The brown recluse is found throughout the United States and typically inhabits clothing, furniture and shoe boxes. An adult brown recluse is between 1/4 and 3/4 inch in body length and has six eyes. It is typically light to dark brown in color and has a distinctive fiddle-shaped marking on the top of the front section. The neck of the fiddle points towards its rear. The venom from the brown recluse causes serious damage to the skin and results in necrosis and loss of tissue.
Among the most readily identifiable spiders is the black widow. The adult female is approximately half an inch long, while the male is smaller. The female features an enlarged glossy black abdomen with a red marking on the underside that ranges from an hourglass shape to a simple dot. Found throughout the United States, it prefers to live in areas that are frequently undisturbed and well protected like hollow stumps, sheds, woodpiles and garages. The bite causes severe pain and attacks the nervous system, causing headaches, abdominal pain, hypertension, shortness of breath and a fever. Healthy adults rarely die; however, children, the elderly and those with medical conditions are at risk for death within 32 hours.
The mouse spider is identified by the distinctive steep slope of the frontal section and the mouse-like hair on its abdomen. The male has a red head with long fangs. The female can be up to an inch and a half, while the male is only about three-quarters of an inch. Both are found predominately near creek beds or in garden areas where they dig burrows that may be 3 feet deep with one or two trapdoors and an oval entrance. The female typically remains in or near the burrow, while the male wanders about. The bite from the mouse spider causes damage to the nervous system and the blood vessels and can damage the brain, much like the funnel spider. Immediate medical attention is necessary. Funnel spider anti-venom is generally effective treatment.
The hobo spider lives primarily in the Pacific and mountain regions. It is brown and is one-third to two-thirds of an inch long with a leg span of two-thirds of an inch to 2 inches. The female has a larger abdomen than the male, while the male's mouth parts - called palpi - resemble boxing gloves. While the bite itself is painless, redness usually occurs almost immediately followed by blistering within 36 hours. You may also experience memory loss, weakness, impaired vision and fatigue.
