders, the ones that were on America's Got Talent with me. They're both Chilean Rosehair tarantulas. The other ones I either put in my permanent collection (in jars of alcohol) or I let them go.

I feed my tarantulas crickets and worms.

or I let them go.

You must be a neighborhood favorite

Actually I try to help the neighborhood by being informative and helpful

Is there really a need for this job? Not to be rude, I was just under the impression that reactions from all these spider bites were well-documented.

Not rude at all, and good question. Actually, spider bite reactions are so badly documented that doctors are unable to accurately diagnose whether something is a spider bite or not. And, I think you'll admit that there is a widespread belief that spider bites occur frequently, even though very few people have actually seen a spider biting a human being. I'm trying to dispel the rumors.

I did watch the Mythbusters episode where they were testing Daddy Long Legs to see if they would 1. Bite and 2. Be the most venomous spiders in existence. The myth was proved wrong on both counts. They eventually got the Daddy Long Legs to bite them by putting about 100 in a jar and sticking their hand into it. Makes me shudder just thinking about it.

Props to you for filling a hole in our scientific understanding of the world, good sir.

Thanks! And just to be clear, the daddly longlegs in the Mythbuster episode was a true spider and not a harvestman - harvestmen have no venom at all, but some of them can throw little sticky stinkballs at you!

Medical student here. Spend most of my time telling people that they probably don't have a spider bite. Very frustrating. Any idea how to fix this?

Well, comrade, you are one of the few people in medicine to even ask the question. I guess you try to find the line between asking them if they saw a spider biting them and trying to tell them that what they believe is wrong. You can also try to tell them that they probably wouldn't sleep through a spider bite ( most reports allege the bite happened during sleep) any more than they would sleep through rolling over onto a tack. Idk, friend, there's no simple answer because you're asking people to challenge their own cherished belief .

You have never had an allergic reaction to a spider bite?

Nope! I had a much worse reaction to a recent leech bite, that caused the whole bite area to swell up and get hard for several days.

Wouldn't every bite from a spider that swells even a little technically be an allergic reaction, but on a small scale?

Hmm, I may be overstepping my authority here, but I think an allergic reaction is when the body mistakes something for a pathogen. You can have swellings as a result of mechanical damage, without any real or fake pathogens involved.

But let's see if anyone else chimes in, because this is an interesting question that I don't really know the answer to.

I did not mean to pose that question authoratatively I was just genuinely curious!

Hey, that's why we come to /r/iama - curiosity! I want to know too now.

Alright man. I live in Upstate NY. Nothing big up here im guessing. My question is. How do I keep spiders away from me. Cabins, houses near the lake, etc. shit is so annoying. And lastly. Tell us more about brown recluse spiders. Are they aggressive and what are the chances they bite you when you sleep? (My mom lives in Austin). Thanks man. Sweet job!

Upstate NY has some big spiders, like this Fishing spider from Onadoga County. But nothing at all to worry about.

Ways to keep spiders out: clear out closets and corners, sweep stuff up through the whole cabin, put screens on the windows, and so on. Spiders are there to eat pests, not torment you, so if you can control the pest population yourself, then the spiders will seek a more slovenly house to inhabit.

As for the brown recluse, if you'd be so kind as to endure an advertisement, I shall inform you. They are not aggressive and unlikely to be anywhere near your bed, except by accident.

Spider bite tester for who? Do you have a degree? Are you a professor ? Are you contracted or given grant money for research through a local University? What qualifies you as a "Tester" and not a guy on Youtube who catches spiders and films them biting him. Not being sarcastic or insulting but I've always wondered this about you.

Getting down to brass tacks, eh? Cool. I have MSc from Oregon State, I studied giant waterbugs, and until recently I dissected moth penises for a government lab. I am not associated with a university and am entirely self-funded.

I'm going for a more "junior high science project" vibe. Obviously the scientific approach would be to have numerous repetitions on a variety of subjects to try to describe a typical reaction. But because the University is not paying me to do this, I'm doing an n=1 demonstration of what the spider's behavior is during a single stressed encounter. I'm not testing what the bite is like so much as I am testing what the spider will do. Does that answer your question?

I'm a little afraid to click your links, so can you tell me more about the caterpillar sting test? Caterpillars are one of the last animals I would ever expect to bite me so I was surprised to see them mentioned. Did that bite hurt? If so, do all caterpillars have a bite like that, or just some?

Caterpillars usually don't bite, and if they do, it's unlikely to be any worse than a light pinch. But many of them are chemically defended by poisonous spines (just a picture, no video)

I love jumping spiders. Their eyes are so cute and they usually pose well for the camera. I let them crawl on me all the time and I've never been bitten. What has been your experience with jumpers?

Cheerful, curious and clever. Some of the bigger ones are a bit more reluctant to interact, but none have ever bitten me.

I live in Perth, Australia, where every piece of outdoor furniture has a red back under it unless you have just cleaned it. Definitely the most dangerous common local spider. I've never been worried because they are everywhere, and noone ever seems to get bitten. Can you tell.me anything about this spider?

Great question, and here's a good informative thread about redbacks with some citations. Turns out they're potentially dangerous, but effective antivenin has been around for decades.

How do you agitate the spiders to bite you if they don't do it on their own?

Also, your disclaimer about the ads somehow makes me accept them.

Thanks! At least they're not advertising insecticide and exterminators like they used to.

I agitate the spiders by convincing them I intend them harm, without actually harming them. I have no wish to make a video about being cruel to a spider. So I gently hold their legs, or apply pressure to them, or tweak their faces with a paintbrush.

Most spiders have fangs that point in toward each other, which makes biting a big mammal pretty tough.

What was the most painful spider-bite you have had? Also, do you have to take breaks in-between getting bit?

This gal. She was not interested in being held. And it was not from venom, but from mechanical damage - like freakin' scimitars going into my finger. She bit through a plastic paintbrush later. But it just bled a bit and was sore, no lasting damage.

Wait.. Why does this spider have 10 legs? Am I missing something? Can some spiders have 10 legs?

It's 8 legs and 2 pedipalps, which look way more like legs in the primitive spider families.

That's really interesting! If their pedipalps look more like legs in primitive spider families could it have been that spiders once HAD 10 legs and evolution changed that?

That's exactly right - both spiders and insects are theorized to descend from critters that had lots of legs, like centipedes.

Are you a fan of David Attenborough??

Yes! I met him at AMNH-SWRS when he showed up an hour before dinner. I was a volunteer there and on food prep, so I dished myself out a plate of food before everyone came in. Sir David and his crew of 4 came in first, served themselves off the buffet, and the cameraman was toting his huge piece - and me being a camera buff, I wanted to know the maximum frame rate (30000fps!) and some other stuff, which he was happy to chat about, and when he started to sit down at one of the tables, I asked if I could join him, and then Sir David sat down right across from me! He shared a bottle of wine with me and we talked about vinegaroon love. He was there to do some ant and wasp segments from Life in the Undergrowth. He said I was an extrordnray fellow, and I was quite chuffed, but then I noticed he used the word extrordnray in nearly every video. He was great, very friendly, very sharp.

Have you ever considered irradiating a spider before having it bite you?

Sometimes I put them in the sun, which technically counts as irradiation.

Any spider you're actually afraid of getting bitten by?

Ever come across (or plan to) a Camel Spider even though they aren't spiders?

I don't want to be bitten by a black widow or brown recluse, or a Sydney funnel web spider, or a Wandering spider. Also some of the tarantulas have whopping big fangs and having that stick into my flesh is not so appealing.

As for camel spiders, good luck getting them in your hand! They are super fast. I made a video of one climbing in Texas and Dr Paula Cushing eventually described the behavior in a published paper. They are remarkable animals and full of mysteries, so I'd be happy to see more of them.

Have you ever done anything with Japanese Giant hornets?

If not, then a spider-related question: What is the most aggressive spider you have interacted with that the general public wouldn't know about? That is, not a brazilian wandering spider, or other relatively well known spiders.

I've never met a Japanese Giant Hornet, but I would say はじめまして to one if I did.

The most aggressive I ever met was this Cork lid trapdoor spider in Arizona. She did not want to be held.

Hopefully the hornet would just say どう致しまして and move on.

Is the cork lid related to the Sydney Funnel? It looks just like it, so maybe a similar genus. I'm just guessing though, the resemblance can be uncanny without relation.

Not really related. Both of them are pretty primitive as far as spiders go.

I have two questions first I live in west Texas and we have thousands of tarantulas here. My first question is that there are black haired and brown haired ones, are they the same specie with different color hair or are they two totally different spiders? Also during a certain time of year out in the country you can see them by the hundreds crossing country roads but only for a few days and then it subsides. What causes this migration?

For a good ID, I would need to see a picture. As far as I know your most common species is the Texas Brown, which as you can see comes in many colors.

As for the "migration," it's more like a huge gang of frat boys looking into bars to see if there are single ladies - the males, responding to weather cues, seek out the females.

What are some simple recommendations for somebody suffering from a spider bite, when would be a good time to seek medical attention?

Hold onto the spider! Even if you smash it, keep it in a baggie or something so the medical professional can confirm the identity with another expert. If you didn't see the spider bite you, there's no way to be sure it's a spider bite.

As for seeking medical attention, if you feel a condition you have might be a cause for concern, the best thing to do is to seek medical attention.

how often, and to what extent do you question your own sanity?

Follow-up question: during these tests do you keep a flamethrower at arms length? you know... just in case?

I don't question my sanity often, because I feel like I have a lot of things I want out of life.

As for the flamethrower, who needs one? I'm 10,000 times bigger than the spiders and I have a big brain. There's subtler ways to control a situation.

Best way to determine if a spider is dangerous? Always be cautious, sure, but is there any technology/resources out there to help? Either based on spider looks or spiderweb designs?

Oh, it's way simpler than that. If you're in North America, there's only two dangerous spiders: black widow and brown recluse. Learn to distinguish those two, and you're golden.

This is a cool idea, I'm just a little confused behind the motivation. Is your goal to remove the phobia most people have of spiders? I'm just asking because I'm Australian, and so fearing spiders seems pretty rational to me.

Actually, have you done these tests with any Australian spiders? what was your reaction?

Australia, like N America, only has a couple of dangerous spider species. I haven't tried any of them out because my only trip was in 1999 for a wedding.

But yes, the idea is to show people how reluctant spiders are to actually bite a person.

Have spiders done more than bite? Perhaps attempted to scratch or attack you in a way that doesn't include biting?

Sure, tarantulas are well-known for brushing itchy hairs off their butts - but other than that, no. Beyond their bite, most spiders are not weaponized.

I like spiders, but damn. @.@

Also the male seemed like he was "I'm not doin this shit lemme gooooooooo!" (\(\(\;;/)/)/)

Have you ever had any spiders that were so aggressive they needed no provocation?

Yeah, the Cork lid trapdoor spider, but I didn't own a video camera when I met that one.

Have you ever accidentally been bitten by a red back? Also, what are you scared of in life?

A red back? Like, from Australia? No, I only visited Australia for a few days for my brother's wedding, and there were no spiders in attendance.

In life I am terrified of random chaos (out of control vehicles, stray bullets, etc) hurting my kid. I have nightmares about things happening to her.

You ever enjoy Spiderman growing up?

If not what got you into this profession?

Sure, I liked Spiderman, and I used to be deathly afraid of spiders. I used to go by the philosophy of "if it's in my house, it's dead." But I started studying insects and got pretty good at that, and then realized I had next to zero when it came to spiders. By that time there was a pretty good spider community on the web, har har, and so I had a lot of mentors when I started learning about them. My first "arachnid crush" was the harvestmen, though.

The real spur was finding a spider in Costa Rica that had been described fifty years ago, but had zero information published about it since then. That's when I realized what a wide-open field this was.

I too am deathly afraid of spiders.. mid 20's guy - my girlfriend keeps threatening to buy a taranatula.. I need to be prepared. Any advice on how to get over that fear?

Yes, you can start learning some spider parts. This will help demystify them. Try catching little ones in jars and learn to recognize the pedipalps and spinnerets, for a start. Sounds like you have a cool GF!

Thank you for the advice! How long did it take you to get over your fear? They fascinate me, and i have no issue with the smaller spiders - but my brother has a giant golden orb in his bac yard - freaks me out..

It took me a while, but the more spiders I "met," the easier it was to chill with them.

this is so weird. Just saw one of your videos posted on /r/spiders, went to your YouTube and found out you were that spider guy on americas got talent. And after creeping on you by looking through you "reddit profile" I found this. Anyways, thanks for all the information in you videos, a lot of the "not venomous enough to hurt you" kinda stuff I knew but the more in depth stuff is super cool. Also I live in Washington, not sure if you live in Oregon or what, just guessing from you posts.

My question is, how do you get a hold of jumpers easier? If you're from around here you know they are everywhere (mostly Salticus Scenicus and Phidippus Audux) and I love to handle them but ther are so darn skiddish and just jump away.

Oh yeah, the Couv has some good spiders. So the idea is that you let the spider CHOOSE to get on your hand. So you put your hand down flat in front of the spider, and then you use your other hand to lightly touch the spider from behind (with a leaf or something until you're confident.) Then they will just hop onto your hand, but be ready to catch them with the other hand when they hop off.

Which spider, after exposure to radiation, has the highest chance of giving me really cool spider powers?

Monkey Ninja Spider for sure.

What do you think of our Funnel Web spiders from NSW, Australia?

edit also Redbacks

I think they have an extraordinarily powerful venom and I would treat them with caution and respect. All the same, I would really like to meet one!

So what exactly is your "job title"? And how does one get into this kind of profession?

I'm an entomologist. I can't really say how one gets into it besides having a love for weirdness.

Would you say you have a favorite spider? If so, what?

Maybe Opadometa fastigata - but I have a lot of favorites. I'm always learning something new about them, and that novelty is like a narcotic for me.

What spider has the chompiest bite?

"Chompiest?" Maybe the woodlouse hunter - but the longlegged river spiders will sure chomp on you if you try to grab them.

You wouldn't classify the Sydney Funnel Web spider in that category?

Hey I don't really know what chompy means, so I'm just guessing.

Are spiders fun pets?

It depends on the owner. They're a lot less maintenance than dogs and cats, but a lot less willing to form emotional bonds. I prefer wild spiders to pet spiders.

I was bitten by a Brown Recluse once and almost lost my foot Have you ever had an infection similar to what I experienced?

EDIT: First sentence was a statement, not a question. Fixed

No, but can you please describe the circumstances under which the spider bit you?

Do you ever give in and itch any of your stings/bites? I can't imagine how you're able to tolerate that. The sting, I think I'd be able to handle. It's the itchiness afer that would drive me crazy!!

Oh yeah I have scratched myself bloody many times. It can be such wretched suffering.

What was the weirdest/most memorable reaction you ever had when you told someone you were a spider bite tester?

Also: Wow, I never thought a job like that really exists. Not your average 9 to 5 experience I guess...

I haven't had that many weird reactions to it. Most people think I'm insane or an idiot.

What is the most common poisonous spider in NW United Stated?

You may mean "venomous," and it's probably the black widow in the Inland NW. I-5 corridor is venomous-spider free!

What's your favorite type of food?

Depends on the weather - wintertime, German food, Bratkartoffeln und Speck, Fleischaufstrich, Currywurst, Käse. Summertime: fresh fruit! The weirder, the better

You not only know the German names but also use the Umlaut correctly. What is your connection to Germany?

I was an exchange student in Germany at age 16, then studied German literature in university, then worked 2 summers in Austria. It's my favorite foreign language.

Interesting. I have two spiders "nesting" in the windshield of my yet to be cleaned motorcycle. Size would be small to medium. Could you identify with pictures?

Pictures + location, yeah, I could give it a shot.

Do you ever wish to mutate into a superhero?

Sure, as long as the mutations don't come at too high a cost to my other adaptive traits.

I have a rather strange question. When I was a kid, around 8 or so, I climbed a Tree near my house in SE Georgia. I put my face right into the body of one of these guys. He didn't bite me, but I fell out of that tree. Ever since that day I respect these spiders, but at the same time they scare the shit out of me.

So I guess my rather vague question is, Do you have any experience with this spider? Also, I notice many of them in this area that are much bigger then the 1-2 inches that wiki page says they grow. Some of them I see are easily 3-4 inch long bodies, In webs spanning from oak tree to oak tree 10-15 feet across. They are incredibly creepy, but at the same time so interesting to me. Thanks for your time.

Yes, those spiders and I are old friends. Intimidating but totally harmless.

Hey /u/quaoarpower do you know of my friend Gwen "Bug Girl" Pearson?

Not personally, but we follow each other's work.

I just watched your America's got Talent video, and I have to ask: does it annoy you that people constantly freak out/jump/scream at the sight of a spider?

Not really, because it is such a typical response. And lots of times people freak out at first and then get curious when they calm down. Baby steps!

Have you always liked or been interested by spiders? Or was this more of a "conquer your fears head on" type of activity? What guided your choice to do this of all things?

I want to demonstrate how unwilling spiders are to actually bite people. There's a lot of anti-spider sentiment out there and most of it is baseless. I can tell people spiders are friendly but this way I'm putting my money where my mouth is, so to speak.

Are there any behavioral clues used when guessing whether or not a spider will bite you? I know some spiders will raise their front legs as a warning, is that a pretty good indicator that they'll strike, or is it more of a bluff?

Lots of them raise their legs up, or stand their ground and spread their fangs. There's no foolproof way to know, but most spiders won't bite you unless you're actively trying to hurt them.

Do you put on any cream or lotion after getting bitten/stinged? I.e hydrocortisone or similar.

No, I haven't had a bad reaction to any of them.

Have you ever read the book Rant by Chuck Palahniuk?

Nope.

What happens if you taunt the spiders?

If you call them names and insult their noble lineage? They don't get too upset. But get in their face with a paintbrush and they seem to lose patience quickly.

What equipment do you use to take your pictures and video? Also, thank you, I think reading all of this may have lessened my arachnaphobia significantly. We are in Ontario and we get loads of longbodied cellar spiders in our basement, it will be interesting to see how I feel next time I run into one, especially now, knowing how harmless they are.

I used to use a Sanyo Xacti but I've had it with that camera. Switching now to a Sony a5100.

This is all incredibly fascinating.

2 questions, sorry if they've been asked already:

Has any of your research/documentation been accepted as medical data? Do medical professionals consult you or your work when dealing with potential spider bites?

For bites that are especially uncomfortable or agitating, do you ever have trouble documenting the results in a scientifically reasonable manner? I recall reading about a physician who killed himself with morphine (or some other drug) overdose, and recorded the effects in first person. But afterwards, the results (scribbles on a chalkboard) were deemed nonviable because of the condition of the researcher.

First question: the medical community is incredibly reluctant to consult non-medical authorities on medical matters, which I guess is understandable but it is a bit frustrating. And, if I wanted to be more serious about presenting it as "research" I would have to have more stringent protocols, a bigger number of repetitions, and lots of paperwork/permits saying I know what I'm doing.

2: haha, great question! There was only one sting that left me useless, and it was a bee, of all things - it flew down my shirt and stung me right over the heart. It was several minutes before I could get myself under control and stop freaking out. I was all alone on a mountain in Thailand, and I was pretty panicked.

I see you have videos on bugs in general. I'm scared of many bugs (though not most spiders) especially those that fly or I feel are likely to sting/bite me, for instance earwigs, dobsonflies, wasps, and mosquitoes. I feel like I could calmly hold a Madagascar hissing cockroach but not a species of cockroach that flies or even something like a grasshopper. Do you have any ideas for how I could become less afraid of them?

Well, pay close attention next time you get bitten or stung. It sucks, but it's not that bad. Also, it's the 1% that bites or stings, everyone else just kinda keeps to themselves.

According to the rest of the internet, I'm weird because I'm not freaked out too badly by spiders. On the flip side, however, I absolutely spaz out when a wasp, hornet, or even a bee (I know, bees are bros, etc) starts flying at me. How would you recommend conquering a fear like that?

Exposure. Keep track of all the times they fly at you and you don't get stung.

What's the largest spider that ever bit you?

One of my tarantulas gave me a nip when she felt she was being roughly handled.

Why do they need to be tested?!

To demonstrate how difficult it is to make a spider bite a person, mostly. You may be aware that lots of people think spider bites are very common - I'm trying to dispel that.

How do people respond when you tell them what you do for a living? Such as an application for a loan.

Most people think I am either stupid or crazy. But I do lots of stuff for a living, this is just part of it.

Have you ever been bitten by a guy in a Spider-Man costume?

Dude tried, but the joke was on him - the mask covered his mouth!

I just saw your videos, how do you manage to not crush them? How many do you kill while making a video?

I don't kill any! I really like bugs and spiders. I just treat them as gently as possible.