The Brown Recluse Spider
Loxosceles reclusa
The brown recluse
spider is not common in eastern and northern states but is in southern
and
Midwestern states,
this spider probably hitchhiked (was shipped) into the home in furniture,
appliances, storage cartons, boxes, old clothes
and other household goods. The brown recluse
is not overly aggressive but will bite when cornered
or disturbed as when we put on clothing or
shoes, not used for long periods of time.
These shoes and clothes make an excellent
place for
the brown recluse to hide and should be thoroughly
checked before wearing them.
Brown Recluse' can be found under beds, in closets,
and hidden among piles of newspapers or
other items that are strewn around the house
or attic. These reclusive little brown spiders can
also be found in houses on the floor or behind
furniture (undisturbed areas).
Some people have been bitten after sleeping
in a bed which has been unused for a period of time.
This spider will bite after being accidentally
touched........while cleaning out undisturbed storage
areas. Fatalities are rare, but bites are
most dangerous to children, elderly and those in poor
physical condition.
Identification:
Adult brown recluse
spiders are soft-bodied, yellowish-tan to dark brown, about 1/4 to 1/2
inch
long and have long,
delicate grayish to dark brown legs covered with short, dark hairs.
The leg
span is about the size of a half dollar. Distinguishing
characteristics are the presence of three pairs
of eyes arranged in a semicircle on the forepart
of the head and a violin-shaped, dark marking
immediately behind the semicircle of eyes with
the neck of the violin pointing towards the bulbous
abdomen.
The eight legs and violin marking appear on the
flattened-like cephalothorax (combined area of
the head and thorax). Both the male
and female brown recluse spiders are similar in appearance
The immature stages
closely resemble the adults except for size and a slightly lighter color,
and
all are poisonous.
Life Cycle and Habits:
These spiders spin
small, loose, white to off-white webs with irregular strands.
The female lays
eggs from May through August
in off-white silken cases (sacs) about 1/3-inch in diameter.
Sacs
containing 40 or
more eggs each are found hung in the web.
These overwinter in sheltered, dark
areas and are guarded by the female until her
death. Each female may lay as many as 300
eggs
during her lifetime.
Spiderlings emerge in 24 to 36 days
leaving the egg case. They develop slowly ( over10 to 12
months), and are influenced by weather conditions
and food availability. Spiders can survive
long
periods of time without food or water and may
live as long as two years.
This spider is most
active at night when it comes out in search of food consisting of cockroaches
and other small insects.
During the day, their time is spent in quiet,
undisturbed places such as
bathrooms, bedrooms, closets, basements and cellars.
The spiders sometimes take shelter under
furniture, appliances and carpets, behind baseboards
and door facings, or in corners and crevices.
Some have been found
in stored clothing, old shoes, on the undersides of tables and chairs,
and
in folded bedding and undisturbed towels stored
for long periods of time. Outdoors, the spider
may be found in
sheltered corners among debris, in wood piles, under loose bark and stones,
in
old barns, storage sheds and garages. These
spiders are very adaptable and may be active
in
temperatures ranging from 45 to 110°F.
Bite Symptoms:
The severity of
a person's reaction to the bite depends on the amount of venom injected
and on the
individuals sensitivity to
it. Bite effects may be nothing at all, immediate or delayed. Some
may not
be aware of the bite for 2 to 8 hours,
whereas others feel a stinging sensation usually followed by
intense pain if there is a severe reaction. A
small white blister usually rises at the bite
site surrounded
by a large congested and swollen area.
Within 24 to 36 hours, a systemic reaction
may occur with
the victim, characterized by restlessness,
fever, chills, nausea, weakness and joint pain.
The affected
area enlarges, becomes inflamed and the tissue
is hard to the touch.
The spider's venom
contains an enzyme that destroys cell membranes in the wound area
with affected
tissue gradually sloughing away, exposing underlying
tissues Within 24 hours, the bite site
can erupt into
a "volcano lesion" (a hole in the flesh due to
damaged, gangrenous tissue).
The open wound may
range from the size of an adult's thumbnail to the span of a hand. The
sunken,
ulcerating sore
may heal slowly up to 6 to 8 weeks. Full recovery may take several months
and some
scarring may remain. Plastic surgery and skin
grafts are sometimes required.
First Aid:
If bitten, remain calm, collect the spider,
if possible, ( to facilitate positive identification)
then seek
medical attention immediately
(contact your physician, hospital and/or Poison Information Center).
Apply an antiseptic solution to prevent infection
and ice packs to relieve swelling and pain
directly
to the bite area.
An effective anti-venom is not generally available.
The physician
will usually administer high doses of
cortisone-type hormones to combat hemolysis and
other systemic complications. A report suggests
that treatment with dapsone (a drug used mainly
for leprosy) may reduce the degree of tissue damage.
Control Measures:
The brown recluse
spider is not aggressive and normally bites only when crushed, handled
or disturbed.
It is aptly named since it is a reclusive creature
seeking and preferring seclusion. Regular, quarterly use
of an approved intergrated
pest management program by a certified applicator, does wonders in keeping
your home safe from infestation.
Prevention:
Shake out clothing and shoes before dressing,
and inspect bedding and towels before using.
People are
most often bitten
when putting on clothing that has hung undisturbed, or shoes seldom worn,
into which
a spider has moved. If brown recluse' are
suspected of being present, do not go barefoot or handle fire-
wood without gloves.
Remove trash, old boxes, piles of lumber, old
clothing and other unwanted items. Eliminate
cluttered areas
in basements, closets, attics and other outbuildings.
Dust and vacuum thoroughly
and more frequently
around windows, corners in rooms, under furniture,
in storage areas and normally undisturbed
places to
eliminate spiders, webs and egg sacs. Use a dust
mop, broom and dust pan, if needed.
Install screens on doors and windows to prevent
entry. Seal or caulk cracks and crevices where
spiders
can enter the house. Wash off the outside
of the house and roof eves.
Insecticides:
Adult spiders spend little time in direct contact
with surfaces. Instead, they are found in or on webbing.
Thorough applications of fine particles of insecticides
such as ULV, aerosols or fogs contact spiders
in their webs causing quicker population reduction.
Use space sprays of pyrethrins or resmethrin for useful clean outs, especially attics and crawl spaces.
Thoroughly treat cracks and crevices of decorative
molding, window and door trim and undersides of
tables, chairs and shelves with residual pesticides.
The use of a microencapsulated formulation
works
extremely well in
controlling the Brown Recluse. Outdoors, spray around the perimeter of
buildings using
formulations that will not damage plants. Treat
under eaves, patios and decks if the house
is of pier and
beam construction. Baygon,
Deltamethrin and permethrin are frequently used.
Before using any pesticide, always read the label
and follow directions and safety precautions. Check
with your county extension agent about the proper
chemicals that are properly labeled for home use.
One of the biggest mistakes a homeowner can make
is to mix the chemical too strong. One
might
think that even though the label calls for 2
ounces per gallon, 4 or 6 ounces per gallon would be even
better. NO!! All that will do is subject
your body to much more chemical than you need be subjected
to. It is
both dangerous and foolhardy to overmix chemicals.
These formulations have been checked
and rechecked to arrive at the optimum solution
mix. In this case more is definitely not better.
If you have a history of allergies and/or reactions
to insect bites, the best course of action would be to
call in a professional pest control technician
to take care of the job for you.