Until a few months ago I had never heard of a Brown Recluse Spider. I actually learned about them from watching Infested on Animal Planet. This spider is found in about 19 of our states (depending on which map you are looking at), which means in affects many of us.
So here is the really bad news about this spider. It is small and looks harmless, not like the obvious great big black spiders, this one can be as small as a penny. These wonderfully terrifying spiders live in gardens, garages, love attics, and hide in dark places like SLIPPERS.
So if this wasn't terrifying enough, I want to point out how deadly their venom is, it can kill you. I am going to attach pictures of a time lapse of a mans hand. Now if this were a baby's back, he/she would probably not survive which is why I am sharing this very important information with all of you. Print out these pictures. Do some research, share with everyone in your family. Please! If you know of anyone in these states, they should be aware of how deadly this small little spider is.
The next set is a time lapse. Please note that these are some pretty graphic photos. I wouldn't show them if I didn't feel like it would stress the urgency.
This is 3 days after this man was bitten by a Brown Recluse:
By day 5 it looks like this:
Day 6:
Day 9:
And by 10 this is how this mans hand looked:
If you have to be in your attic, turn on the light and walk away for 30 minutes to let it light up and for these spiders to scatter. If you are gardening wear rubber gloves. These are such scary spiders and could have deadly consequences. Please spread the word to all of your family and friends!
I feel the need to mention two things.
ReplyDelete#1: Brown recluses are very prevalent in Florida as well. Our rental house's attic (as well as many of our neighbors' attics) was infested with brown recluses and it required MANY professional sprayings, included several middle of the night close calls, and even a few nights at a hotel (with our kitty too!) after the sprayings would rile them up and they'd come down into the house to get away from the spray. VERY scary! I had my kids in that house (then aged 7 and 1). NOT FUN! I'm glad to be back home, way up north, where recluses are abnormal (yay for northern winters killing them off!!!).
#2: The time lapse photo documentation is a very, VERY extreme case. Most recluse bites never even reach necrosis...this was a very rare and extreme case. Yes, it did happen, and does to SOME people, but most bites get no where near as bad as this. Prevention, awareness, and a few habit changes will help greatly. for instance, clunk shoes together upside down before you put them on, pull your sheets back and check before climbing into a bed that is rarely used (think guest beds!!!), keep firewood, gardens, brush, and trash away from your house and it's foundation. Keep tree limbs trimmed away from your roof, and regularly clean corners, under beds/furniture, and don't stick your hands where your eyes can't see (under/in dark places). And shake out your garden gloves before you put them on!!!
'Tis all :)
So scary!!
ReplyDelete