Few things strike fear into the hearts of people quite like spiders do. The brown recluse, in particular, brings about visions of swelling flesh, open wounds and gangrene.
The brown recluse (also known as the Violin Spider and the Fiddleback Spider) is found only in North America. North Americans are very fortunate in that there are only two native spiders that are considered extremely poisonous. In addition to the brown recluse there is her distant cousin, the black widow.
The Brown Recluse Spider – A Nasty Little Creature
The brown recluse’s venom is different from that of the black widow in that it doesn’t affect the nervous system. Instead, it is a necrotic toxin that acts directly on the skin and muscles to kill the tissues immediately surrounding the bite. In addition to the dead tissue healing slowly, if at all, severe cases can result in toxic shock and kidney failure. If you’ve ever seen pictures of human arms and legs that have been bitten, you completely understand how nasty this tiny creature can be.
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