I think I'm going to alternate between local and abroad. Today, we cover a spider more dangerous than the black widow, the brown recluse. Though, not as common as some think in Ohio, this dangerous little crawly does frequent our homes here occasionally. Many believe they know how to identify one properly, however, there are a couple other spiders that share similar traits.
Large Brown Recluse
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/13/Brown-recluse-coin-edit.jpg/800px-Brown-recluse-coin-edit.jpg
1. The violin. The most common description for the recluse.
2. No spines on legs and no discernible markings.
3. And most importantly, though many of you will never look that close, only 3 pairs of eyes. One pair on each side and one pair facing forward.
They are not aggressive and do not readily attack unless handled. Some recluse bites have been known to cause necrosis of the flesh. Sometimes months or even years down the road. The cause is unknown. I will say it is believed many recluse bites are misdiagnosed and are not actual recluse bites. It's almost the 'pit bull' of spiders concerning misdiagnosed 'attacks', etc. It is also important to note that not all recluse bites have systemic affects. Though generally the bite forms a necrotizing ulcer that destroys soft tissue and may take months to heal, leaving deep scars.
Best course of action? If you are unsure, get rid of it. Fatalities are rare but the bites can be significant espcially to the infants and the elderly.