Brown Recluse (Photo credit: Bill Kramme)
Steve Mensing, Editor
♦A few mornings ago at my Salisbury home a small long-legged spider charged out of the shadows from my computer modem and raced toward me. Bang! In an instant the creature became part of the molecular structure of my desk. It never had a chance–I’d mangle Bambi if the sappy doe dared to interrupt my 4 a.m. writing.
When I turned my palm over in the lamplight, my eyes adjusted on my victim. It’s squashed torso was decidedly brown. It appeared to have eight legs somewhat difficult to count owing to the creature’s stunning dismemberment…A Brown Recluse Spider.
I admit some grudging respect for the Brown Recluse spider as I would for Black and Brown Widow spiders quite prevalent in many
Brown Recluse Spider Bites (Photo credit: live w mcs)
Salisbury homes. Brown Recluses are more than a nuisance–they can inflict necrotizing bites. Their venom can be flesh eating. (see the photographs on the right)
This year area home infestations of Brown Recluse and Brown Widow spiders are said to be on the rise. Often these small creatures go unnoticed except when they skitter across a table top or the arm of a chair. Brown Recluse bites are somewhat rare, but they do occur. Always go to a medical doctor if you suffer one. Most often physicians will recommend: RICE–Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Some bites may require more attention. The infamous flesh eaten wounds, often appearing days after a Brown Recluse bite, may deepen and widen, creating a later need for cosmetic plastic surgery.
Several varieties of spiders are often mistaken for Brown Recluses. Besides photographs of these feared home invaders, the Brown Recluse is most easily identified in the following ways:
• Brown Recluses possess a dark violin shape on the portion of their body where the legs attach. They only have 6 eyes arranged in pairs with space separating the pairs. They do not have 8 eyes in rows of 4 like most spiders.
• The Brown Recluse possesses uniformly light brown-colored legs. These legs have no markings nor do they have any spines on their legs–just fine hairs.
• Brown Recluse bodies are usually less than a half inch in length–often less than a dime’s length. These are small spiders, but their bite in some instances can be dangerous.
• Brown Recluses make their lairs in wall-floor junctures, corners, and crevices. They love dwelling in furniture especially in sofas, under beds, behind clutter, in darkened basements, garages, unused fireplaces, and in wood piles.
• The Brown Recluse has a uniformly-colored abdomen. The abdomen color varies from dark brown to cream brown. At no time will the abdomen have two distinct colors. Its said the abdomen color depends on what the creature just devoured.
The better ways to control a Brown Recluse infestation is by using insecticides sprayed into the Brown Recluse’s regular dwelling spots. Glue traps are effective if placed in wall-floor junctures, corners, and crevices.
