It’s small, but it poses a danger to Mexicans during hot weather, like the current one, as it can even cause death: it’s the reel spider. This arachnid, easily identified by the “design” that gives it its name, caused the death of a young woman in Sonora on April 25, 2025.
Another case was recorded on April 29, 2024, when a 74-year-old farmer died in Jalisco while waiting for treatment after being bitten by a spider, one of the most venomous in Mexico.
Although some studies indicate that the dreaded reel spider lives throughout Mexico, its presence is more common in warmer areas, such as Sonora and Chihuahua, but it has also been seen on the Yucatan Peninsula, among other places.
This insect inspires fear because its venom can be fatal in many cases. However, it bites primarily when it feels threatened in its habitat.
In Mexico, the brown recluse spider’s season primarily covers May, but it is also abundant in June and July, during the hottest season.
According to the Institute of Social Security and Services for State Workers (ISSSTE), brown recluse spiders are identified as arachnids with six eyes, eight legs, and a brown or gray color.
The brown recluse spider is easy to identify because it has a violin-shaped marking on its head and body, i.e., on the cephalothorax. This arachnid is about three centimeters long, can be gray or brown, and has eight very long, thin legs and six eyes.
Also called the corner spider, it is a nocturnal animal and only attacks if it feels threatened. It is a nocturnal species, adapting to any ecosystem and finding refuge in dark corners during the day, but comes out to hunt during hot nights.
It likes dimly lit areas, so it can take refuge under furniture, in wall and floor cavities. It also finds refuge in dusty and unclean places, such as under gas tanks, behind paintings, ledges, bookcases, or in closets.
Brown recluse spiders live mainly in Sonora, Chihuahua, Morelos, the Bajío region, and Mexico City, but cases have also been reported in Yucatán.
If you encounter a recluse spider, it is recommended not to crush it with any part of your body, as there is a risk of being bitten and then escaping, as they are very fast.
Experts recommend using aerosol insecticides for spiders or those containing cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, or lambda-cyhalothrin because they are more effective; however, it is always best not to kill them, as they are never intended to attack humans.
The bite or sting may go unnoticed for about four hours when the affected person begins to experience itching and burning in the affected area. A hemorrhagic blister then forms, and the affected area changes color, manifesting as a dark center surrounded by a pale halo, which is in turn surrounded by a reddish halo, known as the “flag sign.”
Health specialists recommend that if you are bitten by a recluse spider, you should act quickly by applying ice and a cold compressive bandage to the wound and, if possible, washing the area with soap and water, in addition to going to the nearest health center. Death occurs due to acute kidney failure and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Seizures occur in children.
TYT Newsroom
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