A Staph Infection can result from any bug bite. One of our visitors was bitten by an unknown bug and was kind enough to document the entire process, from start to finish! Here is Dede’s well documented story and I am sure it will help those looking for answers:

3/9/08: Got a bite on the top of my foot last Saturday. Never felt a thing. Noticed though what looked like a pimple. Knowing one doesn’t get pimples on ones foot I knew it was a spider bite. Sunday my foot was throbbing with pain. The bump area developed redness around it. Monday it was still throbbing and now the topside of my whole foot was pink. Tuesday I went to the Doctor. The symptoms or redness and pain were indicative of an infection and I wanted to treat that should it become systemic or staph. See the images below.

WHICH BY THE WAY…… insurance or not everyone that is concerned enough about the symptoms or progression, enough so to look it up online, should seek medical attention and at least get antibiotics and a tetanus shot if you hadn’t had one in the last 10 years. Have you not seen the pictures of what can ultimately develop? My flesh, my life - all worth the costs associated of seeing a Doctor over something that could go very bad. I’m not that much of a gambler and I do value my flesh and life.

Back to the Doctor visit…. Wasn’t much he could or should do at that point. I was prescribed a mild antibiotic, told to elevate my foot, cold compress (ice pack), ibuprofen. I had been using an ice-pack, which did help a bit. I even did an Epsom Salt compress (dissolve Epsom salts in hot water until the crystals stop dissolving - use about 1 cup of hot water and lots of Epsom salt - take paper towels immerse in the liquid then hold to the affected area. Keep repeating until the water cools - about 5-10 minutes). NOTE: This only helped the first night of throbbing pain. Wednesday and Thursday there wasn’t any improvement. Ah yes, I even tried a drawing salve but that only enhanced the bump forming under the bite and didn’t do much else. I do on occasion experience some stinging in the area but it only lasts for a few seconds.

Friday I went back to the Doctor because there hadn’t been any improvement and it was continuing to ache. The bump under the skin had grown a little as well. The Doctor did a little nick on the bump but hardly anything came out. He concurred that the drawing salve was of no benefit (I asked). He advised that he didn’t feel that it was a brown recluse bite but here in GA there are plenty of nasty cousins that could have been the culprit. (I never saw any spider and never knew it happened. Clearly from the location it happened as I was slipping my foot into a shoe and as I was probably about to squish the spider it elected to zap me a good one on it’s way out of this life, at least that’s how I envision it.) So the Doctor told me, same as the first, to keep my foot elevated, try to stay off of it, keep it covered, apply topical antiseptic cream (neosporin or bacitracin), use an ice-pack, take ibuprofen to help with the pain and swelling, and he prescribed another, second, antibiotic to help cover all the bases since the bite wasn’t improving at all.

Yesterday I awoke and noticed that the bite area/bump developed to white dots - looked like pimple heads next to each other, perhaps where a spider would have bitten me? Doubt that, it would have been one big spider with a very wide fang spread. I figure it was just two points in which whatever was brewing under my skin wanted to peak out. Later the same day there were two more white dots, a little closer together just below the others. I did sanitize a needle, poked each and gently (because any pressure is very painful at this point) apply pressure from the outside of the reddened raised area. I did not squeeze nor should anyone from what I’ve been reading. What came out started as pus (very loose) followed by some blood and plasma (clear). And yes, the act of doing that created a lot of pain under the skin. The actual top skin of the raised bump is rather numb. The pain I have is the pressure under the skin. Anyway, I did this a grand total of 4 times, twice before bed, once in the wee hours of the AM (could not sleep due to throbbing foot) and once this morning. The first two times much yuck gooped out from the 5 little holes I poked into each little head. I’m done with poking and any extra pressure.

Last night my foot from where my toes meet my foot up to just below my ankle was showing signs of Edema (water retention) and “dimples” when I poke it (finger indent stays for a few seconds after taking finger away). This morning my foot was exactly the same, even though I slept with it elevated all night. It’s not super puffy but when looking at it compared to my other foot I can easily see the difference.

Today is Sunday, one week and a day after the initial bite. Today I have been elevating it more than any day prior and have been applying an ice-pack. I take ibuprofen (2-3 capsules) every 4 hours. I applied some baking soda paste (w/water) to it and have it covered. Why? Because someone wrote here about that and I’ll attempt things that seem logical to me and this did.

To be honest, I am a little freaked out at the thought of the top of my foot looking anything like some of these pictures with gaping wounds. I think it’s natural to assume the worst. The 2nd Doctor I saw predicted the evolution of this……. he said he expected it would turn darker in the raised area, even almost black, the skin would to slough off a bit and ultimately I would have a little crater once it was all healed - and this could take a few weeks. He said that with spider bites there isn’t a whole lot one can do beyond what I noted above herein. (disclaimer: I’m sure he was referring to what I had versus a black widow or other ultra venomous spiders). I just have to allow it to run its course, which it is. In the meantime I’m dealing with the pain and aggravation of not being very mobile. Not sure what else can be done by a Doctor at this point - I have antibiotics and am now current on my tetanus shot so I’m glad I at least did that. I just need to be closely watching my foot, continue to keep a record of progression by taking pictures and should I grow concerned about any dramatic changes seek medical attention again. Better safe than sorry, regardless of the cost.

3/11/08 - Dede from GA again. Back for an update. I elected to go to the ER today to get the area cultured. It simply was not improving. The foot was still swollen, the redness around the sore was growing larger, and the sore itself was not improving. I was having a real problem walking on that foot at all last night. I also needed the peace of mind that I was doing everything possible to take care of this. Peace of mind is priceless. Worry costs a lot.

They did take a culture. It will take a few days to get the results. They did not cut or lance it at all. I applied very gentle pressure at the base of the raised area and they took the culture from that. As a precaution they also gave me a heavy duty antibiotic through an IV. That’s in addition to the 2 oral antibiotics I’m already taking, which they said to continue taking. With a medical marker they drew a circle around the outer perimeter of the reddened area to gauge it when I return in a few days.

Tonight the sore is oozing and morphing into expected ugliness. I can see that it’s opening up now in the middle. My foot is still puffy from the retention of fluids, which is a normal bodily function when fighting such a thing. The puffiness/swelling isn’t from the spider bite; it’s from your body fighting against it.

TIPS: If you are elevating a limb ease it down slowly, like very slow over the span of minutes. The faster you bring it down the faster blood rushes back in and there is pain associated with that. Be patient or prepare for the pain of the rushing blood flow.

I’m not poking any more holes in the sore now, there’s no need. The original pokes I made stayed and “stuff” has oozed from them since. I’m not apply pressure to milk out anything either. It didn’t help. Initially I thought it might ease the pressure and tightness but what happened was soreness where I applied pressure and whatever oozed out was replenished soon after. At the ER they did not open or drain anything.

I am taking 800mg Ibuprofen every 6 hours (that’s 4 tablets at 200mg each). They offered morphine at the hospital but the reality is that on a scale of 1-10 I was only at a 3 at the time. The real pain comes when I bring my foot down from elevating it or there is pressure on the topside. When that happens the pain goes to about a 6 or 7 but doesn’t last beyond a few minutes. No need for morphine. I still have some throbbing and occasional stinging but both are subsiding, slowly.

I’m using Polysporin ointment with a gauze pad and 1 strip of tape. I was keeping a large foam adhesive bandage on it but I can’t quite take that much adhesive at this point (hurts when it comes off) and the gauze pad is better for leeching up the ooze, because it’s now doing a lot of that.

Upon my return from the ER I’ve noticed that the reddened area around the sore is looking better, as you will see from the picture. The sore itself is looking nastier though. That’s because it’s now starting to open in the middle, which I expected and is a natural course of action with such a thing.

NOTE OF CONCERN: They did advise at the ER to be very concerned and rush back should I notice any dark lines (veins) leading up my leg from the area - towards my heart. That’s bad stuff and is deemed an emergency. In my case I have no such problem, thankfully.

After my follow-up visit with the Doctors in a few days I’ll post an update with current pictures.

As a strong reminder, if you are reading this because you are concerned about a spider bite and not sure if you should go to a Doctor or not, regardless of your reasons, DO IT. If it doesn’t get better by the following day then GO. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Take pictures also as a form of documenting the progression. If you don’t have a digital camera then use your cell phone; most all cell phones have the ability to take pictures these days. Make sure to note somehow the date and time of each picture for proper reference.

3/17/08 - DEDE FROM GA UPDATE: Picking up from where I had left off, I returned to the ER on 03/12 for a wound check and the culture results. The results of the culture only showed that I had a mild staph infection. The doctor I saw told me that wound could have been an insect bite (including but not limited to a spider) or anything for that matter and an infection soon followed. He stated that what most people think are horrible sores/wounds from an insect bite is really a staph infection that probably started as a bite but evolved into a nasty sore due to the introduction of staph. It can happen to anyone regardless of circumstances, immune system health and/or personal hygiene. He proceeded to open and drain? the wound, which was very necessary at that point. I was given multiple shots of Lidocaine in the affected area to numb it. Lidocaine shots initially feel much like yellow jacket stings, but the pain is brief. Then he cut open the wound and cleaned it out and cut off the dead tissue. Yes, it hurt. After he cleaned it up I was told the following:

• Keep it elevated as much as possible for the rest of that day.
• I could resume normal daily functions.
• When sitting try to elevate the foot, if possible.
• Clean the wound site 2-3 times per day.
• Keep the wound site dry and covered at all times.
• Use Bactroban (for the nose) in each nostril in the AM and PM (prescription).
• Back onto the initial antibiotic I was given for 7 days, instead this time I get 10 days worth (Bactrim aka Sulfamethoxazole). Stop taking the 2nd oral antibiotic (Keflax aka Cephalexin), which was of no aid for what I had.
• Because 4 Ibuprofen wasn’t doing much for me I got a prescription for pain meds (mild).
• No need to put anything on it, like Polysporin, Neosporin, etc. Nothing more but washing it, per the Doc.
• Expect it to take a few weeks to fully heal.

The wound is indeed healing. The swelling on my foot is completely gone. That started to go down that day. I don’t need any pain meds or Ibuprofen at all, no pain anymore. I am keeping it clean by washing it with Hibiclens (in a light blue and white bottle, in most drugs stores by the iodine). I use a gauze pad to smack the Hibiclens into the wound (rubbing isn’t a great feeling there yet). I rinse with water then rinse with Saline solution last (get the cheap store brand for contacts, works the same as the expensive stuff you find in the wound care section). After I shower I rinse it with Saline also. Found a new ointment specifically for Staph and started applying a little of that today. I will do that once a day only. When I go out I have an extra roomy sock I put on over the dressing and I have a slipper that has Velcro straps so I can control the pressure over the wound site. It’s no fashion statement but it works. At home I walk around with only the dressing over the wound. I use a non-stick gauze pad and another larger standard gauze pad over that, tapped down. Keeping it covered and clean is very important for the healing. Although the wound is getting better slowly it still has some discharge visible on the gauze when I change the dressing. I was told I’ll need to see an Infectious Disease doctor if this doesn’t get better OR comes back. Staph can come back. Here are recent pictures:

I did everything right and thankfully caught it before it got out of hand or became anything like some of those ultra horrifying pictures you see online. Yeah, it got gross and it hurt a lot but it could have been way worse. If you have anything like what I’ve described or seen in the posted pictures you NEED to see a DOCTOR ASAP and for your own sake don’t procrastinate or make excuses, like no insurance. It is probable that whatever began as a bite became a staph infection and is quite serious. The doctor said that the pictures one sees online of nasty spider bites are usually always pictures of staph infections that very well could have started as a spider bite. Know this, I am a very healthy person, no medical issues, rarely get sick and if I do it’s over quick, I don’t need or take prescription meds of any kind (exception being the antibiotics now) and with all that I still got a staph infection.

To those here wondering what bit me (meaning you), from what I’ve seen online there isn’t any way to know for sure what bit you unless you have the insect/spider that did it. Describing it isn’t going to help, how your body reacts to a bite differs from person to person. If your bite is getting worse (painful, red area getting larger, swelling, red lines going in any direction but major red flag if the lines are leading towards your heart, etc.) seek medical attention right away. If you elect not to then you are a fool asking for trouble and the cost of what can happen will greatly out weigh the out of pocket cost for seeking medical attention. Better safe than sorry. It may even require a few trips to the doctor. My bite changed daily but I stayed on top of it, took pics to show the docs the progress, and after 4 trips in 1.5 weeks to the docs it’s getting better.

Thank You Dede!

It is people like Dede who make the world a better place! Thank you for taking the time to document your experience and sharing it with the rest of the world!

The magnificent picture of the giant spider web below was taken by the Donna Garde, superintendent of the state park. Walking upon this site may scare many, and it’s reported that some visitors actually fear that their small dogs may be webbed and consumed ‘nothing could be further from the truth!’ In fact, it is one of the best bug free areas in the park acting as a giant mosquito net.

Although no one has given a definitive answer, many spider experts conclude that the ’stretch spiders’, pictured below, are working together to form the massive web. Some say these webs happen every few years while others say it is a rarity.

Stretch Spiders, or Tetragnatha, are found all over the world, although most occur in the tropics and subtropics. They obtain their name from the ability to stretch out and hide on a stick or blade of grass when in danger. These spiders are commonly found close to water and compose large webs. In the case of above, these spiders appear to be working together.

If you have seen spider webs like this in your area, or have more information, please post for others to see!

If you would like to see these webs for yourself, visit the Lake Tawokoni State Park website at or give them a call at 10822 FM 2475, Wills Point, TX 75169 (903) 560-7123

Lake Tawakoni State Park is a 376.3-acre park in Hunt County with 5.2 miles of shoreline along the south central shore of the main body of the reservoir. The park operates the 36,700 surface acre reservoir and Iron Bridge Dam, on the headwaters of the Sabine River.

A special mention to Sonya Fenton who was very knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with ‘thank you Sonya!’

In many of the thumbnails below, you’ll notice all the bugs captured within the spider webs. Some look dark in color because of the number of insects collected!

A camel spider can run at 30 mph and they have a terrifying scream while they run! At least that is what urban legend and popular myths would have you believe. The truth is that a camel spider can only run about 10 mph. Camel spiders can get up to 6 inches long and are nocturnal creatures (prefer the night). the Camel Spider will dig holes and burrows where they spend time during the day. Because the camel spider possesses no venom and is not poisonous and must rely on other assets, for example their force and their speed.

Camel Spiders

Camel Spiders can jump 4 or more feet into the air, eat the stomachs out of camels, and can grow to be the size of a dinner plate - again, another myth of which none are true.

In fact, the picture of the soldier holding the camel spider is really a picture of two camel spiders attached to one another and held out in front of the soldier to make it appear larger than it really is! The picture of the smaller camel spider below is what you can expect.

Screaming Spider

What spooks so many people is that the camel spider seeks out shadows, so if your walking (and even running), the camel spider will actually follow your shadow! This leads to people imagining that the spider is screaming while chasing them!

Because they run so fast and stay in your shadow, you might think they are chasing you but in fact, they are simply staying out of the light.

The next time you are walking and notice a massive spider following you, don’t get to excited, it’s just you standard camel spider seeking shelter.

Camel spiders are nocturnal and they spend most the day hidden in burrows that they excavated themselves rather than using a pre-existing hole.

A Camel spider is more likely to be seen during the spring and summer months due to the fact that they dislike cold weather. Camel spiders typically feed on insects, scorpions, or lizards and often eat so much that they become bloated and can hardly move (much like I do when eating out!)

The camel spider is not dangerous and typically does not bite humans unless it is on accident or they feel threatened (except for this Camel Spider Bite), as is the case with other spiders. Like other spider bites, it is important to consult a doctor immediately after being bitten by a camel spider, especially if the kind of spider is unknown.

There is a lot of pus and as I watched it, it sent chills down my spine. I highly recommend you not play the video if you don’t like blood and pus!

This Spider Bite Video was posted to make those aware of what can happen if you leave a spider bite untreated!

The whitish-yellow substance shown in this spider bite video (pus) is produced during inflammatory responses of the body. The pocket of pus shown in this video actually contains a protein-rich fluid, known as liquor puris, and dead neutrophils (white blood cells), which are part of the body’s innate immune response. Neutrophils moves to the site of infection and engulfs and kills bacteria. After it has killed a bacterium, the neutrophil dies and is what you see dripping out of the bite area.

Spider Video

Again, this video of the spider bite may be disturbing!

If you have any comments, please share them below.

The brown recluse is not an aggressive spider and the only way on would bite is if they feel threatened. This is usually cased by the brown recluse feeling trapped, which can happen if they are caught in clothes, or pressed between skin and another surface.

Spider Bite Reaction

The Initial Brown Recluse Spider Bite

Two Weeks Later!

The physical reaction to a brown recluse spider bite depends on the amount of venom injected and also the way the victim’s body reacts to the venom. Some do not react at all to a brown recluse spider bite, while other’s can be severely injured. While some notice the bite right away due to immense pain, others do not notice the bite for several hours, which can be extremely dangerous.

Some reactions due to brown recluse spider bites are a fever, the chills, itching, going into shock, vomiting, as well as restlessness. Initially a small white blister will appear where the brown recluse bit, the skin surrounding the newly form blister will also become swollen. Later as the area becomes infected it will get extremely red in color and the tissue also becomes rather hard.

Brown Recluse Bite

The bite from a Brown Recluse Spider is usually dry, blue-gray or blue-white, with an irregular sinking patch with torn edges and extremely red. The deep and sore wound from the brown recluse usually takes a very long time to heal. Death usually will not occur, however the risk is higher in young children and the elderly.

When there is a reaction to the brown recluse’s venom the bite actually forms into almost what is like a volcano lesion. The open wound can range anywhere from a few centimeters to a few inches in size. The open sour can take anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks to heal completely, and after that the entire recovery can take several months.

Brown Recluse Spider Bite Treatment

Victims should seek medical attention immediately after being bit by any spider due to the fact that many are unaware if a spider is poisonous or not. It is extremely helpful to bring in the actual spider, if possible, so that the doctor can identify whether or not the bite is dangerous or not. Many doctors will give high doses of cortisone-type hormones to help defeat hemolysis and other systemic complications. Other treatment depending on the case sometimes is also administered.

What are bed bugs?

Before I explain more, take a look at this video - warning: you won’t be able to sleep after this!

Bed Bugs are insects, more specifically, ‘True Bugs’, which have piercing mouthparts that in most species are used for feeding on plants. Unfortunately, there are some species of bugs with mouthparts that have been adapted to feed on human blood while inflicting very little pain (most never feel the blood feeding).

Human bed bugs found in the U.S., Cimex Lectularius, have a flat oval shaped body without wings and range in length from 4 to 7mm long. Their color is shiny reddish-brown but after a good serving of your blood, they appear dark brown and swollen as in the picture below.

There are three stages in the bed bug’s life cycle: egg, nymph and adult as indicated in the picture below:

The eggs are white and about 1mm long. The nymphs look like adults but are smaller. Complete development from egg to adult takes from four weeks to several months depending on the temperature and amount of feed available.

Both make and female bed bugs feed on the blood of sleeping humans during night. In the absence of humans, they will feed on mice, rats, chickens and other animals. Feeding takes about 10 to 15 minutes for adults and less for the nymphs; they feed about every three days. Depending on the conditions, bed bug nymphs can survive for months without feeding.

A good way to tell if you have bed bugs is by looking for blood spots on the mattress seam as in the image below. The spots are dark colored and in groups which indicate current or past infestation.

Can I get a disease from Bed Bugs?

To date, there is not a know case of disease associated with bed bugs and most people are never aware they have been bitten. Bed bug bites usually look like little red bumps which can look a lot like mosquito bites and for those that have sensitive skin, a allergic reaction can occur as in the picture below

If you have such a reaction, check with your doctor who may recommend an antihistamine or topical cream to relieve any itching and or burning. Do not scratch the bites as this may lead to infection.

How do bed bugs get into a home? Usually from hitching a ride on clothing or furniture. Once the bed bugs are in your home, they will gravitate to the sleeping area and will hide out in the following areas:

Seams, creases, tufts, and folds of the mattress and box springs.

• Cracks in the bad frame and or head board
• Under chairs, couched, beds and dust covers
• Between the cushions of couches and chairs
• Under rugs and the edges of carpets
• In drawers, baseboards and window casings
• Behinds electrical plates, cracks in plaster
• Televisions, radio clocks and phones (scary!)

Bed bugs can also travel to adjacent rooms or apartments by making their way over plumbing and electrical wiring.

What to do when you find Bed Bugs!

The best way to deal with bed bugs to seal your mattress and pillows with a plastic or hypoallergenic zipped cover. This traps the bugs that are inside your pillow and prevents them from feeding and kills them over time - remember, a nymph can live for two months without feeding.

Do not apply any pesticide to mattresses or surfaces that would come in contact with the skin unless the pesticide specifically states that the product can be used in this manner.

Wash all your linens and place them in a hot dryer for 20 minutes (or you can freeze them at -5 C or below for five days).

You can vacuum to capture bed bugs and their eggs, but because the eggs are embedded to the fabric, you may have to scrape the surface. Once you have vacuumed everything, immediately place the vacuum bag into a plastic bad, seal it tight and dispose.

Seal items mentioned above to prevent the bugs from hiding. You can place glue boards or sticky tape around your bed and in the room to catch the bed bugs as the move around; this gives you a way to monitor the effectiveness of your efforts.

A few ways to prevent bed bugs from getting into your home include:

• Hang clothing in the closet farthest from the bed
• Place luggage on the folding rack found in most hotels
• Place luggage in the dry cleaning bad found in the hotel.
• Most important, don’t bring home a mattress that has been used by unknown sources.

If you have been bitten by a bed bug, please take pictures and the bite or even the area with blood stains and drop me an email (see bottom of page for address). I would be happy to post it for everyone to see and will make sure your information stays private. These pictures and / or your story will help others around the world deal with this common problem!

A Black Widow spider is also referred to as the “hourglass” or “shoe button” spider. The Black Widow is a shy and a nocturnal spider. All species of Black Widows are found in warm climates of the north and south, which are approximately 45 degrees north or south of the equator. The Black Widow spider can also be found in four of the American southwest deserts as well.

Black Widow

The Black Widow weights about one gram; they are anywhere from one to one and a half inches long and their leg span is anywhere from one to three inches long. There are several differences in appearance between the male and the female Black Widow spider.

Both have a spherical abdomen, but the male is usually half the size of a female. The female is a shiny black color and on the underside of its abdomen there is a reddish colored hourglass shape.
On the other hand, the male Black Widow spider has yellow and red bands with spots on their back. When males are newly hatched they are a white, sometimes with a yellowish tint. Newly hatched Black Widows are harmless and resemble the males more in appearance. The Black Widows do spin webs, however their webs contain no specific patterns or shapes but their silk is stronger than any other spider. Also, the female spider will rarely leave the web.

It takes anywhere from 70 to 90 days for a Black Widow spider to sexually mature. The Black Widow typically mates during the springtime. A sac will contain anywhere from 250 to 700 eggs. A Black Widow typically lives up to three years and their main diet consists of a variety of insects.

Black Widow Spiders - Bites

The adolescent and male Black Widow spider is harmless; leaving the female as the only one that is venomous. The female Black Widow spider’s venom is deadly and is even more so than a rattle snake or any other spider.

The danger of being bitten by a Black Widow is that the victim most likely will not feel it. However, there are some symptoms to look for, which may include but not be limited to: abdominal pains, sore muscles, especially on the feet, a dry mouth and paralyzed diaphragm, excessive sweating, and swollen eyelids. If a Black Widow spider bites somebody they should seek medical attention immediately. The victim is usually given antivenin or calcium gluconate.

The brown recluse spider is part of the genus Loxosceles and is sometimes known as “fiddleback” spiders or “violin” spiders because of the violin-shaped marking on the top of the cephalothorax, which are the head and the thorax. The brown recluse spider has six pairs of eyes, which are all arranged in pairs. Their eyes are also their most noticeable feature which makes it easy to identify a brown recluse spider.

Identify the Brown Recluse Spider

The violin-shaped marking is typically found only on more mature brown recluse spider. The brown recluse is range from a light tan to a darker brown color with their entire body being covered with thin hairs. The brown recluse spider is about 3/8 inches long and about 3/16 inches wide. Although the male spider are somewhat smaller in body length than females, their leg span is usually the same length.

The brown recluse spider is found throughout the Midwest and the southern central part of the United States. It is very rare to find a brown recluse spider outside of those particular areas. Brown recluse spiders are typically found outside in many different areas such as under rocks or logs, woodpiles, dirt, or debris. However, during the cooler months it is not uncommon to find brown recluse spiders within the house, especially basements, attics, closets, or anywhere else that is dry and warm.

Many times during those months the brown recluse will go without any food or water. It is nearly impossible to fully get rid of brown recluse spiders once they have become established in these areas of the home. The brown recluse does not spin a web either to catch their food; instead they hunt their prey which usually consists of insects, either dead or alive.

The brown recluse is actually somewhat nocturnal, as they spend most of the daylight hours hidden within rocks or logs. They line these homes with webbing, which is later used for holding their egg sacs. If a brown recluse spider is seen during daylight hours it usually has to do with the fact that they are hungry, otherwise they stay hidden.

Brown Recluse Spiders

Brown recluse spiders are not aggressive unless they are aggravated, which is like many other species of spiders as well. Some cases where they may bite is if they are trapped between skin and other surface or when putting on clothes that they are hiding in.

Because of that it is extremely important to thoroughly shake out clothing before putting it away to ensure that there are no hidden spiders that could possibly bite. The brown recluse spider bite is often not even felt, which makes it very dangerous. In some cases the bite is noticed right away because of immense pain, for others it can take several hours before the bite is even noticed. The reaction to the bite depends on how much venom is injected.

The only deaths reported from a brown recluse spider bite have been with children under the age of seven. However, the brown recluse is one of four species of spiders that is dangerous to humans along with the black widow spider. If bitten by a brown recluse spider it is vital that the victim seeks medical attention right away, and if possible capturing the spider and bringing it in will help ensure accurate identification. More about the Brown Recluse Spider Bite

If you have been bitten and would like help identifying the insect, please take photos and post them here for everyone to view. Without pictures of insect bites it is very hard to determine the insect.

If you have been bitten by a spider, but are not sure what type of spider, then please post your questions and photos on this spider bite page.

Please send photos of insect bites to jim@badspiderbites.com and I will make sure they get posted for everyone to see.

Of all the posts about bites on this site, the following tips seem to be repeated throughout, no matter what type of insect bite it may be.

* Do not pop the bite to get pus out.
* Do not wait to go to the doctor, a few days can do incredible damage!
* Capture the insect that bit you if possible.