Brown recluse spiders are a species of spider that has necrotic venom in North America. Like the other species of recluse spiders, their bite requires medical attention. They measure between 6 and 20 millimeters, which means between 0.24 and 0.79 inches, although they can grow more.
They are usually light to medium brown but can range from dark brown to blackish gray. Brown recluse spiders generally have some markings on the back of their cephalothorax. These spiders are found in regions of the United States, such as Texas, Louisiana, and Florida.
Below you will be able to find the information you need to eliminate these spiders.
What Is A Brown Recluse Spider?
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Many types of spiders live around buildings and houses. The brown recluse is a dangerous spider; it is also known as a violin spider because of its mark in this instrument’s form on its back.
This type of spider’s bites are usually rare, but its venom can generally cause some slightly severe injuries. Brown recluse spider infestations can cause many problems, and you should take them seriously. As previously mentioned, they measure between 6 and 20 millimeters.
The Penn State Entomology Department has commented that this type of spider inhabits 15 states in the United States. States include Georgia, Alabama, Illinois, Arkansas, Kansas, Indiana, Tennessee, and Ohio.
It can be in places where they can easily hide like a dead log and under big rocks. If you live in a wooded area, you will likely find a brown recluse spider inside your home.
This type of spider can be confused with other species of brown spiders. To identify it, you must observe the characteristic dark brown violin sign on the back. Another noticeable feature is the legs; the place of thorns will see wonderful hair in one of this type of spider.
Brown Recluse Vs. Wolf Spider
Many spider species are very similar to the brown recluse spider, as is the case with wolf spiders.
Wolf spiders differ from brown recluse spiders in their body. Wolf spiders are almost two times larger, typically 1.5 inches longer than the brown recluse spider. Another difference is that the wolf spider population is more widespread than that of the brown recluse spider.
Wolf spiders are a multi-colored species, while brown recluses are of a uniform color. In addition to its violin shape, it is visible in the brown recluse on its back. Another difference between both the spiders is that the brown recluse does not have noticeable hair, whereas the wolf spider does have easy to identify hair.
Are Brown Recluses Poisonous?
The answer is yes; brown recluse spiders can inject necrotic venom into their victim’s body. The bites of these spiders should be immediately treated because they can cause serious injury.
You should know that these brown recluse spiders are aggressive. The chances that you will be bitten by one of these plows are low; they will bite when they feel threatened.
How To Get Rid Of Brown Recluse Spiders Naturally?
You should try these types of spiders as soon as possible. As previously mentioned, if a brown recluse spider bites you, you should seek medical help immediately. If they feel threatened or disturbed, they will bite the rest that they do not have aggressive behavior.
The first thing you need to do to get rid of these pesky spiders is to inspect. Perform a quick inspection in all areas of your home and where you think there is an infestation of it.
Brown recluse chandeliers build webs in lots of clutter, around boxes, under insulation, and in the walls’ gaps. When making the inspection, you should wear long gloves, pants, and a long shirt.
Non-Chemical Methods To Eliminate Brown Recluse Spiders
- Do sanitation
Brown recluse spiders are generally attracted to houses, buildings, and structures. So you must do sanitation practices to eliminate all the shelters of this type of spider.
You should move firewood, piles of wood, planks, debris, and stones near your home and move them to a distant location. If you have dense ivy-like vegetation, you must cut them from the base, just like tall grasses, you must continuously cut them. You must fix your basement and garages, store your items away from the walls.
- Remove webs and eggs from spiders.
You can use a vacuum cleaner to remove the webs and egg bags from brown recluse spiders. After vacuuming, you must remove the vacuum cleaner’s bag and take it to the garbage can.
Remember to seal it properly before placing the bag in the trash can.
- Check and seal the cracks.
Any crack you see in vents, cables, pipes should seal it. You can also remove external openings such as gaps and openings that may be in the walls and outdoors.
This type of spider is so small that they can go through tiny spaces along the wall. You can use caulking, which is an appropriate material to block these spaces. The spaces or gaps around doors and windows can be covered with a strong sealant.
- You can do multiple sticky traps.
If you want to remove brown recluse spiders correctly and safely, it’s using traps inside your home. Put the traps in different areas of your house or apartment like under the bed, behind the toilet or bathroom sink, etc.
- You must apply diatomaceous earth that is food grade.
This type of powder is an excellent alternative to get rid of brown recluse spiders. Any spider that walks on this dust will die from the abrasive effect.
For the use of diatomaceous earth, you should spray a layer of this powder where you think the brown recluse spiders are. Remember to replace this powder every three days because it will become inefficient if there is moisture.
- Remove the food source from the brown recluse spider.
One option that can help you is to remove the things that are attracting you.
Brown recluse spiders usually look for three things that are: food, water, and shelter. These types of spiders enjoy soft-bodied insects such as flies, roaches, ants, etc. If they no longer find these supplies, they will disappear and go elsewhere.
- You must reduce indoor humidity levels.
Brown recluse spiders generally prefer to build their webs in cold, wet spaces. Reducing humidity can make your house or apartment less attractive to this type of spider.
For this you can use a dehumidifier, you can run this appliance on the sides of the spaces where the spiders possibly hide. With these tips, you can get rid of brown recluse spiders entirely.
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