The+Brown+Recluse

=The Brown Recluse=

__Taxonomy:__
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Arachnida Order: Araneae Family: Sicariidae Genus: Loxosceles Species: reclusa



Identification
(Potter 2002)
 * Tan to dark brown in color, with legs and abdomen being uniform in color with lack of distinctive patterns
 * Cephalothorax has violin shaped dark brown marking with the "neck" of the violin pointed towards the abdomen
 * With legs extended, adult recluse spiders are about the size of a U.S. quarter
 * Most distinctive feature is only three pairs of eyes in a semi-circular arrangement

===__Habitat__=== (Vetter 2013)
 * Brown recluse are found in the south, central Midwest United states (see map)
 * As their name suggests they tend to reside in hidden and dark areas with little traffic or disruption. Often in storage areas, closets, boxes, attics, sheds, etc.
 * They are "synanthropic" meaning populations benefit from human association
 * Do not build webs, instead attack prey directly and subdue with venom
 * Nocturnal

__Biology__
(Edwards 2003)
 * Life cycle**
 * Average life span is two to four years
 * Females can produce around five egg sacs in their lifetime
 * Forty to fifty eggs are within each egg sac
 * Eggs hatch after about one month
 * Once hatched, juveniles can stay with their mother for three to four instars (periods between molting) before leaving on their own
 * After sexually mature, matings are typical during June and July summer months

(Potter 2002) (Wright et al. 1997)
 * The Bite**
 * While the Brown Recluse is widely feared and revered as a killer, it is a non-aggressive spider and bites usually only occur in response to direct contact and pressure to the spider (if the spider becomes trapped against your skin or feels threatened).
 * Most instances of Brown recluse bites are misdiagnosed
 * extremely difficult to diagnose from wound alone without the specimen
 * Initial bite is usually painless
 * Symptoms begin to show 3 to 8 hours after bite
 * The bite contains a hemotoxic venom
 * It can, but no always, cause necrosis, cell death, and present as blueish/black lesion with peripheral redness and swelling
 * In rare cases can lead to systemic illnesses
 * Serious complications from recluse bites are rare
 * In few cases when bite is left untreated, wounds will be serious enough to require skin grafts to replace necrotic tissue

Created by Castro. S

Related and Useful links
http://www.medicinenet.com/spider_bites_black_widow_and_brown_recluse/article.htm http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/565823_2 http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Loxosceles_reclusa/ http://bugguide.net/node/view/31531 http://www.emedicinehealth.com/spider_bite_brown_recluse_spider_bite/article_em.htm