Although experts said brown recluse spiders are not as common in East Tennessee as in other parts of the state, they still exist around the area.

Christopher Smith said while outside Saturday, he was bit by what he thought was an ant.

“It was all swollen and black, and she (his wife) told me I need to go to the doctor and I did and they said it was either a black widow or a brown recluse,” shared Smith.

X-rays determined the bite did not get into his bones, according to Smith.

The brown recluse has a reputation for being dangerous, but experts said most people don’t have severe reactions. About 90% of people only experience a small raised bump, Karen Vail a professor at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture said.

She shared ways how to avoid getting bitten.

“If they want to prevent the brown recluse from biting them during the night, they can move their bed away from the wall and tuck all bed skirting in, remove all the clutter from under the bed and put glue boards underneath their bedposts so the brown recluse will get stuck on the glue board before they make it to their bed,” said Vail.

If you are bitten, it’s best to get the bite examined, Sarah Bachor a Physician Assistant at Summit Express Clinic in Farragut said.

Brown recluse spider bites do need prescription anti-biotics. You do need to see a healthcare provider for them. They’re not necessarily something that you always have to go to the emergency room for. You can go to Urgent Care or your regular primary care provider for them. But typically all insect and spider bites do need medical evaluation,” explained Bachor.

You can estimate how many brown recluse spiders are in your home by placing glue boards around dark places they may be hiding. An exterminator can help get rid of the spiders. Clearing away clutter, sealing cracks in your home’s foundation, and moving wood and brush piles away from your house can also keep the spiders out.

Story courtesy of WVLT