Soon spring will have sprung, and we will need to start thinking about spring things, like tulips, Easter egg hunts, butterflies, cookouts… and brown recluse spiders. What's that you say? You'd rather not think about dangerous spiders? Well then, this article can help you. If you take these steps, perhaps you won't have to worry about these dangerous spiders once spring has sprung.
Brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa), also known as the violin spider or fiddleback, because of the violin-shaped marking on its body, can measure up to a total of 2 inches in length. They are brown (as their name suggests) or tan in color, and have 6 eyes that are arranged in a semicircle. Also, as their name suggests, they tend to be reclusive, which means that you won't see them much because they are hiding. If you do see a brown recluse, it is likely a youth or a male, since the females are the most likely to stay in hiding. Because of this, it is important to be careful when going into areas that have been undisturbed for a time. Brown recluse spiders prefer to live in secluded areas, such as attics, basements, crawl spaces, closets, areas underneath furniture, inside boxes and other out-of-the-way places. Some precautions you can take immediately include:
- Always shake out your clothing before putting it on, especially if it has been touching the floor. There may be a recluse hiding in its folds.
- Be careful when picking up towels or other items (especially if they are damp) from the floor. These spiders love hiding in moist towels.
- Before crawling into bed, pull the covers down all the way and carefully check for hidden spiders.
- Always look into your shoes before slipping them on, in case a spider has taken refuge inside.
- Be aware that some people will develop a necrotic wound (with blood and pus) if they receive a bite from a brown recluse. These are slow to heal. If you know you have been bitten, catch the spider if possible and have it identified.
Some brown recluse prevention tips:
- Routinely clean clutter in seldom-disturbed areas to eliminate hiding places for brown recluse.
- Keep laundry and other clothing off the floor.
- Keep stored items in tightly sealed containers.
- Sticky traps, though they will not eliminate all spiders, will help reduce spider populations.
- Seal up all gaps and cracks in foundations and walls.
- Move wood piles and construction materials away from your home, and keep them up off the ground.
- Contact a professional pest control company.
If you don't want to worry about dangerous spiders this spring, we understand. Action Pest Control provides pest service for homes and businesses in Lexington, and throughout our extensive service area of Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana. If you need spiders removed, or you want pest control that will keep your home safe, take action and get Action.