What Everyone Should Know
Brown recluse spiders are not aggressive, and they often won’t bite people who step in their area. They hide away from humans in places like stacked firewood, basements, and attics, as well as in garages or crawl spaces. They usually live in dark, cluttered areas and can enter your home through cracks or holes around utility wires, pipes, or vents. To prevent these spiders from entering your home, inspect the outside for any small openings or holes, and seal them with a silicone caulk. Using a sticky trap can also help to catch these spiders before they gain entry to your home.
How To Identify A Brown Recluse
Brown recluse spiders can be hard to identify by sight. However, they have six eyes and three pairs of eyes (instead of the eight eyes found in other spider species). They also have violin marks on their cephalothorax, which is a small, circular pattern that appears like a violin. It also has a uniform color and hairs on its legs and abdomen that are very fine, unlike the thick and dense hairs found on the legs and body of other spiders. Additionally, it has a dark spot at the end of each eye which is a characteristic found only on brown recluses.
Are Brown Recluse Spiders Poisonous?
A bite from a brown recluse spider is not poisonous. The venom that it injects is several times more potent than several venomous snakes, but the spider’s fangs are too small to penetrate human skin. Most brown recluse spider bites are not painful and heal within a few days without any problems. However, about 10% of them cause ulcers or blisters that can be quite painful and require medical treatment.
Symptoms Of A Brown Recluse Bite
In rare cases, a brown recluse bite can cause a severe complication called loxoscelism. This happens when the venom from the bite damages blood cells or breaks down organs, leading to life-threatening problems. In any case, a patient who has been bitten by a brown recluse spider should be treated at the ER immediately. The health care provider will be able to perform a physical exam and give medications for pain and swelling.