How do you treat insect or spider bites, especially one like a brown recluse (wolf) spider at home?
First Aid for a Brown Recluse Spider Bite What should I do if I get bitten by a brown recluse spider? * If bitten, remain calm. * Apply an ice pack directly to the bite area to relieve swelling and pain. * Try to collect the spider, if possible, (even a mangled specimen has diagnostic value) a spider expert may be able to identify it positively. A plastic bag, small jar, or pill vial is useful and no preservative is necessary. * Immediately seek medical attention (contact your physician, hospital, and/or poison control center). Bite Symptoms Reactions to the Brown Recluse Spider (BRS) bite depends on the amount of venom injected, age of the spider, an individual’s immune system and sensitivity to the venom. Some people experience immediate or delayed effects as the venom kills the tissues (necrosis) at the site of the bite, while other people are unaffected by a bite. The BRS bite may go unnoticed or feel like a pinprick. It may take 2 to 8 hours to become aware of the bite. Victims ma
