abe28
03-08-2008, 05:34 PM
SPIDER INFORMATION
The name "Brown Recluse" describes the color and the habits of this increasingly infamous spider. Brown Recluse spiders, with the scientific name of Loxosceles reclusa are one of the few spiders in the United States that are known to be very harmful to humans. It is regarded by some as more dangerous than the Black Widow spider because it is considered a house spider and isn't as simple to identify.
Appearance and Identification
Adult Brown Recluse spiders are yellowish-tan to dark brown. They have long, thin gray to dark brown legs covered with very short, dark hairs. Both male and female spiders are similar in appearance and are equally venomous. Young Brown Recluse spiders are smaller and somewhat lighter in color. The most distinguishing mark on a brown recluse spider is the presence of a dark brown or black violin or fiddle on its back with the violin's "neck" pointing toward the rear of its body. For this reason, they are sometimes called "violin spiders" or "fiddleback spiders". See the below pictures which were taken from a brown recluse spider in a Missouri home:
http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/623/br9thumbqz0.jpg
Brown Recluse Spider To the right is a detailed photo of a Brown Recluse spider. A Brown Recluse spider will not have any stripes or patterns on the abdomen and has fairly delicate which it can easily lose if handled roughly.
http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/7714/br7thumbly3.jpg
Variant color Another Brown Recluse spider. Note the variant color in the abdomen of the Spider. This one has a lighter tan color whereas the previous spider was more of a dark brown. If the abdomen is dark brown and shriveling up a bit, the spider is near death.
http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/2420/br8thumbtk5.jpg
Variant Sizes This photo shows the different sizes of a Brown Recluse spider. Juvenile Brown Recluses will be light tan in color. The record size is 2.8745 inches.
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/8049/br11thumbpt6.jpg
"The Violin" A close-up view of the spider's "violin" or "Fiddle" shape. Above the violin is the Spider's 6 eyes. Most spiders have 8 eyes. Above the eyes are the fangs of the spider.
http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/4200/br10thumbma1.jpg
Black Widow vs. Brown Recluse?A Brown Recluse Spider is placed in the same jar as a the infamous Black Widow. At first, they do not fight at all and seem content to live together with the common goal of getting out of the jar. After one week, a small beetle was placed in the jar for food. 3 days later, the Black Widow and the beetle are both dead. The Brown Recluse spider is still alive, but with only 4 of its 8 legs. In lab conditions, Brown Recluses have lived for several months on only 3 legs--hunting and feeding as normal. Brown Recluses can still bite up to 8 minutes with all 8 legs and even the abdomen removed. So even with only its head intact, it can still deliver a venomous bite.
Diet and Feeding Habits
Source: Dale Losher
Brown Recluse spiders feed on cockroaches and other insects. They do not spin webs to catch prey but instead hunt for their prey or wait until an insect comes in close proximity to them. Mobile prey like houseflies and relatively harmless prey are held down with the initial bite while the venom does its work. With prey that might be more harmful to the spider, such as other spiders or ants, the Brown Recluse spider will lunge and bite the prey in a vulnerable area and immediately back away while the venom acts to quickly paralyze them. The spider then moves in to feed. The same venom that acts to liquefy an insect's innards for consumption also causes the "flesh rotting" appearances as shown on the right.
http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/3966/bite7buw6.jpg
During the day, Brown Recluse spiders spend their time in quiet, undisturbed places. If they are seen roaming during the day, pesticide applications, hunger, overcrowding or a desire to find a mate has probably brought them out. Sometimes they will be discovered trapped within a smooth surface such as a bathtub or sink. But because they are primarily nocturnal, they will typically begin to stray from their hiding place about an hour or two after dark. This is when they spend their time hunting for food. This explains why many bites occur while victims are sleeping. While they are hunting for food, they may crawl up onto a bed and bite when the victim inadvertently rolls onto the spider during normal sleep movements. Necrosis such as in the above photo above can be the result. Necrosis can be prevented by applying our product to the wound as soon as possible.
Brown Recluse spiders are remarkably resilient and can survive 6 to 12 months with no food or water and have an average life span of 2 to 4 years. In laboratory conditions, they have lived as long as 7 years.
Location
Brown Recluse spiders prefer warm, dry locations. Here are some places where they are typically found indoors:
•Inside shoes •Inside dressers •In showers and bathtubs (slippery surface traps the spider) • Underneath couches, tables and chairs •In bed sheets of infrequently used beds •In stacks of clothes •Behind baseboards. •In boxes •Behind pictures •In closets •Behind furniture • Garages • Storage sheds •Cellars •Firewood •Near furnaces and water heaters
The name "Brown Recluse" describes the color and the habits of this increasingly infamous spider. Brown Recluse spiders, with the scientific name of Loxosceles reclusa are one of the few spiders in the United States that are known to be very harmful to humans. It is regarded by some as more dangerous than the Black Widow spider because it is considered a house spider and isn't as simple to identify.
Appearance and Identification
Adult Brown Recluse spiders are yellowish-tan to dark brown. They have long, thin gray to dark brown legs covered with very short, dark hairs. Both male and female spiders are similar in appearance and are equally venomous. Young Brown Recluse spiders are smaller and somewhat lighter in color. The most distinguishing mark on a brown recluse spider is the presence of a dark brown or black violin or fiddle on its back with the violin's "neck" pointing toward the rear of its body. For this reason, they are sometimes called "violin spiders" or "fiddleback spiders". See the below pictures which were taken from a brown recluse spider in a Missouri home:
http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/623/br9thumbqz0.jpg
Brown Recluse Spider To the right is a detailed photo of a Brown Recluse spider. A Brown Recluse spider will not have any stripes or patterns on the abdomen and has fairly delicate which it can easily lose if handled roughly.
http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/7714/br7thumbly3.jpg
Variant color Another Brown Recluse spider. Note the variant color in the abdomen of the Spider. This one has a lighter tan color whereas the previous spider was more of a dark brown. If the abdomen is dark brown and shriveling up a bit, the spider is near death.
http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/2420/br8thumbtk5.jpg
Variant Sizes This photo shows the different sizes of a Brown Recluse spider. Juvenile Brown Recluses will be light tan in color. The record size is 2.8745 inches.
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/8049/br11thumbpt6.jpg
"The Violin" A close-up view of the spider's "violin" or "Fiddle" shape. Above the violin is the Spider's 6 eyes. Most spiders have 8 eyes. Above the eyes are the fangs of the spider.
http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/4200/br10thumbma1.jpg
Black Widow vs. Brown Recluse?A Brown Recluse Spider is placed in the same jar as a the infamous Black Widow. At first, they do not fight at all and seem content to live together with the common goal of getting out of the jar. After one week, a small beetle was placed in the jar for food. 3 days later, the Black Widow and the beetle are both dead. The Brown Recluse spider is still alive, but with only 4 of its 8 legs. In lab conditions, Brown Recluses have lived for several months on only 3 legs--hunting and feeding as normal. Brown Recluses can still bite up to 8 minutes with all 8 legs and even the abdomen removed. So even with only its head intact, it can still deliver a venomous bite.
Diet and Feeding Habits
Source: Dale Losher
Brown Recluse spiders feed on cockroaches and other insects. They do not spin webs to catch prey but instead hunt for their prey or wait until an insect comes in close proximity to them. Mobile prey like houseflies and relatively harmless prey are held down with the initial bite while the venom does its work. With prey that might be more harmful to the spider, such as other spiders or ants, the Brown Recluse spider will lunge and bite the prey in a vulnerable area and immediately back away while the venom acts to quickly paralyze them. The spider then moves in to feed. The same venom that acts to liquefy an insect's innards for consumption also causes the "flesh rotting" appearances as shown on the right.
http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/3966/bite7buw6.jpg
During the day, Brown Recluse spiders spend their time in quiet, undisturbed places. If they are seen roaming during the day, pesticide applications, hunger, overcrowding or a desire to find a mate has probably brought them out. Sometimes they will be discovered trapped within a smooth surface such as a bathtub or sink. But because they are primarily nocturnal, they will typically begin to stray from their hiding place about an hour or two after dark. This is when they spend their time hunting for food. This explains why many bites occur while victims are sleeping. While they are hunting for food, they may crawl up onto a bed and bite when the victim inadvertently rolls onto the spider during normal sleep movements. Necrosis such as in the above photo above can be the result. Necrosis can be prevented by applying our product to the wound as soon as possible.
Brown Recluse spiders are remarkably resilient and can survive 6 to 12 months with no food or water and have an average life span of 2 to 4 years. In laboratory conditions, they have lived as long as 7 years.
Location
Brown Recluse spiders prefer warm, dry locations. Here are some places where they are typically found indoors:
•Inside shoes •Inside dressers •In showers and bathtubs (slippery surface traps the spider) • Underneath couches, tables and chairs •In bed sheets of infrequently used beds •In stacks of clothes •Behind baseboards. •In boxes •Behind pictures •In closets •Behind furniture • Garages • Storage sheds •Cellars •Firewood •Near furnaces and water heaters