Spider infestation forces school to close after student, teacher bitten, officials say
After spiders bit a student and a teacher, a middle school in Wisconsin was forced to temporarily close, according to local news reports.
In a letter to families and staff of Wilson Middle School in Manitowoc obtained by WLUK, the school principal said a student was sitting in a classroom when she “brushed a spider off her arm” on Thursday, Dec. 8.
“There was no visible bite, but the student’s arm became itchy and swollen,” Principal Cory Erlandson wrote. “The school nurse provided medical attention and the student’s parents were called. The student went home at the normal release time since it was close to the end of the school day.”
A spider also bit a Wilson Middle School teacher, WBAY reported, who experienced pain, swelling and itching. The teacher also got medical attention.
In the letter to families, Erlandson said the school would temporarily be closed on Friday, Dec. 9 to address a yellow sac spider infestation, according to Seehafer News.
Over 30 spiders were found in multiple school classrooms, according to the letter obtained by WLUK. Manitowoc Public School District worked with a pest control company to eradicate the spiders.
Wilson Middle School reopened to students and staff on Monday, WBAY reported.
No other students or staff have reported any spider bites, according to Seehafer News.
McClatchy News reached out to Wilson Middle School on Dec. 13 and did not immediately hear back.
“The yellow sac spiders probably account for more human bites that any other type of spider,” according to Michigan State University.
The bite is usually most painful right away, and a burning feeling can last for about an hour, according to PennState Extension. Some may experience a rash, blistering, muscle cramps and nausea.
Yellow sac spiders are described as “active hunters,” meaning they search for their prey instead of capturing prey with a web, officials said. They will also bite “without provocation.”
This story was originally published December 13, 2022 at 10:16 AM.