Hacker News Reader

As someone living right in recluse territory, I'm constantly terrified when going into a closet to get clothes...etc, even though I see black widows all the time. Any time you're at the gas pump or in your garage, look around and you can probably find one.

View on HN

Yeah, I was hoping that this article would talk about how Brown Recluse aren't actually dangerous (as I live in Texas), but instead it talked about California, and it appears Brown Recluse are still quite dangerous. I see them a lot.

Could we change the title to "Myth of the Brown Recluse in California" or something?

> I was hoping that this article would talk about how Brown Recluse aren't actually dangerous

It does to some degree, with anecdotes of interactions with no ill effects.

Clearly it can cause severe health issues, but the vast majority if the time it doesn't.

It puts it more in the range of plane crashes. They're not good, but they are rare, even if you're flying on a plane regularly.

And then you have California, which is terrified of plane crashes, either that they might be in one or that they're in the middle of one right now, even though they never fly and have no need or intention of ever flying.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com