What’s a brown recluse spider?
How to get rid of brown recluse spiders DIY home remedies.
The second most venomous spider in the United States!
The brown recluse spider is the second most venomous spider in the United States. There are over 12 recluse spider types worldwide, and a few of them are found in the US.
They can tolerate up to half a year without food and are very resilient. These things are super spiders.
They’re often found within human households and are habitual. This is because your home offers exactly what they’re looking for- a source of food (other bugs) and a dark place to hide.
Recluse spiders are a shy spider and will avoid danger when possible. They eat on smaller prey and will pick up scraps, but also will actively hunt when necessary.
They run from danger
Brown recluse spiders will avoid human contact and run form the threat rather than become aggressive.
When people say they get bitten, this is because they threatened the spider, cornered it, or disturbed it somehow. The most common reports come from picking up clothing that a spider nestled up in or putting on shoes where a recluse spider is hiding in.
Some workers have also reported bites when doing basic maintenance in dark, less-frequented places like attics, basements, or crawl spaces.
Believe it or not, most people don’t even realize they have brown recluse spiders. They’re shy and very good at hiding and being solitary. So they never really disturbing homeowners until they need to migrate.
Or the owner goes digging through old storage areas (basement and attic) where the spiders are nesting.
Fun fact: They can “jump.“
What do brown recluses look like?
Brown recluse spider within the home.
They have a distinct appearance that makes them easy to spot.
The most common shared trait that brown recluses have is the violin-shaped marking on their abdomen. You can easily spot this as they crawl around and it’s a common denominator among the recluse species.
Recluse spiders have varying lengths. Brown recluse spiders are about ½” in length and measure the size of a quarter.
These spiders don’t have any coloration patterns other than the violin pattern. They have fine hairs on their legs, but not thickened spines. They’re also known as the fiddleback spider because of the violin mark on their cephalothorax
This marking is common in adults, but nymphs don’t have this marking yet so it’s not visible.
No markings on legs
Their legs have no visible markings (no stripes or spines). There are many similar spiders that are often mistaken for recluse spiders. You won’t see recluses running about as they prefer to hide in dark areas. They also may make small webs, but not for prey.
Six eyes
Recluse spiders also have six eyes rather than 8. This is unlike any other spider and the eyes are arranged in pairs known as dyads. One pair of eyes are on the front and the other two are on the sides.
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The recluse spiders are one of the few spices that have this feature.
Spiders that looks similar to brown recluse spiders
Other spiders that look similar to brown recluse spiders are:
Wolf spiders
Grass spiders
Hobo spiders
Tegenaria domestica
Cellar spiders (daddy longlegs)
Common house spider.
Brown recluse spider vs. other spiders – How to tell the difference
Brown recluse spider appearance and size.
They’re pretty small, which just makes them harder to find.
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The easiest way to differentiate a brown recluse spider vs. other spiders is to find the violin marking on its back.
Adult recluses will have this marking. If you look closely, you’ll also see only six eyes rather than eight. They also have hairy legs with no markings.
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Life cycle
They have a simple and straightforward life cycle. Each adult female produces multiple egg sacs over 3 months from May to July during the beginning of the warmer months.
Each egg sac has several dozen eggs which take about 30 days to hatch.
Spider eggs
The spiders come out and will feed and grow. They’ll mature in about a year. That’s about it.
They’re often laid in dark, damp areas where they’re left undisturbed for extended periods of time. If you can spot them and remove them safely, you can stop the production of up to 50 spiderlings coming out.
How to get rid of brown recluse spiders for good
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The best way to control them and manage them for good is to find the spiders and then either kill them or repel them.
After that, maintain the situation by constantly using spider repellent. Clean up your yard and home and keep both tidy. Set up sticky traps to monitor for more spiders.
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Place them where you think the spiders are present.
If you catch more spiders, you’ll notice the areas where the spiders are present and could use more work.
Commercial approaches
There are also a few commercial approaches you can use, but I advise against them because they often contain dangerous residues.
And they simply don’t work.
The two most popular commercial solutions are spider sprays and foggers.
Spider sprays
These are effective against spiders and will kill them upon contact.
The problem is that they leave nasty residues behind. The thing is that you can use a bunch of other natural solutions rather than these sprays. You can make your own and have control.
Not to mention that your own spray is a lot safer.
Foggers or “bug bombs”
These are terrible.
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They spray a chemical all over the place and are ineffective for open areas. You have to use these in smaller areas and spiders can often escape or leave the area. Not to mention that the spray is terrible for humans and pets. Avoid.
Professional help
Professional exterminator with rats.
Seeking help from a professional pest control company may be necessary.
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Your very last option. Professional help.
When you can’t handle the spiders on your own, you’ll have to scout out a professional to handle the pest problem.
The most common questions are:
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How much does it cost to get rid of brown recluse spiders?
There’s no exact price. It depends on where you live and how many spiders you have.
Typically, you can expect to pay anywhere from $100-$300 to get rid of smaller recluse infestations. More complex situations can cost over a few thousand dollars. Contact your pest control company for a quote.
How do exterminators get rid of brown recluse spiders?
Exterminators will use special sprays and traps dedicated to killing spiders.
These are typically not available for the public. They may also use heat-based approaches, powerful repellents and sprays, and various spider traps for monitoring.
Always DIY when possible. Seek out help if you have no more options.