The public should not panic over the brown recluse spider despite recent reports of nasty bites, a Government insect expert said.

Entomologist Clare Jessey said although the creature had been spotted in a "good number" of houses, the chances of being bitten were slim.

One Bermuda resident said she had to have six inches of infected skin surgically removed after being bitten by the spider two years ago.

Her comments followed reports of recent attacks on residents including one man who had a bite balloon that developed into "interesting colours".

A brown recluse bite can require immediate medical care. Symptoms include reddened skin followed by a blister that forms at the bite site.

Mild to intense pain and itching for two to eight hours will follow.

Sometimes the bite develops into an open sore and can take months to heal.

Other signs of being bitten include fever and chills, a rash all over the body with many tiny, flat purple red spots, nausea or vomiting and joint pain.

In a Press statement, Ms Jessey said the spiders only bite when they feel they or their egg sacs are threatened.

She urged the public to be careful when turning out old clothes and shoes which the spiders might be lurking in.

Precautions include shaking out clothing not worn recently while wearing rubber gloves, carefully examining items in storage and regularly vacuuming infrequently used areas.

Other tips including clearing away food which can attract insects which the brown recluse eats.

"People should not be overly alarmed and expect to get bitten if they realise they are living with a brown recluse spider," said Ms Jessey.

"It is a common spider but it is not likely to bite."

The nocturnal spider is slightly larger than a quarter and should not be confused with the much larger, non-poisonous huntsman which prowls for cockroaches.

"There have been reports some people are killing all the spiders they can find and that's not sensible.

Spiders are actually beneficial because they keep other insects under control."

The brown recluse is not good at climbing and are usually found on the ground ? not in a web on the ceiling.