Insects and Spiders

Golden Silk Spider
The golden silk spider, Nephila clavipes (Linnaeus), is a large orange and brown spider with the feathery tufts on its legs is well know to most native southerners. As typical with most spiders, there is little danger from an encounter with the golden silk spider. The spider will bite only if held or pinched, and the bite itself will produce only localized pain with a slight redness, which quickly goes away. On the whole, the bite is much less severe than a bee string. Typically, the webs are made in open woods or edges of dense forest, usually attached to trees and low shrubs.

 

Sand Gants
Sand gnats or noseeums are insects typically found near the ocean and around rivers, lakes, and swamps. Also known as biting midges, these tiny bugs can be as small as .04 inches long. It is the female that inflicts the nasty bite because she needs blood to complete her egg laying process. Consequently they go after any exposed skin, be it human or animal. Your best defense in this situation involes the use of any Deet products.

 

Mosquito
The mosquito, often referred to as skeeter, in some areas of the United States, is a member of the Culicidae family and can be found in the marsh enviorment around Fort Pulaski. These insects have a pair of scaled wings and a slender body with long legs. The females of most mosquito species suck blood from other animals. Size varies but is rarely greater than 15 mm (0.6 inch). Mosquitoes weigh only about 2 to 2.5 mg (0.03 to 0.04 grain). A single flight can last about 4 to 5 minutes.