The Brown Recluse Spider

197 Pages·2015·3.741 MB·English

by  Richard S. Vetter

The
BROWN
RECLUSE
SPIDER

The
BROWN
RECLUSE
SPIDER
RICHARD S. VETTER
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Publishing Cornell University Press
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Copyright © 2015 by Cornell University
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First published 2015 by Cornell University Press
First printing, Cornell Paperbacks, 2015
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Vetter, Richard S., 1955– author.
Th e brown recluse spider / Richard S. Vetter.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8014-5399-1 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-0-8014-7985-4 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Brown recluse spider. I. Title.
QL458.42.L6V48 2015
595.4ʹ4—dc23 2014039853
Cornell University Press strives to use environmentally responsible
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publishing of its books. Such materials include vegetable-based,
low-VOC inks and acid-free papers that are recycled, totally
chlorine-free, or partly composed of nonwood fi bers. For further
information, visit our website at www.cornellpress.cornell.edu.
Cloth printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Paperback printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Cover photograph by Richard S. Vetter.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments vii
Introduction 1
1 | Taxonomy 5
2 | Identifi cation 11
3 | Misidentifi cation 21
4 | Life History and Biology 39
5 | Distribution 71
6 | Medical Aspects 91
7 | Medical Misdiagnoses 113
8 | Human Psychology and the Brown Recluse Spider 125
9 | Bites and Alleged Bites by Other Spiders 139
10 | Control Measures 153
Glossary 163
References and Further Reading 167
Index 179
v

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I thank Kitty Liu, Susan Specter, and Peter Potter of Cornell University
Press for helping turn my goal of publishing this book into a reality.
Two anonymous reviewers made comments on the fi rst draft and Gavin
Lewis made many comments on the fi nal draft that greatly improved
the end product. Diane Barger reviewed the chapter “Life History and
Biology” and the late Dr. Gary Wasserman of the University of Missouri–
Kansas City School of Medicine and the Children’s Mercy Hospital,
who reviewed “Medical Aspects” and “Medical Misdiagnoses,” each
provided valuable comments and suggestions. I acknowledge dear
friend Mary Ursula Holden, who, after spending her days at her offi cial
profession of book editing, did me the generous favor of using her cre-
puscular and nocturnal hours to work on this book as well. Much
knowledge was gained over the years from my association with the
Barger family (Diane, Brenna, Dale, and Bradley) of Lenexa, Kansas,
who willingly turned their 1850s-built, brown recluse–populated home
into a live-in laboratory where we collaborated on several studies of the
species. Appreciation goes out to Rachel Kuypers, who allowed me to
use an image of her smiling face after she suff ered a mild brown recluse
envenomation. I appreciate my association with many medical col-
leagues over the years who helped me understand the medical aspects
of loxoscelism while eagerly absorbing in exchange biological and taxo-
nomic information that I offered regarding brown recluses and other
spiders. In particular, I must single out the following dermatologists
for their understanding and tutoring: Dr. David Swanson, Dr. W. Van
Stoecker, and Dr. Gary Wasserman. I acknowledge the dozens of my
arachnological colleagues, many being members of the American Arach -
nological Society, with whom much recluse information has been
vii
viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
exchanged over the last two decades. Finally, I appreciate the scores of
pest control personnel, entomologists, and public health offi cials, and
the hundreds of homeowners who submitted spiders for identifi cation,
who thereby made possible a better understanding of recluse spider dis-
tribution in North America
The
BROWN
RECLUSE
SPIDER