Beware The Louisiana Spider That Can Turn Your Flesh Into Rotting Meat

It lurks among us. It's hard to recognize. I'd be willing to bet that right now, one of these creatures is on your property and maybe in your home. This spider has been known to go a full year - half its lifetime - without eating or drinking. It can stay alive in conditions you thought no living creature could survive.

This spider is usually about the size of quarter, which makes it fairly hard to see in most settings. It can find a home in your curtains or blinds. It can also be quite comfortable living under your patio furniture, or even in your clothes. You probably won't see it until you feel it. Then comes the real horror. 

The venom from this spider induces necrosis. That's a fancy name for killing the cells in your flesh and leaving them to rot away. By injecting its poison, filled with the protein known as Sphingomyelinase D, the bite of this spider can kill its prey instantly. When it bites a human, the bite is usually not deadly but it's quite painful, and the consequences of the bite can take days to manifest, and weeks and months to over come.

Just to be clear, this spider is not an attacker of humans, but when threatened or sat on or trapped in your jacket, it will defend itself. What does it look like? As we mentioned it's about the size of quarter, including the span of its eight legs. It is basically brown in color, which means it will blend in with the background of most places. It also has a tell-tale mark on its abdomen in the shape of what could be described as similar to a violin.

This spider is, of course, the Brown Recluse. Its favorite places to live are dark and sheltered environments like your garage, storage shed, your closet, and your garden. The web is usually built low to the ground and isn't necessarily used to trap prey. This spider is a hunter and will go in search of its next meal.

If you're bitten by a Brown Recluse, we suggest you seek medical attention immediately. The consequences of a bite from this spider can be devastating.