by The brown recluse spider, also known as the violin spider, gets its aka. from the pattern in the shape of a violin on their backs. There’s an endemic species of violin spiders from the Valley of Mexico called Loxosceles tenochtitlan. Its name is really interesting since Tenochtitlan is the name of the capital city of the Mexicas before the Spanish conquest. According to Alejandro Alagon from the Institute of Biotechnology in the UNAM, adult specimens of this species can measure up to 3cm of longitude including their legs. If you look from close enough you will see that Loxosceles have three pairs of ears. They have a brown-dun color with the emblematic darker spot on the shape of a violin.
In Mexico, around thirty people are treated every year due to a brown recluse spider bite. Even though they live in wild forests, caves, and like to wander in between tree bark, they adapt to every environment, that’s why is so common to see them around the neighborhood. You might find a violin spider in your garage, your toolboxes, inside stored clothes, or even behind old paintings. Although hearing this might not be music for your ears, you must know that 49% percent of their bites happen inside the household, occurring more often during the summer. They can spend six months without food nor water, and they can live up to five years!
Violin spiders are strong and therefore their bite shouldn’t be taken for granted. Its venom can be 10 times as harmful as sulfuric acid on human skin. Aside from causing quick necrosis on the skin, its bite can severely affect the organism and possibly cause death. Systemic loxoscelism occurs when their venom travels through the bloodstream and enters specific organs, commonly causing renal problems.
Fortunately, after 13 years of investigation and development, the antidote to its bite has been made available to the public health sector in Mexico. Also, unless you are attempting to touch a violin spider, it shouldn’t bite you! They are not aggressive until they perceive a threat to their wellbeing. Just be careful and make sure you contact a specialist before attempting to eradicate them from your home for trying to kill them might be dangerous. Most importantly, remember that even though their venom might be lethal for humans, spiders clean your home from other plagues of insects you may have and they play a key role in the ecosystem of bugs in our backyard.
Brown recluse spider
Featured images:
“Violin Spider – Brown Recluse – Female” by graftedno1 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
“Brown Recluse” by graftedno1 is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
