Pictures of Brown Recluse Spider Bites

What you should do when a brown recluse spider bites you:

1.  Do go to the emergency room or doctor.  Brown recluse spider bites are serious because the venom is necrotic.  That is, it eats away at and kills tissue under the skin.  These bites can lead to serious complications up to and including amputation.  Worst case scenarios may even include death.

2.  Do apply ice to a brown recluse spider bite.  This will help with swelling and pain, and should be done on the way to the doctor.

3.  Do wash the bite site with soap and cool water.  This will help the brown recluse spider bite site resist infection.

4.  Do elevate the limb above the heart.  Venom travels through the blood stream, and you want to keep the bite site above your heart.

5. Do take acetamenophene for any pain you experience from the brown recluse spider bite.

6.  Do remain calm after being bitten by a brown recluse spider.  The venom travels faster if you are excited or active.

What you should not do if bitten by a brown recluse spider:

1.  Do not risk retrieving the spider unless you can safely do so.  You do not want to risk another bite.  Try to identify the brown recluse.  You can read about brown recluse spider identification here.

2.  Do not ever add heat to the bite site.  Heat will cause the tissue to break down quicker with a brown recluse spider bite.

3.  Do not suck, cut, or attempt to remove the venom from a brown recluse spider bite.  This can cause further damage as well as an added risk of spreading the venom.

4.  Do not medicate the brown recluse bite site with creams, or medicines of any kind.  Some of these can cause major problems with a brown recluse spider bite.

When you arrive at the doctors, you may receive any number of treatments for your brown recluse spider bite.  These can include tetanus shots, allergy meds, pain medications, and even antibiotics.  These depend on the site, as well as your reaction to the brown recluse spider bite.

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Eight Legged Freaks – Giant spiders that take over the world is not a new concept. It has been done before. The thing about Eight Legged Freaks, however, is that they got species specific here. Trapdoor spiders, tarantulas, black widows, and even the popular jumping spider all made the cinematic cut. Granted they were all extra large and extra juiced up – still they scared people half to death. The first time you see the trap door spider flash from under the ground and drag someone under you will jump. I assure you.

Arachnaphobia – This movie was actually one that surprised me. The movie was much better than I figured it would be. Made quite a few years back, this movie does a great job of giving you the willies. The spiders are largely realistic, and there are a number of scenes where they crawl where they should not. Note the shower scene where the spider explores a girls cleavage. Not a very comfortable scene at all but deliciously spooky!

And then there are the movies that just use the real tarantula largely. Two of the best among these are the old classics Tarantulas – Deadly Cargo and Kingdom of the Spiders. These old flicks depended on the real deal to get there scares across. Tarantulas are genuinely creepy and perfect for a spider movie. They are largely docile spiders that will not usually bite unless they are threatened. This means that you can realistically use them in movies without much risk. Put a tarantula crawling up someone’s leg or arm and you have a great start to a spider movie.

I do believe that spider movies are far from worn out. The genre is need of a brand new movie, and I hope that someone puts one out soon. They are just too fun to leave on the cutting room floor. What was your favorite spider movie of all time?

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Of all the snake movies I have seen, perhaps Anaconda was the best attempt.  This movie starred Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson and John Voight among others.  Each of these actors brought some decent acting to Anacondas, and helped to make it a good snake movie.  The one thing about Anacondas though was that it was just far too over the top.  Suspending disbelief is one thing, but obliterating it is quite another.  This snake movie would have been even better if they had not made the snake and their capabilities so far over the top.  I like to stretch reality, not recreate it where snake movies are concerned.

What would have made Anacondas great instead of just good?  By drawing on the reality of Anacondas, this movie could have truly been incredible.  For example, the anaconda is pretty big to begin with.  They did not have to make the movie anaconda so large to make them scary.  They are huge!  Another point to make is that anacondas have been known to kill and eat small human beings.  For example, Jennifer Lopez sized women and children.  Having them be able to completely devour a human with a gulp was just too far over the top.  Why not make that more realistic?

Another key to making a snake movie great instead of merely good is to include more snakes.   Rather than having a huge one snake throwdown at the end of the movie, have the main characters be lured into a situation with thousands of the snakes.  That is infinitely more scary.

Finally, acting is a must in a great snake movie as it is with any other type of movie.  Why is it that snake movies, and any other animal attack type movies always draw second rate acting?  There are exceptions to the rule, but they are few and far between.  The vast majority of snake movies are very poorly acted.

Snake movies will always be a part of the horror movie landscape, but I hope that future ventures will work on bending reality and not simply recreating it.  I will be watching either way.

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I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

The black mamba is named after the black coloration of the inside of their mouths and not their body color. If you notice, the black mamba is actually a greyish color. Their mouths are jet black when they open it however.

The black mamba is also one of the largest venomous species of snake in the world. This African serpent is actually the second largest in the world among venomous species. Only the king cobra is larger. The black mamba can reach fourteen feet in length.

The black mamba is also highly aggressive. In spite of this fact, they will still attempt to escape given the chance. They are not interested in conflict with humans, but if they are cornered they are capable, and highly aggressive fighters. Never approach a black mamba in the wild or anywhere else. They can kill you in a flash if you are not near antivenin. Even with the antidote, the black mamba still can be deadly. Without the antivenin, the black mambas bite is nearly 100 percent fatal.

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The Tarantula!

Just the name used to send shudders through my entire body.  Tarantula….Something about the way the letters are formed seems to perfectly describe this hairy arachnid.  As a boy, a tarantula was an orange and black patterned monster that grew to be the size of my face.

(Okay, so we are talking about the Mexican red leg tarantula and it gets about the size of my palm.  Give me a break… I was seven)

So anyway, this platter sized spider was living in every corner of my bedroom.  I would see them crawling up and down my Spiderman curtains.  Every giant Superman Logo on my blanket was actually a tarantula bent on eating me.

We had shag carpet back then, and it just happened to be orange and black in my bedroom.  It was hairy.  It felt like tartantulas all over my floor.

More than anything, my irrational fear of these tarantulas stemmed from watching the made for television classic, “Tarantulas” back in the late 70s I beleive.  Whatever the case, they were everywhere in my bedroom as a kid.

That fear led to wonder.  The wonder led to curiosity.  Now, in my adult years, that fear has led to fascination.  I love to watch this incredible creatures.  I love to learn about spiders and tarantulas in particular.  They still give me the willies, mind you…

I do not wish to have a tarantula in my bed.  I knew there was a great reason to get rid of those Superman bed sheets.

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The brown recluse spider has a number of distinctive features that can help identify it.  The first thing to know about the brown recluse spider is the formation of the eyes. The brown recluse actually has only six eyes instead of the spider norm of eight.  They are situated on the head in sets of two.

The brown recluse also has a violen shaped marking on the head, and the neck of the violin stretches towards the abdomen.  This marking is clearer on some than others, and they are not the only species of spider to have such markings.

The brown recluse spider is fairly small, with the total body width of about a quarter fully grown. (this is including the legs)  The brown recluse also can vary wildly in color, from a light yellowish color to to a dark brown.  Some are even reddish in tint.  It depends on the age, location, and particular group of recluses.  They are a variation of brown in most cases.

The brown recluse is just what their name implies – reclusive.  They hide away in dark, dry places which leads them to contact with humans that leave clothing in open storage, or after climbing into a shoe.

While this dangerous spider is certainly a serious problem in some areas, the vast majority of brown recluses are never seen by human eyes.  If you leave them alone, then chances are you will never get  bitten.  It is important to shake out anything that has been left sitting for a long time.  This is true both for the brown recluse, and the other dangerous spider well known in the United States – the black widow.

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The cottonmouth, commonly referred to as a water moccasin, is a stout bodied snake that is alternately described as reclusive and aggressive. My personal experience with this pit viper is that it is highly territorial, and not likely to give ground when confronted. That said, the cottonmouth has never exactly been aggressive as far as what I have seen. It will stand it’s ground, gape open it’s mouth, and wait for you to leave. This is not exactly aggressive behavior as much as stubborn.

There are at least three subspecies of cottonmouth found in North America, and they are all fairly abundant within their ranges. There is the Eastern Cottomouth (Agkistrodan piscivorus piscivorus), the Florida cottonmouth (Agkistrodan piscivorus conanti) and the Western cottonmouth (Agkistrodan piscivorus leucostoma). They all are similar with coloration being the primary difference among them. This article will deal with the Eastern cottonmouth as this is the species of which I have the most knowledge of.

Is the Cottonmouth Dangerous?

Cottonmouths are venomous, and the venom is somewhat comparable to the bite of most large rattlesnakes. They are not quite as serious as those rattlesnakes, but they are more toxic than the copperhead. The bite of the cottonmouth can cause massive tissue loss at the site of the bite, and often will make you incredibly sick. Can it kill you? Absolutely it can if you do not get treatment for the bite. The vast majority of cottonmouth snake bites do not end in death, however. Bites should be considered serious and should always be treated as an emergency.

Where Are Cottonmouths Located?

Cottonmouth snakes are very common throughout the Southeast to include North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Arkansas. This list is far from all inclusive, but it is the “hot bed” of cottonmouth locations.

How Big Do Cottonmouths Get?

The cottonmouth can grow up to about 3-4 feet on average. They do not get extremely long, but they are known to get quite fat. Their bodies are very stout and the snake is quite powerful looking as a rule. Baby cottonmouths are usually about a foot.

Identification of the Cottonmouth

Cottonmouth snakes are usually identified by the white coloration that is clearly shown to anyone that happens to be close. The cottonmouth will generally curl into a strike position and gape open its jaws, thereby showing the reason they are called cottonmouths. The two large fangs that are hinged back when the snake closes its mouth are sometimes visible as well. If you are close enough to note the fangs, then you are way too close.

The head of the cottonmouth is noticeably larger than the neck, and they are generally triangular in shape. The head also houses pits which allow the snake to hunt effectively. These heat sensing pits are a primary feature of a pit viper such as the cottonmouth.

The cottonmouth also can be highly variant in color, depending on where it is located and the species. In general, cottonmouths are darker as they age, and markings begin to fade. The cottonmouth often has bands that are serrated at the edges. The ground color can be black, grey, brown, or even a olive color.

Cottonmouth Behavior

The cottonmouth has been known to do some odd things. They are not your everyday snake by any means. For example, when a cottonmouth goes into the water, they swim with the head up and over the body. Most other water snakes swim low in the water.

The classic urban myth about a water skier falling into a bed of cottonmouths is simply not true. Cottonmouths do not nest in the water, and they tend to run when in the water. Oddly, they do not seem as brave in the water as they are on land. On land, the cottonmouth is usually going to stand its ground.

Though the cottonmouth is widely feared, it should not be. The snake is a formidable reptile that deserves respect, not fear. As long as you give them a wide berth, the cottonmouth will never be a problem for anyone. They are beautiful and quite necessary in our ecosystems throughout the United States.

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The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is actually a rather shy and reclusive snake.  It has no interest whatsoever in encountering human beings, and if you heed it’s warning you are not likely to get bitten.  The eastern diamondback rattlesnake will bite if it is surprised or harassed, and when it does the results can be rather bad for humans.

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is a pit viper.  That means that it has little heat sensing pits on the snout of the snake that act as a sort of infra-red vision.  The snake sees warmth which comes in handy when hunting warm blooded mammals.  Another common pit viper trait is a triangular shaped head.  The eastern diamondback is known to have a large head with a skinny neck, and fits that pit viper profile to a tee.

One of the most telling features about the eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the racoon like features around the eyes and down the side of the head.  This is common to most all eastern diamondbacks.  The eastern diamondback also has the trademark rattle that one would expect.  This is not a good gauge of identification, however.  That goes for any rattlesnake.  The reason why is because the rattles on a rattlesnake can be missing for any number of reasons.  For example, the rattlesnake may have gotten into an altercation and lost it in a fight.

The eastern diamondback is a stout, heavy bodied snake that can grow in excess of eight feet.  Extra large eastern diamondbacks can grow up to ten feet, though this is far from common.  The average size of a full grown adult is probably around seven feet or so.

The eastern diamondback has hinged fangs that spring forward when the snake strikes.  The snake then buries the fangs deep into the snake bite victim, and injects venom through the hollow fangs.  The eastern diamondback has large fangs, and extremely large venom glands.  This means that it can inject copious amounts of venom into a bite.  This is one of the reasons the eastern diamondback rattlesnake is so dangerous.

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The black widow spider is one of two dangerous spiders found in the United States and is the most commonly encountered. Getting bitten by a black widow spider is not something that you ever want to encounter as it is very painful and in children the elderly, quite dangerous. If you take  the following precautions, you should never have to experience this nasty little bite.

Remember that the black widow by nature is a shy, and reclusive spider. It is not out to bite humans as this is actually a waste of its venom. The black widow would much rather save this venom for its prey.

The black widow spider loves to hang around in dark, damp areas far away from human intrusion. If you have to dig around in those types of areas, be sure to wear gloves to protect your skin. If you are going to dig around in the wood pile, make sure that you check it first with caution to keep from surprising the black widow. Any time you are going to be in an area that has not been disturbed for a while, you should take caution to check it out before doing so.

Ironically, most people are bitten by black widow spiders while trying to remove them. This comes from the fact that they either do not realize that it is a black widow, or they foolishly think that it is a run of the house spider. While shy, the black widow is very fast and flexible. It can easily whip around and bite an unsuspecting hand if you miss with that newspaper, so do not be flippant if you go to kill one. The safest way to remove a black widow spider is to put on thick gloves, and use a long weapon such as a shovel or broom. This will keep the exposed parts of your skin away from the spider, while still getting rid of them.

When you store you’re clothing for the seasons, be sure to use air tight containers as the black widow spider and the brown recluse love to take up residence in the safety of clothing. When you do take the clothes out of storage, shake them rigorously before putting them on to shake out any unwanted intrusions. Also, make sure you check your shoes before sliding them on each morning. This is another favorite among black widow spiders. It only takes a moment, and it could save you some heartache.

Finally, if you go outside, do not go barefoot. This is dangerous for several reasons and the black widow is just one of them. You also risk the danger of scorpions, snakes, and man made dangers such as glass.

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