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Brown recluse spider. Brown Spider Where do recluse spiders live in which states?

Representatives of the genus Loxosceles from the family brown spiders hermits are also known as reaper spiders and violin spiders, some of which are dangerous to humans. The most famous is the brown recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa, which is one of the 3 most poisonous arthropod species in the United States. He shares “prize places” with his “brother” the Chilean hermit (Loxosceles Laeta) and. They are only more poisonous, but they do not live in North America.

Habitat

Hermit spiders are inhabitants of warm regions in the Old and New Worlds, although this is a relative concept. The areas where representatives of the genus Loxosceles live include states with continental climate. Frosts in the range of brown recluse spiders can reach -38°C.

Loxosceles Reclusa was introduced by humans to African continent and in South America. Therefore, today representatives of this species can be found on 3 continents.

Note!
Under natural conditions, spiders hide under stones and snags. But in populated areas crawl into human houses, where they build nests in basements. You can even meet a recluse spider in the bed under the pillow if it crawls there. The brown spider Loxosceles reclusa can only bite a person in self-defense if you try to catch or pin him down.

Appearance

Color can vary even within the same species and depends on the surrounding area. The color is:

brown;
gray;
dirty yellow.

There are even dark green individuals.

Note!
The brown spider with long legs is a Chilean species of recluse.

In terms of toxicity, the “Chilean” is somewhat inferior to its brown counterpart. In many bites, the Chilean recluse was blamed unfairly, since the “culprit” was some other spider or insect. But there are claims that a “Chilean” bite leads to death in 3 out of 10 cases.

Among the “American” hermits there is a red-colored spider (loxosceles rufescens), living in Hawaii. It is also inferior in toxicity to brown.

Mediterranean

In Russia, hermits are found as having been brought along with fruits from warm countries, except for the Mediterranean species Loxosceles rufescens. The Mediterranean hermit is found in warm regions Russia, and also spread throughout the world with the help of humans. Arthropod of small size. It has a red-brown color. Sometimes the color of an individual of this species can be yellow-brown. Toxicity has not been confirmed.

Note!
The brown recluse spider is often called another species belonging to the genus Coelotes from.

190 species of the genus Coelotes are distributed throughout almost the entire territory of Europe, but their bite does not pose a danger to humans. Arthropods hide in natural shelters, and it is difficult for humans to cross paths with them unless they specifically catch the animal.

Hermit lifestyle

The brown spider prefers to settle in secluded corners where it can catch small insects. But he prefers active hunting. For this reason, it often ends up in human homes. Males spend a significant part of their time hunting, leaving the web. Females prefer to hunt close to the nest. Lead night look life.

The lifespan of most species is 1.5-2 years. The brown recluse lives for 7 years.

Reproduction

Arthropods of the genus Loxosceles breed from May to July. Over 2-3 months, the female makes several cocoons with 5 eggs in each. She places them in her web. The presence of cocoons with eggs is the reason why the female can bite on her own initiative.

The spiderlings hatch 30 days after laying. Young animals reach puberty only after a year of life.

Interesting!
Brown recluses can live without water or food for about 6 months. In the laboratory, a specimen of this species existed for 5 years.

Because of global warming Scientists have expressed concerns about the expansion of the range of Loxosceles Reclusa. But spiderlings of this species do not use webs to disperse through the air over long distances. Therefore, the world is threatened only by the increased density of spiders in their ancestral territory.

Consequences of a bite

What happens after a recluse spider bites depends on how effectively it hunted. That is, from the presence of poison. If the hunt was successful and the poison was used to capture the victim, the attack may go unnoticed. If the spider is hungry and has a lot of poison, the consequences of the bite can be much more severe. With a large amount of poison, a necrotic ulcer forms on the affected area.

Since these spiders are often confused with other species, there is a serious discrepancy in the sensations of a person during a bite. Some people feel it like the pain of a wasp sting, but for others it goes unnoticed.

The effect of the poison appears 2-8 hours after the bite. The victim appears:

fever;
nausea;
malaise.

Note!
Further hemolysis and thrombocytopenia develop. A gangrenous scab appears at the site, which subsequently develops into a necrotic ulcer. The size of the ulcer can reach 25 cm. Healing takes from 3 months to six months. At the site of the ulcer, a depression remains forever in the muscles.

If the body is weakened, due to internal bleeding after a bite, death is possible.

Help with a bite

First of all, you need to try to catch the object so that the doctors in the hospital can determine which serum to inject. If it is not possible to catch, ice is applied to the bite site to slow the spread of the venom. After which, or simultaneously with the search for ice, emergency assistance is called. But more often, bites either pass without consequences or go unnoticed.

The brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa, lat.) is one of the representatives of araneomorphic spiders. This species is most common in the eastern United States. From there he migrated in the southern and southwestern directions of this continent, and there is also evidence that this type was also introduced to Australia. The most suitable conditions for its functioning are subtropical zone, Mediterranean. The venom and bite of the recluse spider is extremely poisonous and dangerous to humans.

Appearance

The brown recluse spider has several main features. The first of these is three pairs of eyes, while other arthropods have four. It has white spots at the joints of the legs, as well as a random flesh-colored web with an extremely sticky structure.

Danger to humans

The bite of a recluse spider is considered one of the most dangerous for humans, because its venom is distinguished by its toxicity, and the bite itself is barely noticeable on the skin (as a rule, it resembles an injection from an ordinary needle).

Hunting methods

For the most part, the brown recluse spider is not an aggressive member of its species. He himself attacks people very rarely, only in cases of obvious danger from a person, when he accidentally disturbed his mink. Most often this happens in bed, in shoes or some closets, among various rubbish. The spider regards such actions as an invasion of its territory. The result is a human bite. Typically it occurs on the arms, neck or lower abdomen.

Signs of a Brown Recluse Bite

After a spider bite, an unpleasant burning sensation or noticeable tingling of the skin may appear in this area. Further symptoms develop depending on how much poison was introduced by the spider. In cases where it was enough large number- after five to six hours the wound swells and turns into a blister.

Intestinal disorder.
Heart problems, tingling and pain.
Symptoms of a cold include runny nose, cough, loss of strength and broken bones.

After 2-3 days, the ulcer from the spider bite on the skin bursts and a non-healing ulcer forms in this place. Next, tissue necrosis appears.

This is due to the fact that the venom of this spider is saturated with the enzymes protease and alkaline acid phosphatase. If necrosis has begun, wound healing may take several years.

First aid for a brown recluse spider bite

A person affected by this arthropod urgently needs help. The first action that is carried out after calling an ambulance and before its arrival is washing the wound with soapy water. Next, you need to place ice in a cloth and place it on the bite (for 10-15 minutes). This procedure requires several repetitions. This is done because the cold slows down the action of the toxins contained in the poison.

When doctors arrive, the first thing the victim is given is antihistamines. The doctor is also advised to be sure to catch the culprit of the incident and place him in a jar with a tight lid.

List of medications that should be taken in case of a brown recluse spider bite:

Drugs with anti-inflammatory properties.
Dextran for poison detoxification.
Antimicrobial ointments and drugs (for example, Dapsone).
Antibiotics as prescribed by the attending physician.

Precautions

In areas where it is expected to live brown recluse You need to dust off your clothes, as well as your shoes.
Shake and check bedding.
When working in the garden or around the house in general, you must use gloves; walking barefoot is prohibited.
Be more careful when carrying stones and other household tools.

Some time ago, a story about a spider invasion on the home of residents of Missouri (USA) created a lot of noise. An unpleasant neighbor It turned out to be a brown recluse spider - an impudent and deadly creature. What circumstances preceded the invasion of almost 6 thousand little monsters remains a mystery, but he won this battle, evicting a man from his own home. We’ll tell you in more detail how to identify a poisonous arachnid and the dangers of meeting one.

Let's get to know each other better

When describing an encounter, eyewitnesses often call it a big brown spider. But, as you know, fear has big eyes. Actually the hermit or Loxosceles reclusa is no different large sizes– even taking into account the leg span, its length is 2 cm. The parameters of the body itself are 5–7 mm.

Why a hermit?

He is called a hermit for his desire for solitude and nocturnal lifestyle. You won't see its webs on the ceiling or between plants. He builds his nest in secluded, inaccessible places; he likes it to be dark and dry. These are solitary spiders that can live in groups, but do not need it at all. In addition, he is not attached to his path, going for prey, he goes far from the nest.

Distinctive features of the “portrait”

The brown recluse spider is easy to identify by appearance, although in the photo he somewhat resembles a haymaker - a harmless and terribly timid creature.

The arthropod has a dirty brown or dark yellow color, almost uniform on the cephalothorax, abdomen, and legs. Distinctive feature– drawing on outside cephalothorax, resembling a violin. The spider has long, widely spaced legs. The body is covered with short dense hairs.

There are several other features that distinguish the brown recluse spider from the large order of arachnids.

In addition to the recognizable pattern, it has 3 pairs of eyes, and not 4, like other relatives.
If you look closely, lighter spots are visible on the legs at the joints.
Its web is chaotic, sticky, whitish in color, and does not have the usual radial pattern.
If the hermit is disturbed, he instinctively accepts threatening pose– rests on the hind legs, the front legs – retracts, the second pair (pedipalps) – lifts.

Where is it found?

The homeland and traditional distribution area of the brown recluse spider is eastern regions USA, from here it migrates to the southern and southwestern direction of the mainland. There is evidence that Loxosceles reclusa was introduced to Australia. By climatic conditions Suitable habitat regions are the Mediterranean, the subtropical zone of Eurasia. Fortunately, no dangerous arthropod has been spotted here yet.

How to hunt?

The hermit is small in size, does not weave trapping nets, and therefore uses only possible way hunting - kills the victim with poison. It goes out at night in search of prey. When it detects an insect or other spider, it attacks and quickly injects venom, immobilizing the victim. Death occurs instantly, since its poison is one of the most toxic substances, the nature of which is not fully understood.

Pay attention! The venom of the spider Loxosceles reclusa is transparent and viscous. It contains dangerous enzymes that, when they get under the skin, destroy cellular connections, trigger the process of death of soft tissues, and cause multiple inflammations.

Life cycle

Brown spiders from the genus Loxosceles are long-lived. The average lifespan is 2–4 years, some specimens live up to 6 years. The female, before laying eggs, weaves a dense cocoon. The number of eggs in a clutch is 40–50 pcs. The spider reliably protects the future offspring, practically without leaving the nest until the juvenile spiders appear. Before reaching a sexually mature form, the cub molts up to 8 times, shedding its dense chitinous shell.

Probability of meeting a person

Not only man tames nature, but also our little brothers adapt to coexistence with civilization. Thus, the brown recluse spider happily climbs into a dry, warm, or even better, abandoned room. Likely places to encounter dangerous arthropods are barns, attics, empty summer houses, basements, and woodpiles. It enters houses through open windows, doors. Here it hides from human eyes behind radiators, baseboards, paintings, between the wall and tightly pushed furniture.

An arthropod attacks when it feels threatened - crushed, stepped on. Shows aggression; if the nest is destroyed, they will suddenly invade the shelter.

Pay attention! In the States, bites from this spider are not uncommon. Representatives of the genus Loxosceles reclusa affect up to 7 thousand people annually. In a third of them, the bite leads to serious consequences. Under unfavorable circumstances, death is possible.

Consequences of a bite

Those who are unlucky describe the bite of a recluse spider as a sharp, sudden sting, the pain of which quickly subsides. At first glance, it can easily be confused with a mosquito bite. It is rare that the victim immediately seeks help, since the consequences occur only after 6–8 hours. What symptoms appear?

Initially painless, after a few hours the bite begins to pulsate with acute pain.
The damaged area swells, turns red, and becomes hot.
Gradually, the redness and swelling intensify and spread - this is the lesion growing under the influence of the toxin.
The head begins to hurt, weakness, nausea appear, the temperature may rise - symptoms of intoxication of the body.
A blister appears at the site of skin punctures, which then bursts, forming an ulcer.

It is at this stage that victims, as a rule, seek help medical care. If it is provided late, local necrosis (death) of tissue may occur. The site of the bite changes radically, turning into a wound, after two days.

Pay attention! Necrosis is a severe, ugly-looking wound when, under the influence of poison, the flesh actually rots away. More precisely, the poison provokes a secondary infection, multiple inflammations that disable the vital systems of the body. Treatment of such complications after a recluse spider bite takes from 3–6 months to 3 years. A noticeable scar remains at the site of the injury.

According to doctors, this poison is so strong that death does not occur just because of a tiny dose of the toxin. But if it gets into the body of an allergy sufferer, a child, or a person with a weak immune system, the outcome is unpredictable.

Urgent Care

The wound should be washed with soap cold water, disinfect with an antiseptic.
Try to squeeze out the poison from the skin puncture.
To slow the spread of the toxin, apply ice to the bite from time to time.
It is recommended to apply a tight bandage or tourniquet above the affected area.
You can take an antibiotic or drink an antiallergic drug.

These are just measures emergency care, which do not cancel a visit to the doctor. At least for insurance purposes.

Precautions against Potential Hazards

The possibility of being bitten by a brown spider can be minimized by taking precautions.

Inspect your clothes and shoes before putting them on, and your bed before going to bed.
When cleaning the room, working in the yard, garden, wear gloves.
Do not litter living and utility rooms with empty boxes, unnecessary things, paper, rags.
Install mosquito nets on windows and keep doors closed.
“Do not breed” flies, mosquitoes and other insects in your house that attract arachnid hunters.

And finally. Before you go to an unfamiliar country, take an interest in its poisonous fauna.

Features of the recluse spider, help with a bite:

This post is definitely not for the faint of heart, because below you will see a photo report of what it is like to be bitten by a brown recluse spider. This is just cruel... The following is the author's text.

The first thing I discovered was the leg of something strange, after I woke up from the feeling that someone had bitten me

Most likely, a brown recluse spider crawled into the bed and when I turned around, it bit my leg at the moment I crushed it. Here he is...

Day 1. It seems like nothing, but it’s in the photo. It felt like pain akin to having boiling water poured on me from the inside. I decided not to lie down, but to act

A little later... I felt the toxin spreading under the skin, I had difficulty controlling the muscles in this place and the bite site itched terribly.

I went to the doctor. He prescribed medications, recommended compresses and ointments and the like. This is what appeared by the time I ended up at the doctor.

Day 2. I woke up with a spot like this. The pain was 7 on a 10 point scale.

Gradually everything began to inflate. Plasters? I don't know why I stuck it...

5 days passed... The blisters burst and I went to the doctor

A day has passed and everything is new... Bruises? These are not bruises, but dead tissue

Just a little more. Necrosis is visible, but it’s better

This species (Loxosceles reclusa) is an inhabitant of warm continents, common in America and Australia (after it was introduced there). It is not found in Russia and Ukraine; it is sporadically recorded in southern Europe.

Outwardly, it resembles a harvestman (arachnid arthropod with long legs), but unlike it, it has a brown color and a potent poison. The size of the animal is small - up to two centimeters (including legs). In this article, the reader will learn about the consequences of a brown recluse spider bite.

The species owes its name to its hidden way of life. Individuals constantly hide, hunt at night and prefer not to be seen by humans.

Nesting sites are always carefully hidden, the animal avoids damp and damp places. They live more often separately, less often in small groups. The web is used exclusively for nest construction.

It feeds on small insects, attacking them and killing them with poison, and the search for prey can be carried out far from the place of residence. The toxins are so strong that the victim dies instantly, and completely true chemical composition the poison is not clear.

Note. The poisonous substance of the brown recluse spider has a viscous and transparent consistency. It contains specific proteins that are capable of destroying tissue, which causes inflammatory processes and necrosis.

Distinctive Features

The arthropod is easily recognizable by its appearance, which is clearly visible from its photo. The main color is brown, but depending on the environmental conditions of living it can vary from light to dark yellow.

The entire body, which is covered with small hairs, has the same tone. Characteristic black is the violin-shaped pattern on the abdomen and widely spaced legs.

In addition to those mentioned, distinctive features brown recluse spiders are:

six eyes instead of eight (like other arachnids);
there are light spots at the junction of the leg segments;
the web has no radial symmetry, is disorderly, off-white and sticky;
in conditions of danger, the individual takes a threatening pose: stands on hind legs, the middle ones lift, and the front ones retract.

Life cycle

Loxosceles have a relatively long lifespan, ranging from two to four years on average. There are cases when zoologists found individuals six years old. Egg laying occurs in the spring; for this, a cocoon is woven from a spider's web.

As a rule, the brood is from 40 to 50 individuals. From the moment the eggs appear until the onset of puberty (after the eighth molt of the young), the female protects her offspring, and during this period she is especially aggressive.

Contact with a person

Spiders are more common in natural landscapes, but easily adapted to anthropogenic conditions. In human buildings they find warmth, dryness, protection from external factors and, not rarely, food in the form of small insects.

Favorite places are considered to be premises where people rarely visit: barns, attics, garages, abandoned houses and other premises. Quite often, animals settle in stored firewood and piles of dry garbage.

In living rooms they are quite rare. The route of entry is doors and windows. Common hiding places: baseboards, back walls of furniture, radiators, paintings and voids under beds. If you crush or step on a spider or disturb its shelter, this most often ends in a bite.

Note. In the United States, brown recluse spiders affect about 7,000 people each year, causing serious complications in 30% of them. Lethal outcomes are rare.

Consequences

In an unfavorable combination of circumstances, a person first feels a slight prick, the sensation of which soon disappears. This is somewhat reminiscent of a mosquito bite, so people rarely seek any help.

Negative symptoms develop after about 7 hours, with the victim feeling:

throbbing pain appears at the site of penetration of the poison;
the area around the wound swells, hyperemia develops;
Over time, the tumor becomes larger, which is explained by the spread of toxins;
dizziness, headache, signs of dyspepsia and low-grade fever may appear;
in some cases, the rhythm of the heart is disturbed;
the number of leukocytes in the blood increases
Dropsy develops at the site of the bite, which, after breaking the skin, turns into a small ulcer.

The appearance of negative symptoms forces victims to consult a doctor. If timely assistance is not provided, the poison dissolves small tissues and necrosis occurs.

In this case, wound healing will take quite a long time, and the possibility of infection with pathogenic microflora cannot be excluded, which can cause lesions internal organs. In such a case, treatment may take several years.

For healthy person The bite of a brown recluse spider is not serious, but it can cause death in an allergic person, a small child, or in people weakened by serious chronic diseases or with a weak immune system.

Please note. The jaws of individuals are quite weak and are not able to bite through thick skin, such as the soles of their feet or clothing.

Help and prevention

First aid instructions (table) for a brown recluse spider bite do not differ in a special algorithm of actions - its essence is identical when encountering any species of arthropods of this class. The measures taken are described in more detail in the video in this article.

Table. Urgent Care:

Action	Comment
	First, the bite site needs to be washed clean water, and then treat with any available antiseptic, for example, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, lemon juice and others.
	This measure will significantly reduce the likelihood of infection by pathogenic microorganisms.
	Ice or any product from the freezer, which should be placed in cellophane and applied to the affected area, is better suited for this purpose.
	In order to reduce the negative impact of the poison, you can take one or two tablets of any anti-allergy drug.
	The more liquid (the better clean water) a person uses, the faster it is possible to reduce negative manifestations caused by intoxication.

You should not cut the wound and try to squeeze the poison out of it. There is also no need to cauterize the bite site or apply a tourniquet to the injured limb.

All these measures cannot get rid of negative influence toxin, but will lead to the formation of wounds that will take even longer to heal. If a person becomes ill, he must be urgently taken to a medical facility.

In order to avoid contact with a recluse spider, you need to follow simple rules:

When outdoors, always inspect your clothes and shoes before putting them on;
Before going to bed, carefully check the contents of the tent, especially bedding;
work outdoors in closed clothing and gloves;
do not store unnecessary things at home, especially in country houses;
there should be mosquito nets on windows and doors to prevent the penetration of small living creatures;
Try to prevent insects from breeding in living areas.

Although brown recluse spiders are not found in our latitudes, caution should always be exercised, because there are quite a few others in Russia poisonous species spiders of approximately the same size.