Crickets, and snails and other creepy-crawlies...they don't scare me. Snakes? Nah, they don't scare me either unless they're making rattling noises or standing at attention to an accompaniment of music from a snake charmers' flute. Neither do I suffer from arachnophobia (a general fear of spiders). Perhaps that lack of general concern for critters and such is a product of having been reared in central Florida where bugs are seemingly everywhere.There is one particular fear, though, that I do have...whether it be founded or unfounded, good or bad...and that's the quite reasonable (in my estimation) fear of unknowingly coming in too close contact with a Loxoceles reclusa...a Brown Recluse spider. If the truth were to be accurately conveyed...the very thought gives me the heebie-jeebies. The Brown Recluse is one of the few spiders that are harmful to humans. Another spider that is harmful to humans is the Black Widow with which most of us are at least vaguely familiar...but for some reason they just don't bother me too much although I am always "on the lookout" for them too.
Having performed thousands and thousands of Raleigh home inspections, I have had the opportunity to go in some great homes. I have also had the...opportunity, if you will...of going into some homes that were, well, not so great. Even in homes that look perfectly safe and in near pristine condition, there are potential dangers that may be lurking about.
Here in the eastern United States a large percentage of homes are constructed upon crawl space foundations. Crawl spaces have the deserved reputation of being less than desirable places to "hang out". I don't know anyone who finishes dinner, for instance, and says to their significant other "Honey, let's go down in the crawl space for a little while and...." You get the picture; it's just not the favorite part of the average persons' home. But it is an important place into which I must willingly and gallantly venture in the performance of my professional duties as a Home Inspector. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't relish the thought of being bitten by anything, really, but especially not a Brown Recluse spider. These spiders can be found in places other than crawl spaces. But it's usually there...in darkness and separated from the outside world, that I sometimes think about them (and other potential local hazards) and am usually in a heightened state of alert for any creature that might be observing me while I am making my observations...it's the things we don't see or hear that often impart the most fear in us, is it not?
So, why should you be concerned about Brown Recluse spiders? Because...they can be living with you in and around your home. The potential for you to come in contact with one is real. It's better to be educated and informed than...bitten! Agreed? Good!
How can you visually identify a Brown Recluse spider? A large Brown Recluse is something a bit larger in size than a penny. Typically, they are light to medium brown although they range in color from cream-colored to dark brown or a blackish-gray. Their most readily identifiable feature is the presence of a violin-shaped marking on their back with the neck of the violin pointing toward the rear of their body. It's this marking that has led to nicknames having been given the Recluse such as the "fiddle back spider" and the "violin spider". It is noteworthy that other spiders have similar markings, so such a marking is not absolutely reliable insofar as identification is concerned. Another distinguishing trait of the Brown Recluse is that it has three sets of two eyes, at the front of its head, for a total of six eyes; most spiders have eight eyes.
Are they indigenous to my part of the country? Brown Recluse spiders are native to the Midwest states such as Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio and south to the Gulf of Mexico. They are also found in Texas and east from there to Georgia and north to Kentucky. They are known to exist elsewhere as well, likely as the result of traveling along with humans in their travels [Authors note: I know they live in North Carolina because I've seen em'...the little buggers!]. For more information on the Brown Recluse in North Carolina, visit the website of the North Carolina Nature Center.
Will they try to attack me, or chase me? No, they will not. They don't seek out human contact and will only bite if they are disturbed, feel threatened, and are in contact with your skin. They can "jump" slightly if touched but this movement is based in avoidance rather than aggression.
Why are they potentially dangerous? Because they are venomous...poisonous. A bite from a Recluse will be very uncomfortable at the very best...and fatal at the very worst (although this is very, very rare). The majority of bites are not exceptionally serious but, as with many dangers, the very young, the elderly, and those with a compromised immune system are at the greatest risk for more severe complications.
Where might you find a Brown Recluse spider around my home? Recluse spiders like to reside in many of the same places you like to hang out within your home. They can be found in closets, garages, carports, basements, wood piles (well, maybe you don't hang out in your wood pile)...just about any location where it is reasonably dry and generally undisturbed. They can also be potentially found in shoes, gloves, behind base-boards, behind pictures, in the bedding of little used beds, in stacked or folded clothing, and in clothes that have been piled or placed on the floor. Many reported bites have been immediately after putting on clothes that have been lying on the floor or otherwise disturbing the spiders who have taken up residence in such isolated areas.
How might you know if you have been bitten by a Recluse? A bite may be readily apparent but this is not always the case. Some bites can go undetected for as much as 24 hours. Often, the bitten area begins to itch and be painful within 2 - 8 hours and these effects worsen and become more pronounced over the subsequent 12 to 36 hours. In extreme cases, the site of the bite can swell in size to 10 inches or more and the areas can become ulcerated and where skin tissue is actually destroyed (a condition medically described as necrosis for which there is no established treatment) and that can result in scarring of the skin. In very rare instances, the venomous bite can cause a systemic reaction (one that effects the entire body) where side-effects can include nausea, vomiting, muscle and joint pain, fever, and rashes.
So, what should you do if you know, or suspect, that you have been bitten by a Recluse? You should provide or seek proper medical care just as soon as you exhibit any local or systemic symptoms. Following prudence and common sense, as with the care of any injury or skin damage, the area should be cleaned and should be maintained in a clean, dry condition to every extent possible; every effort should be put forth to avoid infection. Something that can be done initially is to apply an ice pack to control swelling. Aloe-Vera can be applied to soothe the area and control pain. And, of course, you should seek professional medical attention. A tetanus shot may be prescribed. The offending spider could be carefully caught and saved in a jar or other container to provide evidence to medical staff but, again, the bites often go undetected so this may not be possible.
Since there are potentially serious medical consequences of having been bitten by a Brown Recluse spider, and since it is desirable to avoid such a bite, then the best defense is a good offense (to use an unrelated sports metaphor). The effective offense comes from being educated about the possibilities of a spider bite and in being informed about potential consequences and appropriate courses of action. It's important to know how to minimize the chance of an encounter with a Brown Recluse e.g. checking your shoes, gloves, and other clothing before putting them on and knowing where they like to hide out so that you can be more observant and cognizant regarding their potential presence. And...it's important to know what to do if you suspect that you may have been bitten.
As for myself...as I 'm crawlin' around under a house, I'll just hope that a snake has already eaten em'...or somethin'!
Gary Gentry is the owner of Quality Residential Inspections, a Raleigh Home Inspection firm in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is a veteran Home Inspector, having performed many thousands of fee-paid inspections of residential, commercial, and industrial properties. You are cordially invited to visit their website at http://qriquality.com
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