Brown Recluse Spider

[tallyho8]

I used to have a LOT of spiders in my horse barn. When I got rid of all the flies, the spiders vanished also.

 

[N80]

I would encourage everyone to be diligent in educating and arming themselves with all the information they can on this spider. It can and does inflict serious damage to it's victims.

I used to never worry about spiders either.

Well, I never said they couldn't inflict serious damage. I said it was uncommon. Getting hit in the head by a meteorite can inflict serious damage too, but you don't see too many people walking around with steel umbrellas. Again, what you worry about is up to you. My point is that there are a lot of better things to worry about.

For me, the time wasted looking under every pillow, in every shoe, in every pair of pants just isn't worth it. Getting bit once would make it even less worth it. What are the odds of a second bite?

 

[JRobyn]

I'm also a bit more "emotional" about recluses than should be logical: I have a cousin in WA that was bit on the shoulder and nearly lost his arm. He was a building contractor, and it ended his career.

- Jay

 

[rox]

meledward23, did I read your post correctly? Are you saying that you have many Brown Recluse spiders around, or jsut spiders I general?

Do the Beown Recluse spiders live only in a certain part of the country? I wonder if we have them in southern France. Climate is similar to southern California.

actually don't think Ihave ever had a spider bite.

 

[LMTC]

We used to see a fair number of spiders around/in the house. Wife can't abide by them....they are #1 on her "I-can't-stand-them" list. Several years ago we started spraying the exterior.....crawlspace, eaves, bottom boards, etc. with Bifen IT around April and then again in late September or October. We have seen probably no more than 3 spiders in the house in 3 years. Prior to doing this, we killed several each week.

 

[rox]

I asked Richard to send me the file (pm him) and it is well worth it, the pictures along with the text are great. I have also figured out that I probaby have had spider bites, because I have had sores with that little hole in the middle of the wound lke the pics show. I really appreciated having this file. Tahnks Richard.

 

[meledward23]

Yeah Rox, plenty or BR's out at the barn to go around. These spiders (BR's) are actually not "troublesome" in some regards. They run from light. They love the dark. So, unless you are crawling around under stuff, or picking through and old pile of junk you will rarely encounter one. Never the less I hate doing anything in that **** barn.

My wife's family owns the actual barn itself. I just work the land. The main barn is 28,500 sq ft if I recall correctly with full fly control. I am not sure what the spiders get after. Actually it is rarer to find them in the main barn, than our hayshed and tool sheds.

I dont tolerate spiders anywhere on my property. I seed a spider the whole area gets nuked.

 

[N80]

I have also figured out that I probaby have had spider bites, because I have had sores with that little hole in the middle of the wound lke the pics show.

Well, they might be spider bites, but probably not. And it is highly unlikely that they are Brown Recluse bites.

I've seen a trend over the last few years of people calling any unexplained red place a spider bite. I've seen lots of doctors propogating this myth. Most spiders can bite you. But very rarely does this result in any significant reaction. Spiders do not go around biting people. Unlike ticks, lice, scabies, mites, etc, they do not eat us. A spider has to be forced into close proximity to your exposed skin and feel threatened before it can or will do anything to hurt you.

Spiders are a lot like snakes, everyone thinks every spider is a Reculse or a black widow. I cannot count the number of spiders that patients bring into my office, often alive, quite certain they are Brown Recluse spiders. Many types of spiders have a violin-like design on their backs. Most spiders that people bring in are much too large to be Recluses. My point is, every snake in the water is not a water moccasin and every spider in your house is not a brown reculse. Every body take a deep breath and relax. Get a brown paper bag if you need one.

 

[1bush2hog]

What are the odds of a second bite?

Hopefully none of us will ever have to find out.

 

[txdon]

I dont tolerate spiders anywhere on my property. I seed a spider the whole area gets nuked.

Don't come to central Texas. Right now I have spider webs in every corner of every building. I have black widows with the remains of the males still in the web. I walk with a stick in front of me in the woods to knock down the spider webs before I have a face of web. My golf cart has three complete spider webs that catch bugs as I drive. Brown recluse spiders have disappeared into the wood walls in the bedroom......and yes, I know the difference between the Black Widows and the Brown Recluse and other similar shaped spiders (see picture at beginning of thread).

Spiders are keeping the bug population in check and the wasps are working hard trying to keep the spider population in check. No need to nuke, just work with nature and be careful.

 

[txdon]

Many types of spiders have a violin-like design on their backs. Most spiders that people bring in are much too large to be Recluses. My point is, every snake in the water is not a water moccasin and every spider in your house is not a brown reculse. Every body take a deep breath and relax. Get a brown paper bag if you need one.

N80, I found this spider in the shower this morning. I put a penny next to it and took the picture. It has a violin-like design on it's back, What is it?

 

[KaiB]

Boy if that's not a Fiddleback i don't know what is; I've killed a bunch of these guys in the shower also.

 

[KaiB]

You know, I just googled and learned enough to doubt myself (ain't this always so on the net?).

Evidently the major identifier is the fact that Recluses have six pairs of eyes rather than eight (no, I don't intend to look at one up close).

Another fact is an evenly colored abdomen. The more I compare Don's photo with the ones on the net, the more I wonder...any experts here?

 

[txdon]

Oh great, now I have to ge close enough to count eyes and then turn him over?

 

[KaiB]

I jsut read my post...its THREE pairs, not FOUR, i.e.,

The Recluse has six eyes which look like three dots and a "nicer" spider would have four dots.

I ain't looking.

 

[Richard]

Squish first, look second! If the squishee looks like it has 312 eyes, then divide by the number of eyes by how many times you whacked it with your shoe to achieve the proper eye count.

 

[txdon]

Squish first, look second! If the squishee looks like it has 312 eyes, then divide by the number of eyes by how many times you whacked it with your shoe to achieve the proper eye count.

If it was only that easy.

#1. Remove septic tank lid.
#2..........

 

[JESSE1]

These pictures have been going around the internet for years now
check it out here

http://www.snopes.com/photos/bugs/brownrecluse.asp

I'm working with a guy who had this man for a teacher at Kilgore College a few years ago. He was at an area lake and was setting his camera down on a table outside when he felt a sting on his hand. The treatment included sewing his hand to his abdomen in order to graft skin to his hand. Supposedly his hand is back to normal now.

 

[weldingisfun]

An article in the paper a few days ago told about a local woman who had been bitten on the leg by a Brown Recluse a year or two ago. She had to have the leg amputated last year and died a week ago from additional related complications.
Take Richard's advice, "Squish first, then look."

 

[dieselalles]

When I was 13 or 14, I received a light bite on the inside of my right leg by a Brown Recluse. I got up that morning and picked my blue jeans up off the floor and put them on as I had always done. Well, I didn't feel the bite but I felt the spider crawling around. I immediately shook it out of my pants and popped it with my belt when it hit the floor. I immediately noticed the violin on it's back but figured because I didn't feel anything that I didn't get bit. A day or two later I noticed a redness in my skin and at that point I suspected a bite. I told my mother and she hauled me to the doctor's office where they gave me medication to counter the bite. The only thing that happened from that point forward is that my skin turned from red to blue, like I had a bad bruise but that was it. Slowly the normal color came back, and 40 years later, only a tinge of red to remind me.

And from that point forward, no clothes on the floor. That sure broke me from suckin' eggs! And even to this day before I put any clothes, I shake them out...

Now what scares me are Black Widows. I heard on a TV program that their venom is 15 times deadlier than a Rattlesnake. I'm sure they don't inject as much but stilll. I put on gloves before I start digging around wood piles and dark areas!