We have Brown Recluse's all around where I live. A Brown Recluse bite is pretty easy to avoid if you can remember to sweep away the spider if one is on you, instead of smashing it. That's actually how most bites occure. That and putting on cloths or drying off with a towel aggravating the spider. If you live in an area known to have them, it's a good idea to alway's shake your cloths and towels pretty good before putting them on/drying off. Hopefully, if a spider is on/in them it will be knocked off by the shaking. I've never been bit by a Brown Recluse (that I'm aware of), but I know several people that have. Luckily none of them had serious reactions such as were in those pictures.

Another place to watch out for spiders is in your produce (mainly fruit). Bananna's are probably some of the worst about having spiders. Also, having new carpet put in your house can often introduce Brown Recluse's (spiders in general) in your home. Especially if the carpet came from a warehouse type storage facility. This happened to my grandparents several(8-10) years ago, and they still have them around (not quite as bad now). Neither of them had ever been bit untill about 2 years ago. My grandfather felt something on his leg through his pants, so naturally he slapped at it. Sure enough, it was a brown recluse. He went to the doctor and got a shot, and that was about it, minus some swelling and what looked like bruising.