A Brown Recluse Spider’s Bite
Initially, the bite may feel like a pinprick or go unnoticed. Some may not be aware of the bite for 2 to 8 hours. Others feel a stinging sensation followed by intense pain. Infrequently, some victims experience general systemic reactions that may include restlessness, generalized itching, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, or shock. A small white blister usually initially rises at the bite site surrounded by a swollen area. The affected area enlarges and becomes red, and the tissue is hard to the touch for some time. The lesion from a brown recluse spider bite is a dry, blue-gray or blue-white, irregular sinking patch with ragged edges and surrounding redness–termed the “red, white, and blue sign.” The lesion usually is 1½ inches by 2¾ inches or smaller.
The bite of the brown recluse spider can result in a painful, deep wound that takes a long time to heal. Fatalities are extremely rare, but bites are most dangerous to young children, the elderly, and those in poor physical condition. When there is a severe reaction to the bite, the 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 dead tissue gradually sloughs away, exposing underlying tissues. The sunken, ulcerating sore may heal slowly up to 6 to 8 weeks. Full recovery may take several months and scarring may remain.
Preventing spider bites
Control of indoor infestations of the brown recluse spider can take a long time (6 months or more) and can be difficult because humans have a very low tolerance for this pest, it tends to be widely dispersed within infested buildings, and it seeks secluded sites. Control of spiders, including the brown recluse, is best achieved by following an integrated pest management (IPM) approach. IPM involves using multiple approaches such as preventive measures, exclusion, sanitation, trapping, and chemical treatment when necessary.
- Shake out clothing and shoes before getting dressed.
- Inspect bedding and towels before use.
- Wear gloves when handling firewood, lumber, and rocks (be sure to inspect the gloves for spiders before putting them on).
- Remove bedskirts and storage boxes from underneath beds. Move the bed away from the wall.
- Exercise care when handling cardboard boxes (recluse spiders often are found in the space under folded cardboard flaps).
Exclusion
- Install tight-fitting screens on windows and doors; also install door sweeps.
- Seal or caulk cracks and crevices where spiders can enter the house.
- Install yellow or sodium vapor light bulbs outdoors since these attract fewer insects for spiders to feed upon.
- Tape the edges of cardboard boxes to prevent spider entry.
- Use plastic bags (sealed) to store loose items in the garage, basement, and attic.
Sanitation
- Remove trash, old boxes, old clothing, wood piles, rock piles, and other unwanted items.
- Eliminate clutter in closets, basements, attics, garages, and outbuildings.
- Do not stack wood against the house.
- Clean up dead insects that the brown recluse spider can feed on.
Non-chemical control
- Use sticky traps or glueboards to capture spiders.
- Dust and vacuum thoroughly to remove spiders, webs, and egg sacs (dispose of the vacuum bag in a container outdoors).
- Use a rolled up newspaper or fly swatter to kill individual spiders.
Brown Recluse links
Identifying and Misidentifying the Brown Recluse Spider
The Brown Recluse Spider
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