Boaz's Complete Guide To Brown Recluse Spider Control
August 13, 2021
One of the most dangerous spiders in the country is the brown recluse. It is one of only three spiders whose bite can cause “medically significant” symptoms and injury (meaning their venom is capable of causing issues severe enough to require medical intervention to avert permanent damage). That means you’ll need to do your best to keep brown recluses out of your house to avert a nasty bite.
However, in addition to being one of the most dangerous spiders in the US, they’re also one of the most misidentified species in the US. They’re easy to confuse with several other spiders, but there are certain ways to differentiate them. Let’s take a look.
How To Spot A Brown Recluse
Recluses are easy to confuse with other spiders. Lots of different spider species are brown, hairy, and smaller than half an inch long. Many spiders even have a fiddle-shaped marking on their cephalothoraxes. So how can you tell the difference between them and an actual brown recluse? The spider’s eyes are a great place to start. Unlike many spiders, brown recluses have six eyes arranged in three pairs. All other spiders have 8 eyes.
If you can’t get close enough to see the spider’s eyes, look at its body. While other spiders do have a fiddle marking, the one on the brown recluse is usually darker than its body and solid in color. Their legs and abdomens are also uniformly colored – no stripes, bands, or other patterns. The brown recluse’s body also has fine hairs, but no spines. If you see a spiny spider, no matter its color or markings, it’s not a recluse.
Dangers Of The Brown Recluse Spider
While no spider in the United States is lethal (unless the bite victim has an allergy), the bite of a brown recluse can cause a host of symptoms ranging from pain to swelling to necrosis. Bites can be mild, with little more than localized redness and tenderness that heals within a few weeks. Some bites, however, come with serious complications. In rare cases, you may experience symptoms like fever, chills, rash, or gastrointestinal problems like nausea and vomiting. However, necrosis is a more common symptom of a severe reaction.
Unfortunately, a child recently lost their life due to becoming septic after receiving a bite from a brown recluse. Children and the Elderly are especially vulnerable.
Necrosis is one of the nastiest possible symptoms of a brown recluse bite. If you experience this issue, you’ll see a lesion form around the site of the bite. This lesion may appear dry, sunken, and dark brown or blue with asymmetrical borders and a pale center. It may also have redness around the edges. The lesion may expand over a few days or weeks as the tissue around the bite dies and rots. This can leave permanent scars and cause serious infections if not treated by a medical professional.
What To Do About Recluse Spiders
From Boaz to Huntsville it’s pretty much impossible to avoid having a few spiders in your home but having dangerous spiders requires a professional service to get them out and keep them out.
- Seal off potential entry points like cracks and holes in your home’s exterior.
- Install weather stripping in door sweeps and window sills.
- Repair any rips or tears in window screens.
- Take care of prey infestations that might be attracting spiders – including flies, roaches, silverfish, etc.
- Seek professional help from Custom Pest Control
- Monitoring the activity level of the spiders is essential in preventing and controlling an infestation.
Sometimes, spider infestations are too stubborn or out of control for you to deal with on your own. Here at Custom Pest Control, nothing makes us happier than a houseful of dead bugs. In fact, we have over 29 years of experience in the bug-killing industry, with the tech and the know-how to make sure no pest makes it out alive. So give us a call at (256) 377-6301 or visit our contact page to schedule your home pest control service.