How to identify brown recluse spiders and what to do if one bites you

It might not reflect well on us that a spider as aptly named as the brown recluse is so misunderstood.

While many people know the truth about the brown recluse — that it is not aggressive, but a “shy, retiring spider” — it’s likely just as many do not. Why are we so afraid of them?

It is true that in some instances, a bite from a brown recluse is dangerous, or even fatal. But the vast majority of bites are relatively harmless, according to experts. Maybe our anxieties and arachnophobia have to be directed somewhere?

Here’s how you can identify a brown recluse, and what you should do if you are bitten by one.

What does a brown recluse look like? How to identify them

The legs of a brown recluse stretch to about the size of a quarter to a half-dollar, according to the University of Te