What does a brown recluse spider look like and do they appear in Oregon?

Answer 1

The brown recluse is a delicate looking spider around the size of a quarter (legs included). It has an obvious identifying mark on its back which looks like a dark fiddle (1). This web site has an awesome picture if you want to check it out: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.critterridders.com/brown_recluse1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.critterridders.com/spiders.htm&h=400&w=450&sz=195&tbnid=83-8z3Oe2m_lQM:&tbnh=110&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbrown%2Brecluse%2Bspider&start=3&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=3 . It mostly lives in the south and it is very unusual to hear of a recluse bite occuring in Oregon. Most of the bites that have been reported in Oregon have ended up being the bite of the hobo spider, which is pretty nasty, too (2).

Answer 2

The brown recluse is one of 11 species of the genus Loxosceles occurring in North America.
None of these occur in Oregon naturally, although
occasionally one might be brought in from another
area by someone moving there from a place where
the Loxosceles do occur. This would be rare.

The bite of the hobo spider is of no consequence
and that of the recluse not much in many cases.
For some unknown reason when someone gets
bitten by something, or thinks he has, it seems that
a spider bite is the first thing almost everyone thinks of. Spider bites are actually uncommon.
See the reference below which indicates how
unlikely it is that what is called a brown recluse
bite actually is, unless one lives in the southern tier
of states or the lower Midwest.

Answer 3

The brown recluse spider is a venomous spider, Loxosceles reclusa, of the family Sicariidae (formerly of the family Loxoscelidae). It is usually between 1/4 and 3/4 inch (6.4-19.1mm) but may grow larger. It is brown and usually has markings on the dorsal side of its thorax, with a black line coming from it that looks like a violin with the neck of the violin pointing to the rear of the spider resulting in the nickname "fiddleback spider" or "violin spider". Coloring varies from light tan to brown and the violin marking may not be visible. Since the "violin pattern" is not diagnostic, it is far more important, for purposes of identification, to examine the eyes. Contrary to most spiders, which have 8 eyes, recluse spiders have 6 eyes arranged in pairs (dyads) with one median pair and 2 lateral pairs. Only a few other spiders have 3 pairs of eyes arranged this way (e.g., scytodids), and recluses can be distinguished from these as recluse abdomens have no coloration pattern nor do their legs, which also lack spines.

The brown recluse spider is native to the United States from the southern Midwest south to the Gulf of Mexico ([1]). The native range lies roughly south of a line from southeastern Nebraska through southern Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana to southwestern Ohio. In the southern states, it is native from central Texas to western Georgia. They are generally not found west of the Rocky Mountains

Answer 4

Brown recluse spiders have been seen in the northern states. About 2 to 3 inches long.
Very poisonous

Answer 5

A description of a brown recluse spider is as follows:

What is a brown recluse spider?

Brown recluse, or fiddle (Loxosceles), spiders are about 0.5 in. (1.3 cm) long with a dark violin-shaped mark on the combined head and midsection (cephalothorax). They are found most often in the south-central part of the United States and some parts of southern Canada and live in hot, dry, abandoned areas, such as wood or rock piles.

Check here for more information:

http://health.yahoo.com/ency/healthwise/tm6499spec

They are in Oregon. They have hitchhiked in on logs and lumber.

Answer 6

Yes, they live in Oregon and my younger brother got bit by one last year. He almost died from it, but luckily he didn't. I'll give you the website to go to see a picture of a brown recluse.

Answer 7

Don't know if they appear in Oregon. I would think so.
They are about 1/4 inch in breadth and width. The body has almost a transparent appearance, very light in color. One cannot feel their presence on one's body. Very "light footed". The first symptoms are a very red spot from their bite. Within 24 hours it spreads and eventually may change color, sometimes to near black. It continues to spread and if not treated with antibiotics can become a large open sore. Untreated can result in death to some.

Answer 8

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recluse_spider

There you go.

Do not let it bite you. It's a very painful and discusting experience. Believe me, I know.

Answer 9

Why do you ask ?
Do you suffer of arachnophobia?