Donna Davis, age 9, of Buford, Georgia, for her question:

What is the brown recluse spider?

This spider has been getting herself into the news reports and many of us have heard about her. Like most spiders, she can bite hard enough to pierce human skin. For some time, many people have suspected that her fangs were poisonous and very dangerous. Top scientists investigated this idea. They spent months collecting information and making tests. At last they can tell us the truth. The brown recluse spider does have a poisonous bite, so dangerous that it may be fatal to human lives. Her poison, say the experts, is somewhat like rattlesnake poison.

The brown recluse spider may be pale yellow, medium brown or darkish brown. She is about three quarters of an inch long and on her body there is an unusual sign that proves who she is. It is a plain little mark shaped like a violin. This spider roams over the southern United States, and is seen as far north as Chicago. Watch out for her lurking in dark closets and attics. If by chance she bites you, take your body and your wound to the doctor without wasting a minute.