A bite in two places on the lower leg by what is now believed to be a spider occurred almost 5 months ago. Bites went from looking like a mosquito...

First, you should see your physician to follow-up on the condition of the area.

Depending on where you live in the world, you can consult a guide to find out what sorts of poisonous spiders are common to your area. Most spiders are poisonous but unable to bite humans, and those which can harm humans often leaves wounds which are slow to heal. The "beef jerky" look you're describing may be due to death of the surrounding tissue. Please see your physician for care of this injury, and be sure to tell them about any other symptoms you've had.

Some common spiders which bite humans are the Brown Recluse, Hobo Spider, and Wolf Spider.