I thought this was a brown recluse spider but as I looked closer, I noticed it was a wolf spider with cluster of baby spiderlings on her back.
I usually see a lot of them around as I live out in the countryside. They’re actually very beneficial to the ecosystem for pest control. And they’re mostly shy and keep their distance from humans.
My stepfather was bitten by a brown recluse that caused serious damage to his nerves in his right hip that left him disabled with a noticeable limp. I haven’t seen any around here much even though I’m told they are in this area of Oklahoma. My former news editor had lived in the Greater Houston area and other parts of Texas most of his life and had never heard of them until an exterminator noticed a shed exoskeleton in the backroom of the newspaper building.
Over time, I’ve come to live and let live with many spiders. With the nearby cattle and horse ranch, they help keep the flies away as well as other pests.
