The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary: Brown Recluse Bite

BASICS

BASICS: "Hummingbirds.....where is the person, I ask, who, on observing this glittering fragment of the rainbow, would not pause, admire, and turn his mind with reverence..." (J. J. Audubon).

This is a blog about my summer life at the Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary, at my winter garden, Calypso, in the Bahamas, and aspects of life in general.

This private sanctuary is now permanently closed to the general public, as a result of a lawsuit brought by a neighbor. Only my friends and personal guests may visit (paul.adams%stonybrook.edu).

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Brown Recluse Bite

I appear to have been bitten by a Brown Recluse Spider. Just before dusk the day before yesterday I noticed an angry red circular patch about the size of a quarter on my left hand, near the base of my thumb and close to my wrist (you can just see the edge of my watch band at the bottom left corner of the above image). It didn't hurt until I touched it, when it felt rather raw. I did not feel anything bite me, and it's quite unlike (and much worse than) a wasp or bee sting (the wasps here have a particularly bad sting), or indeed any type of sting or bite I've had before. Yesterday morning it became painful even without touching it, and swollen, and got somewhat worse during the day. Today it's much the same but not worse.
Here's another image with a quarter for comparison:-

And here's a Wikipedia photo of a large Brown Recluse Spider. I suspect it was inside a work glove. Apparently they do not normally attack, but can do so when there is no retreat (e.g. from putting on a glove). It seems there's no real treatment, but the lesion can necrose (the tissue dies) and eventually leave a hole or scar. Let's hope mine is not a severe case. The Brown Recluse is found in the Bahamas and of course also in the southern US.
I will treat myself with ice-cream (applied internally) until it gets better.

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FAQs

1. How can I visit? Unless you are an invited friend or personal guest of the owner, Paul Adams, you cannot. The sanctuary is now permanently closed to the general public.

2.Why did the sanctuary close? The sanctuary opened, on a very limited basis, during 1998-2017. However, a neighbor, Kamal Bherwani, and 2 former neighbors, Fred Terry and Shawn Hamilton, brought a $3 million lawsuit, and forced complete and permanent closing. The plaintiffs claimed, incorrectly, that the sanctuary was a "commercial business". Though no evidence for this claim was, or could be, produced, the owner decided to settle the lawsuit and permanently close.

3. When do the hummingbirds arrive and leave, and where do they go for the winter?

They arrive on Long Island late april, and early may. They leave between aug 1 and oct 1. The adult males arrive and leave first, then the adult females, then the young, in order of fledging. They all go to central America via the Gulf of Mexico.

3. What varieties do we have at the sanctuary?

Only the ruby-throat (only the adult male has the ruby throat). This is the only one that breeds east of the Mississipi. The US has about 9 other species but they are all western.

4. Why are there rocks in the trees? How long have you had this place?

I have had the property for 27 years and each year I put a new rock to mark the beginning of a new hummingbird season (may 1).

5. What is the best place to sit to see hummingbirds?

On your bottom! Since you may have to wait a bit choose the spot that best suits you.

6. How can I attract hummers to my yard?

Plant cardinal flower (right variety!) and black-and-blue salvia, maintain a couple of small clean feeders, both placed where you spend a lot of time outdoors (or in front of a picture window). Read this blog or lihummer.org for further suggestions.

BASICS

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Brown Recluse Bite

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