Do You Have a Brown Recluse Problem in Your Home?

Imagine walking into your kitchen one evening, flipping on the light, and seeing a spider skitter across the floor. Your first instinct is to squeal and smash it, and then to tell yourself 'oh it's probably just a common house spider', right? But, could it have been a Brown Recluse? In our region, Brown Recluses are more common than you realize... and could be finding shelter in your home. So, this week, A B Pest Control & Insulation wants to share with you some information on identifying them, warning signs to look for, and the dangers of their bite. Read on to learn more. 

Identifying a Brown Recluse Spiders
Brown recluse spiders are typically dirt or sandy brown colored. There are no additional stripes on its legs, so if a spider has striped legs, it’s not a brown recluse. These spiders are easily identifiable because they will have a dark brown marking in the center of its body in the shape of a violin. Although these spiders are typically nonaggressive, they will bite when disturbed or handled. Brown recluse spider bites are most dangerous to children and the elderly.

Warning Signs of Brown Recluse
Brown recluse spiders typically build their webs in hard to spot areas, in places that haven’t been recently disturbed. They seek out and prefer seclusion. Outside, brown recluse spiders are typically found around rocks, utility boxes and woodpiles or under bark. Indoors, they can be found in any undisturbed area, such as inside boxes, among papers, in seldom-used clothing and shoes, under furniture, or in crevices such as baseboards and window moldings. In the hot summer months of July and August, we typically tend to hear of more sightings of them in the main living areas due to attics getting too warm even for them.

Be sure to look for their loosely built, off-white or gray web. Also, make sure to shake out any towels or other linens on your dock or in your boat. Open storage containers that have been left untouched during the winter months slowly and carefully. Shake out clothing and shoes before putting them on, and use extra caution when handling items that are not used often, such as boots, baseball mitts, skates and gloves.

Dealing with a Spider Bite

As previously stated, brown recluses are not likely to bite unless they feel threatened. People commonly get brown recluse bites in areas that the spiders have been hiding. It's common to get a brown recluse bite when changing clothes, putting your hands into a pocket or putting on shoes.

Although a bite from a brown recluse is painless at first, within a few hours the bite site will become swollen, red and tender to the touch. In most cases, the irritation ends there and the bite will heal on its own. However, in some cases, the venom begins to break down the cells in the skin and progress into a necrotic lesion that will need immediate medical attention. It's best to get medical attention right away after being bitten to ensure you're aren't allergic.

Make Your Home Spider Free with A B Pest Control and Insulation.
Make sure your home is spider free by calling A B Pest Control and Insulation today at 573-964-1100! These spiders are not the only ones you have to worry about this time of year. There are many other pests in the area. Your Lake of the Ozarks pest control company is here for all your pest and insulation needs.

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