The Brown Recluse Spider is what Scares Californians the Most (But should it?)

Ask the average Californian to list the spiders which scare him or her most, the list would probably look something like this;

Tarantula – kind of scary

Tarantulas are well known because some can be as big a single wide trailers and have legs as hairy as a middle-aged, gypsy can-can dancer. They also have fangs which makes them kind of like the Edward Cullens of the insect world. There are found in California. Are they scary? Sure, to some people. If you have a fear of spiders bigger is defiantly scarier and tarantulas are big. But if you know anything about spiders you would know that while they do have poison, they can’t kill you with a bite unless you’re highly allergic to it. For most people, tarantula bites are on par with a bee sting.

Black Widow – really scary

Swimming after eating, texting while driving and black widow spiders are a few of the things your mother will warn you about. They should, because the Black Widow spider is the most poisonous spider in North America and commonly found in California. The good news, only the female packs a poisonous punch. The bad news, can you tell the difference between the male and the female? People rarely die from a Black Widow bite but that does not make your mother a liar.

The Brown Recluse – get me out of here!

Ironically, the Brown Recluse isn’t even a native to California although it is believed that the occasional Brown Recluse spider may hitchhike into the state via a shipment of product from the Midwest. So why are Californians so afraid of the Brown Recluse when there are (virtually) none here and there are (virtually) no confirmed bites from a Loxosceles reclusabut anywhere in the state?

This is partially fueled by the internet. We have all seen the photos of the horrific wounds that can be caused by the Brown Recluse spider bite. They look like something out of a gory science fiction movie with really good special effects. They make the rounds in e-mail and sensationalized internet stories. Also, it seems that everyone in California knows someone or knows of someone who has supposedly been bitten by a Brown Recluse. These all turn out to be bites from other spiders, other insects or really nasty zits but it does make for interesting conversation.

So while the Brown Recluse may scare the pants off of us in California, clearly the myth is much bigger than the reality.

Other Posts You Might Like:

• Brown Recluse Videos – Graphic!
• Brown Recluse Spiders – Are They in Your Home?

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