Have you ever found yourself jumping at the sight of an eight-legged visitor in your home? You’re not alone! One bug that bites is the infamous Brown Recluse spider. Let’s dive into the world of this little critter and learn how to keep you and your home safe and spider-free.
Who is the Brown Recluse?
The Brown Recluse spider, also known as Loxosceles reclusa, is a small, reclusive arachnid that prefers to stay hidden. These spiders are typically light to dark brown, with a distinct violin-shaped marking on their backs. Despite their daunting reputation, Brown Recluse spiders are actually quite shy and would rather avoid humans altogether.
Why Are They Called Recluses?
These spiders earned their name because they love secluded, undisturbed places. Think of dark corners, closets, attics, basements, and even inside shoes that have been left unused for a while. They spin irregular, sticky webs to catch their prey, but you’re unlikely to find these webs out in the open.
Should You Be Scared?
While it’s true that Brown Recluse bites can be serious, they are quite rare. These spiders bite only when they feel threatened or trapped. Most bites occur when someone accidentally disturbs a spider while it’s hiding in clothes, bedding, or shoes.
A bite from a Brown Recluse can cause mild to severe symptoms, ranging from redness and swelling to more serious skin necrosis in rare cases. However, not every bite is dangerous, and many heal without severe reactions.
How to Spot a Brown Recluse Spider
Here are a few identifying features:
- Color: Light to dark brown
- Size: About the size of a quarter, including legs
- Markings: A dark, violin-shaped marking on their back
- Eyes: Unlike most spiders with eight eyes, Brown Recluses have six eyes arranged in pairs
From The Money Pit Podcast
Read Transcript
LESLIE: Ron in Kansas, you find The Money Pit on KFRM. And you’ve got brown recluse spiders in your house. Are you OK?
RON: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, we’re OK. We haven’t gotten bit. I don’t think I’ve – I don’t think I’ve gotten bit yet, anyway. But …
LESLIE: I think you would know. (chuckles)
RON: We sure have them and they – they’re not so much in the house but they are in the garage area.
LESLIE: Yeah, they love any sort of areas where they can find nice, dark places to hide. If you’re storing cardboard boxes or even golf clubs; anything that has a nice nook for them to get into – especially in your part of the country – you’re going to find them.
RON: Is there a way to get rid of them?
TOM: Ron, you know, something that’s interesting about the brown recluse spider is that these things can live for months without food. So, eliminating food or water is not something that will actually control them. The best way to control them is to remove their habitat. And in a house, you know, that can be loose boards, old furniture, other junk, storage, boxes, things of this nature. And …
LESLIE: Clutter.
TOM: Clutter. And also, whenever you find the web of a recluse spider, which has – it doesn’t have the normal sort of symmetrical web shape. It’s more like a tacky cloth sort of looking stuff. If you see the web start to form them, you want to vacuum them up. But removing the clutter and the environment that gives them a place to hide and to survive is what most of the experts – the entomologists – recommend as a solution for this.
Now, you can also have an exterminator spray a pesticide that will keep them under control if you have a real severe infestation. But kind of staying on top of the clutter and removing the webs is the most important way to control them.
LESLIE: Also Ron, since yours seem to be limited to the garage, to the outdoor area, if you install yellow light bulbs in your outdoor fixtures which are attracting insects to the area where you’re finding the brown recluse, if you can reduce the amount of food, maybe they’ll start going elsewhere to try to find places to eat. So it’s really about get in their environment and stopping their food source.
TOM: And lastly, Ron, you could also trap them using sticky traps. They’re effective at capturing brown recluse. But be careful. These are poisonous spiders and they can have nasty, nasty bites; they can cause nasty, nasty bites. So you want to be careful about handling them. If they get on a sticky trap, make sure they’re dead because the other thing you should know is that they’re very, very fast (chuckling) and if they’re not stuck, they can easily jump over and bite you.
Keeping Your Home Brown Recluse-Free
Now, let’s talk prevention. Here are some tips to keep these reclusive guests out of your home:
- Declutter Regularly: Brown Recluses love hiding in cluttered areas. Keep storage spaces tidy and organized.
- Seal Entry Points: Inspect your home for cracks and gaps, and seal them to prevent spiders from entering.
- Use Spider Traps: Place sticky traps in dark, quiet areas to catch wandering spiders.
- Reduce Outdoor Lighting: Bright lights attract insects, which in turn attract spiders. Use yellow or sodium vapor lights to reduce attraction.
- Keep Bedding Off the Floor: Avoid leaving clothes, bedding, and shoes on the floor where spiders might hide.
- Hire Pest Control: If you suspect an infestation, don’t hesitate to call a professional pest control service.
Dealing with a Brown Recluse Encounter
If you come across a Brown Recluse Spider in your home, stay calm! Here’s what you should do:
- Don’t Panic: Remember, they prefer to stay hidden and are not aggressive.
- Use a Vacuum: The safest way to remove a Brown Recluse is to use a vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment. This way, you can capture the spider without getting too close. Be sure to dispose of the vacuum bag immediately.
- Contact a Professional: If you’re uncomfortable searching for brown recluse spiders or suspect more are lurking around, contact a pest control professional.
Conclusion
While the Brown Recluse spider may seem like a scary houseguest, understanding more about them can ease your fears. By taking simple preventive measures and knowing how to handle an encounter, you can keep your home a safe and spider-free haven. So, the next time you see a spider, you’ll know just what to do!
Stay informed, stay safe, and keep those creepy crawlies out of your living space!
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