What You Need to Know about Brown Recluse Spider Bites

During the summer months you tend to see more spiders. One spider, that we don’t see very often but is a very dangerous spider, is the brown recluse spider also known as the fiddle-back spider. The brown recluse is a poisonous spider that can cause tissue death at the bite site.  Children and adults both can become ill when bitten.    

 

How to Recognize a Brown Recluse

This type of spider is very unique. While most spiders have eight eyes, a brown recluse only has six. Its coloring consists of a sandy brown with the violin-shaped marking being a little darker than the rest of its body. You will also see many fine, short hairs on its body.

Where Can You Find a Brown Recluse?

These spiders like to build webs in dark places that haven’t been recently disturbed. Here are some examples of places you might find them: rotting bark, attics, basements, closets, behind pictures, shoes, cardboard boxes, garages, etc.

A person might not always be aware that they have been bitten, because the initial bite does not always hurt right away. Here are some symptoms that could occur from a brown recluse bite:

v  Chills

v  Nausea

v  Sweating

v  Fever

v  Rotting of the Skin around the Bite

 

If you think you or a loved one might have been bitten, please do not hesitate to contact your local Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 for free expert advice, 24 hours a day.