One night after working on the Monkey Creek bridge project, FTA staff member, Kelli Smith, climbed into her sleeping bag.  Little did she know she had a guest.  The next day she had what she thought was a “really bad chigger bite”.  The day after that, she realized that it was not a chigger bite at all, but was indeed the bite of a Brown Recluse spider.  There’s no need to go into the details of Kelli’s recovery, other than to say it was indeed painful and prolonged.  She’s doing fine now. 

Some people delight in closely examining what poisonous creatures and plants look like.  I’m not one of those people.  I prefer to keep a good distance, however, it may be important to be able to recognize a Brown Recluse Spider if you encounter one. 

• Six eyes arranged in pairs, rather than 2 rows of 4 like most spiders.
• A dark violin shape on the cephalothorax (the area behind the head).
• Uniformly light-colored legs with no markings
• Uniformly colored abdomen which can vary from cream to dark brown depending on what it has eaten, however, it will never have two colors of pigment at the same time.
• The legs have fine hairs, rather than being spiny.
• Their webs are small and made behind objects, not out in the open.
• They are approximately 3/8 of an inch in length.

It is interesting to note that the venom of the Brown Recluse did not develop as a defense mechanism, but rather to paralyze their prey.  The enzymes in the venom also start the digestive process for the spider.  When humans are the unintentional prey, the result to the tissue surrounding the bite is “necrosis”.  “Necrosis” is more simply defined as “tissue death”.  The venom in effect is killing the affected tissue.  The blood and pus that result are all a part of the human body’s defense mechanisms against the invading venom.

If you suspect that you don’t have a “really bad chigger bite”, but have been bitten by a brown recluse spider, seek medical attention as soon as possible.  While bites are rarely lethal, they are most certainly painful.  It is also possible that the venom might cause a systemic reaction within 24-36 hours that may induce chills, fever, nausea, weakness and joint pain.  If you are experiencing any of these symptoms seek immediate medical attention.

Being bitten by things when out in the woods is nothing new for most of us, but given that the Brown Recluse enjoys warm, dark places, it may be a good idea to shake out sleeping bags and boots the next time you go camping.

Dave Rohe, Wilderness First Responder