The spider is brown with long legs. Brown recluse spider. Attack on people

About 400 million years have passed since the first spider appeared on planet Earth. At the moment there are already more than forty thousand species. Spiders are not insects, they are a separate class and a separate order - arachnids.

In the Spiders order and in the Arachnida class there is a family of poisonous creatures - recluse spiders. They pose a great danger to humans, since their bite is invisible, and the poison is very toxic. The brown (or brown) recluse spider is considered the most poisonous of this family. If your place of residence is where this harmful creature lives, you need to be able to recognize it.

Brown recluse spider

One of this family is the brown spider, or brown spider (hermit), its photo is presented below.
These creatures are distinguished by their toxic poison. After an insect bite, complete tissue necrosis occurs in this area. The “lucky” ones who are lucky enough to have such a neighbor as the brown spider (recluse) are residents of the eastern part of the United States.

This poisonous creature of nature cannot be considered one of the friendliest individuals, but, nevertheless, it is distinguished by its activity and moderately annoying character. Maybe the brown recluse spider would have stayed until today an unremarkable arthropod, but the strange property of its poison attracted the attention of scientists to it. Professor Binford explains that these spiders have been using their venom for about 120 million years.

Habitats of the eight-legged “monster”

This type of spider is found in the lands of the midwestern United States, up to Gulf of Mexico. They have not yet reached California, but representatives of the Looseness genus live in those places. The red hermit spider is found in Hawaii (see photo below). He is a relative of the eight-legged "monster".

Global warming may cause this arachnid species to move further north. So getting to know its representatives in detail will come in handy. Currently, Georgia, the Mediterranean and South part Russia.

Spiders love to hide in the roots of trees, in animal burrows, and in general wherever there are shady places. Over time, the recluse spider can increasingly be found in the garage, basement, toilet and attic, as well as in sewer hatches. Hermits began to behave like full-fledged neighbors of people, settling in apartments and houses.

Appearance of a little hermit

Brown spider differs in small size. When the legs are spread out, the length of its body is 6-20 mm. This deadly recluse spider is not always easy to spot because it is so small. Females are larger in size than males.

Body predominantly Brown, gray and dark yellow individuals can sometimes be found. The brown recluse spider is also called the fiddle spider. This was facilitated by the fact that the pattern located on the head and chest is very reminiscent of this musical instrument.

A distinctive feature of this species is the presence of 6 eyes instead of 8. Small sensitive hairs are visible on the abdominal part and paws. The legs of the recluse spider are quite long and thin. When he is in a calm state, his paws are widely spaced.

Lifestyle

According to their lifestyle, brown recluse spiders are nocturnal predators. They get food in dark time days. Males emerge from their webs and go on night raids to explore distant territories. Females do not do this very willingly; they usually prefer to hunt near their home. For the rest of the day, small nocturnal hunters sit in a secluded place.

The food for the brown recluse spider is everything that falls into traps, the role of which is played by the web. Prey is mainly small insects and other spiders. It is not at all difficult for hermits to obtain food; it does not require much work. Scientists face unsolved mystery about why then nature endowed this insect a potent poison. The eight-legged “monsters” live calmly and don’t bother anyone unnecessarily.

Reproduction

Female brown recluse spider, having chosen a secluded place away from prying eyes, begins laying eggs in white cocoon bags. Each such cocoon, woven by the female from the web personally, contains 40-50 eggs. The size of the pouch is about 7.5 mm in diameter.

Numerous brown recluse spiders that are born have many molts before they mature. They change their outfit 5-8 times. These creatures endure such a procedure painfully; it is unpleasant for them. It is possible that this is why hermits show anger and bite painfully.

The discarded spider outfit is quite tough, it can for a long time stored in the ground. Experienced specialists use it for identification when studying insects of this species. Under natural conditions, a brown recluse spider can live 2-4 years.

Recluse spider bite - danger to humans

For people, the most terrible animals, oddly enough, are poisonous spiders. They can quietly approach their prey and deliver a “stab in the back.” It is clear that there is no one who wants to be in her place! Among the most dangerous arthropods in the world are hermit spiders. The venom of these animals is a slow-acting one, its manifestation can only be noticed several hours after the bite. At first, the person feels a slight tingling or burning sensation. Then everything will depend on how much poison has entered the body. If you get a lot of it, after 5-6 hours the bite site will begin to swell and a blister will appear. The following signs appear:

Malfunctions of the heart.
. Intestinal problems (disorder).
. Annoying cough and runny nose.

Often tissue necrosis develops after a spider bite. It is facilitated by the presence of many enzymes in the venom. Necrosis of the subcutaneous tissue delays the healing process for three long years. It is possible that a bite can lead to the death of the victim, which is often observed in young children and the elderly.

Precautionary measures

Although this poisonous creature is not aggressive, if you disturb it, you cannot expect mercy: if it bites, it will bite! It is better to avoid such a situation in time and protect yourself from the deadly poison. To do this, you need to adhere to the following recommendations:

Clean the house thoroughly, removing cobwebs in a timely manner.
. Avoid the formation of cracks in the walls; if they appear, immediately cover or plug them.
. Before you put on any items, you need to inspect them carefully.
. Before going to bed, it is also necessary to inspect the sleeping area.
. There should be no trash or boxes under the bed, and the bed itself must not be placed close to the wall.

If you adhere to the above rules, it is quite possible to avoid an attack dangerous creature which can bring big trouble.

Need help for a brown spider bite

When a brown spider bites you, you should immediately do everything possible to stop the spread of the venom. You can put ice on the bite site. Be sure to treat the wound with one of the antiseptics and, of course, seek medical help.

Previously, during treatment, the damaged area of ​​skin was surgically removed. Currently, therapy is carried out with antibiotics. If a person applies on time, serum is administered.

The brown recluse spider, whose name in Latin is Loxosceles reclusa, is a highly poisonous arthropod.

The consequences of its bite can be extremely dangerous to human health. In this article we will look at what a recluse spider looks like, the dangers of its bite, and how to help a victim of its poison.

Appearance and dimensions

Recognizing a recluse spider is relatively easy:

1. Despite the name, the body of Loxosceles reclusa is not always brown in color - it can be gray or brownish-yellow. The size of females in this species is slightly larger than the size of males.
2. Representatives of this species of spider have an unusual marking - a brown spot in the shape of a violin. This is a feature of adult hermits, but sometimes it is also present in younger individuals.

   Did you know? Arachnophobia is the fear of representativesa squad of spiders. This phobia is one of the most common in the world and affects approximately 10% of men and 50% of women. The severity of the phobia can vary in one direction or another.

3. A clear difference between the brown recluse and other arachnoids is the number of eyes. He has only three pairs of them, while other spiders have four, i.e. 8 pieces.
4. In a calm state, the hermit’s paws are placed on the sides of the body, but in case of alarm, he immediately takes a protective position: he pulls his front legs under him, raises his pedipalps and straightens his hind limbs.
5. The back color of adult Loxosceles reclusa varies from tan to dark brown.
6. The belly and legs are evenly colored, without stripes or spots. The legs are long and thin, without noticeable spines. The abdomen is covered with fine, short hairs that, when viewed without magnification under a microscope, may appear like soft fur.
7. The joints of the limbs are slightly lighter in color than the legs.

Where does it live?

Loxosceles can live almost all over the world in warm, tropical regions. This species is common in some areas of the United States ( Southern California, Colorado, New Mexico).

The appearance of these spiders in other countries can happen by accident - they are transported along with cargo by air or across the ocean. They have not yet been seen in Russia and Ukraine. In nature, brown recluse spiders live on outdoors under rocks, logs, wood debris.

The spider can also live in the same room with people. Hermits are resilient enough to survive winters in unheated basements or stifling summer heat in attics, going for months without food or water.

IN daytime Brown recluse spiders usually hide in dark, secluded places, living up to their nickname. Adult females rarely travel far from their shelter, while males and young females are more mobile and prone to long-distance travel.

Video: about the recluse spider They are the ones who often get into shoes, clothes or beds at night and bite people when accidental contact between the spider and a person occurs.

Sometimes Loxosceles reclusa can be seen during the daytime - they move along the floor, walls and other open surfaces. This behavior may be caused by hunger, pesticide use, or other factors.

How to hunt and what to eat

Loxosceles reclusa hunts at night, catching insects. It does not use a web to capture prey - webs on walls, ceilings, bushes or trees almost always belong to harmless spiders.

Their presence in the house is also unpleasant for many people, but these spiders also prey on brown recluses, thereby bringing benefits.

Loxosceles reclusa is a small spider, does not produce hunting nets, so it hunts its prey in the classic way: it catches up, attacks, injects poison and immobilizes it, killing the victim with poison.
The venom of the brown recluse is fatal to insects - it is a very toxic substance, the nature of which is not fully understood. Loxosceles reclusa hunts only on small insects whose size is much smaller than its own.

Did you know? With the exception of one family (Uloboridae), all spiders are poisonous. They use venom to obtain food and when they bite their prey, they squeeze their venom glands, sending the venom through their fangs into the victim's body. Spider venom paralyzes prey.

Reproduction

Spiders lay their eggs on a bed of silk, which they prepare immediately after mating. As soon as the clutch is finished, the female covers it big amount cobwebs, which makes the cocoon dense and waterproof. Cocoons look like whitish round bags, the size of which does not exceed 7–8 mm.

Each cocoon contains about 40–50 eggs. After hatching, the baby spiderlings grow, gradually increasing in size, molting five to eight times as they mature before reaching sexual maturity.
Loxosceles reclusa become adults approximately a year after birth and live from 2 to 4 years. Females lay up to 5 egg cocoons throughout their lives. Infestation levels of these spiders in homes vary greatly, from the presence of one or a few specimens to several hundred.

Consequences and help with a bite

Like other spiders, the brown recluse is not aggressive. The majority of accidents occur if a person accidentally crushes the spider and the arachnoid comes into contact with bare skin.

Some people may be bitten in bed, other bites occur when moving things and pieces of furniture, or when a person puts on clothes that the spider has recently chosen for its daytime hiding place.

Loxosceles reclusa have very small mandibles and cannot bite through clothing. Initially, the bite is painless. Often the victim does not become aware of the bite until the bitten area becomes red and swollen 3 to 8 hours later.
Most spider bites remain localized and recovery occurs within 3 weeks without serious complications or the need for medical intervention.

In other cases, the victim may develop a necrotic lesion, which appears as a dry, bluish patch on the skin with jagged edges, a pale center, and peripheral redness.

Often there is an ulcer within the lesion. As the venom continues to destroy tissue, the wound may grow larger over several days or weeks.

If subcutaneous fat necrosis has begun, it may take up to three years. Complications include local nerve damage and secondary infection. A necrotic ulcer leaves a deep scar after healing.

Often bites on early stages(in the first 72 hours) cause in people:

• fever;
• chills;
• dizziness;
• rash;
• vomiting;
• weakness;
• headache;
• myalgia;
• arthralgia;
• maculopapular rash and leukocytosis.

Sometimes hemolytic anemia, hemoglobinuria and renal failure, which can lead to human death. The wound must be washed, a sterile bandage and a cold compress applied.

Important!Severe reactions to Loxosceles reclusa venom are more common in children, the elderly, and patients in poor health.

The affected limb should be immobilized, it should be given an elevated position, and if necessary, analgesics and antibiotics should be administered. Anti-spider poisoning serum is effective but not approved for use in all countries. The drug can be used only after the inflammation has subsided.

Difficulties in diagnosis

Spider bites are difficult to diagnose even for doctors. It is especially difficult to do this, relying only on appearance wounds.

Externally, a necrotic wound is very similar to the consequences of other diseases:

• bacterial and fungal infections;
• gangrene;
• diabetic or peptic ulcer disease;
• outbreak of the bacterial infectious disease Staphyloccus aureus.

IN Everyday life we don't pay attention to spiders. They live their lives, and we live ours. At the same time, no one bothers each other. The only trouble lies in the cobwebs that accumulate in the corners of the room, and which have to be removed from time to time. But are spiders as harmless as they seem at first glance? For the most part, they do not pose any danger to humans, with the exception of some of their species, which include the brown recluse spider.

At first glance, he is completely harmless. This is a small, inconspicuous creature with long legs. The diameter of its body is no more than seven millimeters. The legs are slightly longer, reaching two centimeters in length. Inexplicably local residents call it the big brown spider? But let’s not rush to conclusions, because everything has its own reason.

The spider leads a solitary lifestyle and is active only at night. During the day, he hides in a secluded place, trying to remain unnoticed. That is why he was nicknamed the hermit. He does not weave any webs, and tries not to leave traces of his presence. For the nest it chooses a remote, darkened and secluded place. The main thing is that it is dry and warm there.

The body of the spider is covered with hair, dark brown or dark yellow. On the cephalothorax you can see original drawing, very similar to a violin. It is by this that the spider is identified. He has three pairs of eyes. He always protects the nest with a sticky cobweb network, with a rather chaotic pattern. When in danger, the spider takes a threatening pose. He rests on his hind legs and extends his front legs towards the attacker.

The brown recluse spider is endemic to the Americas. It can be found in the eastern regions of the United States.

The hermit spider hunts somewhat differently than its fellow tribesmen. To capture the victim, he does not weave nets, but kills him with his poison. He hunts at night. Having discovered an insect, the hermit instantly attacks it and inflicts poisonous bite. The poison acts instantly. It is incredibly toxic. This is a viscous, colorless substance that destroys cellular tissue in a matter of seconds. There is no antidote for it.

Nature gave the spider long life. He lives for about six years. To bring offspring, the female finds a secluded place, weaves a cocoon, into which she lays up to fifty eggs. Throughout incubation period she does not leave the nest and guards it vigilantly. As the spiders grow, they molt eight times. Thus, they get rid of the chitinous shell.

A person has a special relationship with a recluse spider. The spider is a frequent visitor. It's all because of warm housing, with a lot of secluded and dry corners in which you can hide. You can meet it in attics, sheds, and summer houses. Sometimes they climb into basements, enter living spaces, climb under baseboards, and hide in furniture. The spider never attacks first. He becomes aggressive only in case of danger. If you accidentally step on it, trouble cannot be avoided. The bite is painful, very unpleasant, and may well be fatal. The poison does not affect humans immediately, but after six hours. The pain intensifies, the bite site becomes inflamed, dizziness, weakness appear, and the temperature rises. After some time, an ulcer forms at the site of the bite. If medical assistance is not provided in time, tissue necrosis occurs. The treatment process is quite lengthy and takes six months. If the human body is weakened, then fatal outcome can't be avoided.

To avoid becoming a victim of a spider, you must follow the following measures security?

1. Install mosquito nets on the windows.
2. Inspect shoes and clothing every time.
3. Before you go to bed, you need to examine your bed.
4. Clean the premises using personal protective equipment (rubber gloves, boots, apron).
5. Destroy harmful insects, flies and mosquitoes that the spider preys on.

Representatives of the genus Loxosceles from the family of brown recluse spiders 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.

On a 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.

On a note!

Brown with long paws spider is a Chilean species of hermit.

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 Mediterranean type 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.

On a 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.

Due to global warming, scientists have expressed concerns about the expansion of Loxosceles Reclusa's range. 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. At large quantities 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.

On a 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.

When the body is weakened due to the occurrence 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, they call emergency assistance. But more often, bites either pass without consequences or go unnoticed.

Brown recluse spider, also known as Brown recluse (in Latin: Loxosceles reclusa), lives primarily in the southeastern United States.
Theoretically, the Mediterranean, Georgia and the south of Russia - Sochi may also be favorable for its habitat. Fortunately, this representative of the arachnids has not yet been brought to us, but in view of the upcoming Olympics in Sochi, this representative of the arachnids may end up here, and global warming may contribute to the further advancement of this species further north. So it wouldn’t be a sin to get to know this arachnid in more detail.
This spider became famous primarily for its bites. At one time, photographs of a bitten person were already published online.

Bite site Brown recluse after 5 days

Bite site Brown recluse after 6 days

Bite site Brown recluse after 8 days

Bite site Brown recluse after 10 days

Color Brown recluse brown. The head and chest are black, somewhat reminiscent of a violin (sometimes called the “violin spider”). The dimensions of this spider are small - up to one centimeter in length and half a centimeter in width. Females are slightly larger. Representatives of both sexes are poisonous. The lifespan of an individual is one to two years. Clearly structured trapping nets are not woven; they are usually made with random threads. They feed on caught insects (I wonder why they need such strong poison?).

Feels great when changed by a person environment. Loves shady places, found in abundance in basements, sheds, garages, attics, toilets, pipe systems, and manholes. Spiders can take refuge in shoe boxes, boots, under furniture, behind baseboards and paintings. In general, they are found where there is a tree and twilight.
The brown recluse spider is not aggressive. He usually bites people when they encroach on his life and territory. Most people get bitten because they are not careful and attentive during the cleaning process. Some people are bitten by the spider right in bed, other people - when they put on shoes or clothes in which this representative of the arachnids is hiding.

The bite very often goes unnoticed, but in most cases the sensations are similar to those of a needle prick. Then within 2-8 hours the pain makes itself felt. Further, the situation develops depending on the amount of poison that enters the blood. In most cases, it still doesn’t reach what is shown in the photo. The venom of the brown recluse spider has a hemolytic effect, which means it causes necrosis and tissue destruction, which is very clearly visible in the photographs and video below. A bite for small children, elderly and sick people can be fatal.

If you are bitten, you must use any means to slow down the spread of the poison from the bite site (you can put ice on the bite site), treat the wound with antiseptics and go to the hospital (it is advisable to bring the spider that bit you). Previously, treatment was carried out by removing damaged human tissue, now - with the help of antibiotics and hormones. If treated in a timely manner, serum is used.

To avoid being bitten, you must follow these recommendations:

• shake your shoes and clothes every time before putting them on;

• inspect the bed before going to bed;

• remove boxes and other rubbish from under the bed, and move the bed itself away from the wall.

Below are video clips demonstrating the life and “tricks” of this inconspicuous spider.
This is how we run

Information video for residents of the southern United States, where this spider is found

Palm damaged by spider bite

Nomad spider bite on shoulder

A guy squeezing out pus and half-decomposed tissue from a bite site on his chin

Girl bitten in the face by a recluse spider

One-year-old child bitten by a spider

The process of treating a spider bite