A poisonous spider that causes tissue necrosis has appeared in buildings on the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus, possibly due to the empty schoolyard due to Covid-19.
The spider, known as the Mediterranean recluse spider (Loxosceles rufescens), is found in basements and deserted areas of some buildings in Ann Arbor due to reduced traffic, the university said in February. In its latest appearance, several spiders were found at the University of Michigan’s Shapiro Library, forcing staff to shut down the library for two days.
The Mediterranean recluse spider is related to the poisonous brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa), but it is even more elusive. “As the name suggests, they’re elusive and bites are extremely rare,” said Anne Danielson-Francois, associate professor of biology at the University of Michigan.
In the school of Mediterranean recluse spiders that bite humans, their bite can cause gangrene, according to the New York Times. The University of Michigan conducts weekly inspections and sprays insecticides in areas where spiders are present. Last year, during the blockade, there were numerous cases of odd-looking animals, such as coyotes on the streets of San Francisco and deer running through the streets of Japan.
