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Bugs are beginning to emerge from hibernation this spring, calling for extra precautions around the home.
A brown recluse spider, common in this area, especially from May to July, was responsible for at least one injury this week when a local man was bitten in his sleep.
According to professors from Ohio State University and University of California, Riverside, brown recluses are a prevalent type of spider, though they are responsible for very few bites.
Recluses are generally not aggressive, but they will bite if provoked. The spiders are reclusive, as their name implies, and generally are found in corners or other dark, undisturbed sites during the day.
At night they search for food, preferring dead insects.
Many bites occur at night, when a person unwittingly rolls over onto a spider in bed. Another way bites occur is when people put on clothing or shoes that have not been worn for a few weeks, crushing a recluse as they dress.
Though 90 percent of recluse bites result in little or no scarring and no lasting injury, some bites can cause scars the size of softballs, where the flesh was killed by spider venom.
Common symptoms of a recluse bite include a stinging sensation, pain, enlarged tissue around the bite wound, hardening of tissue and red, white and blue rings around the wound. Bite symptoms depend upon an individual's sensitivity to the spider and how much venom is released. In some cases, only a small red bump appears; in others, a person may go into shock.
If bitten by a recluse, seek medical attention immediately. If possible, capture the spider to take to a physician for positive identification.
Identifying factors of the recluse include tan to dark brown coloring and a violin-shaped marking on the spider's back. They have long thin, brown legs and are covered with hair, giving them a velvet appearance.
Tips to help prevent bites from the University of California-Riverside Web site include: Don't leave clothing lying on the floor. Before wearing clothing or shoes that have been unused for weeks, shake them out.
Remove bed skirts from beds and clear out all clutter underneath the bed. Then the only way a spider could get into the bed would be on one of the four bed legs.
Use caution when moving items from storage areas, particularly cardboard boxes. Check boxes before picking them up, to avoid crushing a spider with the hand.
Do not stack wood or other objects against homes, as this gives them an ideal residence. Always wear gloves when removing wood from a pile.
While recluse bites can cause scarring and injury, in most cases they heal without much incident. A recluse bite has never been known to be fatal.
