Is That Bump Really a Spider Bite?

Late summer in Maryland often means small red bumps popping up on your arms and legs after spending time outdoors. While many of these bumps are harmless and caused by mosquitoes, others are more worrisome. Is the bump on your body from a brown recluse or something else?

Your Spider Bite May Actually Be a Bacterial Infection!

If you have a skin lesion on your body that isn’t going away, it’s easy to dismiss it as a bad spider or mosquito bite. However, many spider bites or skin lesions are actually bacterial infections such as MRSA. Another common cause is Cellulitis, a bacterial infection that starts when streptococcus or staphylococcus bacteria enters your skin through a small crack. The lower leg is the most common place for cellulitis to occur. If the area of skin you are concerned about is expanding, remaining swollen, tender to the touch, painful, warm, causing blisters or spreading in size, go to the doctor immediately. Bacterial infections can be easily treated with antibiotics, but will continue to worsen the longer that you wait.

Is Your Spider Bite from a Brown Recluse? I don’t think so.

Many Maryland homeowners see a spider bite and worry that it is from a brown recluse spider. Brown recluse spiders are often feared due to their painful and long-lasting bites and their notoriety for causing tissue necrosis. Luckily for Maryland residents, brown recluse spiders do not live in Maryland. If a spider does happen to bite you it’s usually the yellow sac spider.

Yellow Sac Spiders in Your Home

Yellow sac spiders are the only spiders that I immediately kill if I spot them in my home. Yellow sac spiders can be a pale tan shade, straw-colored, pale green or a light pale brown. They range in size from ¼ to 3/8 inches, with females appearing larger than males. Yellow sac spiders have four pairs of legs, with longer front legs than back legs. They live, like many other spiders, off of small insects and other spiders. Their bites can be as painful as a bee sting and take up to 10 days to heal. While the yellow sack spider venom isn’t toxic, it may cause painful allergic reactions.

If you have a swollen spider bite or are experiencing an allergic reaction, it’s important to go to the doctor immediately, regardless of what type of spider you think it is from. If you are having problems with yellow sac spiders in your home, Brody Brothers Quality Pest Control can help.

Call Us Today!

To take care of any unwelcome spider in your home, schedule a comprehensive property inspection today with Brody Brothers Quality Pest Control by calling 410-653-2121 .