Photo author: Tom Burke

Celebrities have their names attached to anything and everything, from clothing lines, to colognes and perfumes.  However, nothing epitomizes the cool of celebrity like having a living creature named after you.  Believe it or not, several celebrities have had spider species named in their honor.  Check out these 3 spiders named for celebrities.

1. Pachygnatha zappa

This spider was discovered in Africa’s Mount Cameroon by two Belgian scientists named Robert Bosman and Jan Bosselaers.  In 1994, P. zappa was named for legendary composer Frank Zappa, who died in 1993 after a battle with prostate cancer.

While Bosselaers was a fan of Zappa’s music and saw him perform in concert nearly a dozen times, the true reason that P. zappa acquired its famous name, can be found by looking on the abdomen of the female spider.  The dark marks found there strikingly resemble Zappa’s famous mustache.

2. Aptostichus stephencolberti

A. stephencolberti is a species named in 2008, after East Carolina University professor James Bond received a complaint call from Comedy Central political satirist Stephen Colbert.  On his show – The Colbert Report – Colbert’s character is a right winger who was upset by Bond naming a spider species after known left wing activist and musician Neil Young.  After begging on national television, Colbert soon found that he too was getting his own spider species.

Colbert’s namesake is a trapdoor spider found on the California coastline.  Interestingly enough, this spider is closely related to another spider with a famous name -Aptostichus angelinajoleae.  Hopefully you won’t need three guesses to figure out whom that spider is named after.

3. Heteropoda davidbowie

Peter Jäger, a German spider enthusiast and expert, had a mission when he named this spider after bad boy rocker David Bowie.  Jäger’s goal was to use Bowie’s famous name to draw attention to spider species that are often forgotten, or destroyed by humans.

Like Zappa’s spider, H. davidbowie vaguely resembles his namesake.  This wild looking spider has brightly colored, electric yellow hair – much like Bowie’s.   The species can be found in certain parts of Malaysia, and is also endangered.

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Black Widow Pictures

Black Widow Pictures

Not many people go out taking black widow pictures, but for those that do it is important to be safe about it.  Black widow pictures are some of the most unique and powerful spider pictures on the planet.  The black widow pictures found on this page are all pictures that were available on the net as public domain, etc.  When you take black widow pictures in real life, it is a little bit like shooting pictures of any other dangerous wildlife.

Show respect, and provide proper distance.  This means having a great zoom lens when shooting black widow pictures is vital.

Black Widow Pictures

The first thing you should do when you locate a black widow to shoot a picture of is to make sure you have at least five feet of distance between you and the spider.  Black widows are not overly aggressive unless they are guarding egg sacs or feel threatened.  By giving the black widow at least five feet, you will help it to remain calm and likely go about it’s normal business.  You may even be able to catch a black widow spider feeding.  That makes for wonderful black widow pictures I assure you.

Another important safety note when shooting black widow pictures is to make certain you use the zoom.  To really get the

Black Widow Pictures

detail on the spider, while still keeping yourself safe from a black widow spider bite, it is integral that you use the zoom rather than moving your hands in close.  Black widow spiders are very fast in short bursts, and they can certainly give you a nasty spider bite if you get your hands too close.

There are a number of black widow pictures that can be found on the net for free, as they are the most popular spider to take photos of in America.  The tarantula runs a close second, but the black widow pictures just seem a bit more special.  They have such a lengendary reputation that even the brief sight of a

Black Widow Pictures

black widow picture can bring out feelings.  That is the point of wildlife photography is it not?

Remember, be careful, keep your distance, and use a great zoom lens.  This will guarantee you many wonderful black widow pictures and stay safe from spider bite while you take them.

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Pictures of Brown Recluse Spider Bites

What you should do when a brown recluse spider bites you:

1.  Do go to the emergency room or doctor.  Brown recluse spider bites are serious because the venom is necrotic.  That is, it eats away at and kills tissue under the skin.  These bites can lead to serious complications up to and including amputation.  Worst case scenarios may even include death.

2.  Do apply ice to a brown recluse spider bite.  This will help with swelling and pain, and should be done on the way to the doctor.

3.  Do wash the bite site with soap and cool water.  This will help the brown recluse spider bite site resist infection.

4.  Do elevate the limb above the heart.  Venom travels through the blood stream, and you want to keep the bite site above your heart.

5. Do take acetamenophene for any pain you experience from the brown recluse spider bite.

6.  Do remain calm after being bitten by a brown recluse spider.  The venom travels faster if you are excited or active.

What you should not do if bitten by a brown recluse spider:

1.  Do not risk retrieving the spider unless you can safely do so.  You do not want to risk another bite.  Try to identify the brown recluse.  You can read about brown recluse spider identification here.

2.  Do not ever add heat to the bite site.  Heat will cause the tissue to break down quicker with a brown recluse spider bite.

3.  Do not suck, cut, or attempt to remove the venom from a brown recluse spider bite.  This can cause further damage as well as an added risk of spreading the venom.

4.  Do not medicate the brown recluse bite site with creams, or medicines of any kind.  Some of these can cause major problems with a brown recluse spider bite.

When you arrive at the doctors, you may receive any number of treatments for your brown recluse spider bite.  These can include tetanus shots, allergy meds, pain medications, and even antibiotics.  These depend on the site, as well as your reaction to the brown recluse spider bite.

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The ball python that I had was a pretty stout one. It went about six feet or so, and was pretty thick around the middle. The snake had always been a very laid back snake, and was not prone to strike in the least. We had no small pets or children in the house, and the ball python does not get terribly large, so we did not worry too much about it getting out of it’s cage. Big mistake….

One morning I woke up and walked over to say good morning. When I did, the lid of the cage had been moved away just enough for the snake to get out, and the ball python was gone! No snake anywhere. I searched that apartment for hours. I started to panic a bit, because the snake could be anywhere. I wasn’t worried about the snake actually harming anyone, but I was worried that an escaped six foot python could alarm the heck out of the neighbors not to mention the snake itself.

After about six hours and several uncomfortable conversations with the neighbors, I gave in and when to work.

I got home that night and started to implement some of the many ideas given to me by coworkers. I tried putting out some food. I tried the ventilation system. I tried the heaters and ducts. I tried everything. After about six more hours, I gave up ever finding that ball python.

I fixed myself some supper, and then got myself propped up in front of the television for the latest “Seinfeld” episode. Then it hit me.

The television is often considered a prime hiding spot for escaped snakes because of the heat source. Not so much the television as under the television. The problem was, the only way to check it out was to stick my head down there and look. Now a six foot python that decides to bite you is not very fun. I figured that it would be a bit cranky and maybe a bit hungry as well. Not a good mixture when you are putting your face down into a small area.

I stuck my head down to peek under the television where there was about three inches of clearance. As soon as I did, my ball python bit me right on the nose. The strike nearly gave me a heart attack. I had never seen him strike unless he was eating and seeing it that close up and personal was a snake bite experience I would have loved to have missed.

I finally got him out of there, but only with the promise of food. I waved a little mouse (dead) in front of the opening and slowly brought it out far enough that I could get him behind the head.

I learned my lesson about escaping snakes that day. From that point forward, I always kept my snake safely tucked away and the locks in place. My nose is now healed, but I will never forget that snake bite.

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Eight Legged Freaks – Giant spiders that take over the world is not a new concept. It has been done before. The thing about Eight Legged Freaks, however, is that they got species specific here. Trapdoor spiders, tarantulas, black widows, and even the popular jumping spider all made the cinematic cut. Granted they were all extra large and extra juiced up – still they scared people half to death. The first time you see the trap door spider flash from under the ground and drag someone under you will jump. I assure you.

Arachnaphobia – This movie was actually one that surprised me. The movie was much better than I figured it would be. Made quite a few years back, this movie does a great job of giving you the willies. The spiders are largely realistic, and there are a number of scenes where they crawl where they should not. Note the shower scene where the spider explores a girls cleavage. Not a very comfortable scene at all but deliciously spooky!

And then there are the movies that just use the real tarantula largely. Two of the best among these are the old classics Tarantulas – Deadly Cargo and Kingdom of the Spiders. These old flicks depended on the real deal to get there scares across. Tarantulas are genuinely creepy and perfect for a spider movie. They are largely docile spiders that will not usually bite unless they are threatened. This means that you can realistically use them in movies without much risk. Put a tarantula crawling up someone’s leg or arm and you have a great start to a spider movie.

I do believe that spider movies are far from worn out. The genre is need of a brand new movie, and I hope that someone puts one out soon. They are just too fun to leave on the cutting room floor. What was your favorite spider movie of all time?

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Of all the snake movies I have seen, perhaps Anaconda was the best attempt.  This movie starred Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson and John Voight among others.  Each of these actors brought some decent acting to Anacondas, and helped to make it a good snake movie.  The one thing about Anacondas though was that it was just far too over the top.  Suspending disbelief is one thing, but obliterating it is quite another.  This snake movie would have been even better if they had not made the snake and their capabilities so far over the top.  I like to stretch reality, not recreate it where snake movies are concerned.

What would have made Anacondas great instead of just good?  By drawing on the reality of Anacondas, this movie could have truly been incredible.  For example, the anaconda is pretty big to begin with.  They did not have to make the movie anaconda so large to make them scary.  They are huge!  Another point to make is that anacondas have been known to kill and eat small human beings.  For example, Jennifer Lopez sized women and children.  Having them be able to completely devour a human with a gulp was just too far over the top.  Why not make that more realistic?

Another key to making a snake movie great instead of merely good is to include more snakes.   Rather than having a huge one snake throwdown at the end of the movie, have the main characters be lured into a situation with thousands of the snakes.  That is infinitely more scary.

Finally, acting is a must in a great snake movie as it is with any other type of movie.  Why is it that snake movies, and any other animal attack type movies always draw second rate acting?  There are exceptions to the rule, but they are few and far between.  The vast majority of snake movies are very poorly acted.

Snake movies will always be a part of the horror movie landscape, but I hope that future ventures will work on bending reality and not simply recreating it.  I will be watching either way.

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I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

The black mamba is named after the black coloration of the inside of their mouths and not their body color. If you notice, the black mamba is actually a greyish color. Their mouths are jet black when they open it however.

The black mamba is also one of the largest venomous species of snake in the world. This African serpent is actually the second largest in the world among venomous species. Only the king cobra is larger. The black mamba can reach fourteen feet in length.

The black mamba is also highly aggressive. In spite of this fact, they will still attempt to escape given the chance. They are not interested in conflict with humans, but if they are cornered they are capable, and highly aggressive fighters. Never approach a black mamba in the wild or anywhere else. They can kill you in a flash if you are not near antivenin. Even with the antidote, the black mamba still can be deadly. Without the antivenin, the black mambas bite is nearly 100 percent fatal.

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The Tarantula!

Just the name used to send shudders through my entire body.  Tarantula….Something about the way the letters are formed seems to perfectly describe this hairy arachnid.  As a boy, a tarantula was an orange and black patterned monster that grew to be the size of my face.

(Okay, so we are talking about the Mexican red leg tarantula and it gets about the size of my palm.  Give me a break… I was seven)

So anyway, this platter sized spider was living in every corner of my bedroom.  I would see them crawling up and down my Spiderman curtains.  Every giant Superman Logo on my blanket was actually a tarantula bent on eating me.

We had shag carpet back then, and it just happened to be orange and black in my bedroom.  It was hairy.  It felt like tartantulas all over my floor.

More than anything, my irrational fear of these tarantulas stemmed from watching the made for television classic, “Tarantulas” back in the late 70s I beleive.  Whatever the case, they were everywhere in my bedroom as a kid.

That fear led to wonder.  The wonder led to curiosity.  Now, in my adult years, that fear has led to fascination.  I love to watch this incredible creatures.  I love to learn about spiders and tarantulas in particular.  They still give me the willies, mind you…

I do not wish to have a tarantula in my bed.  I knew there was a great reason to get rid of those Superman bed sheets.

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Snake bite myths are something else.  I once was told this story by a person that obviously thought I knew diddily squat about snakes.  I laughed and walked away, though I should have informed them that a black mamba does not chase you unless cornered.  Even then, it will quickly take an escape route if given one.  I should have also told them that a black mamba does not kill you in ten seconds, unless it gives you a heart attack from the scare.

This story illustrates the irrational fears that people have about snakes.  The fact is, snake bites are almost always a case of someone doing something stupid.  Maybe they tried to kill the snake.  Maybe they stepped on it.  Maybe they tried to play with it.  I assure you they were not chased by it.

Snakes are creatures that simply want no part of anything that they can not eat.  They do not wish to harm people.  They can not eat us, and so we are useless to them.  We may be a danger to them, and so they bite in self defense.  Snake bites happen when we invade the reptile’s space.

The one exception to this rule might be the reticulated python or the Anaconda.  These two snakes could almost certainly eat a child or small framed adult.  The veracity of those claims is constantly debated.  What is certain is that many snakes can kill humans.  This does not mean they want to.

Venomous snakes bite purely in self defense.  If they feel threatened, they will bite quickly and forcefully.  The thing is, they sometimes do not even inject the venom.  This is called a “dry bite” and is usually because the snake is reserving their venom for food sources.  They do not want to waste their venom on us silly humans.

If you want to see the perfect example of people doing stupid things to get snake bitten, read all about this guy that got bitten in the face by a deadly pet gaboon viper.  It is a good illustration of how we bring snake bites down on ourselves.

The bottom line is that if we leave them alone, they will do the same.  If you come across a snake, ignore it and give it a wide berth.  I assure you, it will not chase you….. Even in Africa.

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The brown recluse spider has a number of distinctive features that can help identify it.  The first thing to know about the brown recluse spider is the formation of the eyes. The brown recluse actually has only six eyes instead of the spider norm of eight.  They are situated on the head in sets of two.

The brown recluse also has a violen shaped marking on the head, and the neck of the violin stretches towards the abdomen.  This marking is clearer on some than others, and they are not the only species of spider to have such markings.

The brown recluse spider is fairly small, with the total body width of about a quarter fully grown. (this is including the legs)  The brown recluse also can vary wildly in color, from a light yellowish color to to a dark brown.  Some are even reddish in tint.  It depends on the age, location, and particular group of recluses.  They are a variation of brown in most cases.

The brown recluse is just what their name implies – reclusive.  They hide away in dark, dry places which leads them to contact with humans that leave clothing in open storage, or after climbing into a shoe.

While this dangerous spider is certainly a serious problem in some areas, the vast majority of brown recluses are never seen by human eyes.  If you leave them alone, then chances are you will never get  bitten.  It is important to shake out anything that has been left sitting for a long time.  This is true both for the brown recluse, and the other dangerous spider well known in the United States – the black widow.

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