What Streator Property Owners Ought To Know About Brown Recluse Spiders

It can be difficult to properly identify a spider in your home. There are many spider species, and baby spiders can look quite a bit different from adult spiders. But even an adult spider can be difficult to identify. Of all the spiders that can get into your home, the brown recluse is probably the spider you're most likely to misidentify. This is where we're going to start the conversation today. Here are some important facts you should know about the brown recluse spider.

The Problem Of Brown Recluse Identification

An adult brown recluse is about the size of a quarter—that includes the span of its legs. The body of the spiders is roughly the size of three peas set in a row. If you go to the internet to look at brown recluse spiders, you may think that you'll be able to easily identify one of these spiders by the dark brown violin shape on its back. But this shape is small. When compared to the face of George Washington on the face of a quarter, this violin mark is only as large as the eyeball of our nation's first president. It is not easy to see this marking, especially if a recluse is moving away from you, which is exactly what recluse spiders do when you get too close. You need to know a few more visual characteristics.

A recluse is visibly hairless. If you see a hairy brown spider, you're probably looking at a wolf spider.
A recluse may be brown, gray, or a sickly greenish color.
A recluse does not have banding on the legs.
A recluse has a thin abdomen. It is not bulbous.

Brown Recluse Bites

The question we get most about brown recluse spiders is: "How bad is a recluse bite?" This is a fair question. There are a lot of varying opinions about how dangerous recluse bites are. While there is certainly cause for concern, you don't need to be fearful of these spiders. Brown recluse spider bites are rare. These are reclusive spiders. If you don't bother them, they aren't likely to bother you. When a recluse bites, there may not be a spread of necrosis. The dead tissue may be limited to the center of the wound. That's the good news. Now, the bad. If a recluse bites you in a sensitive location, it can lead to a disfiguring wound. When necrosis spreads, it usually spreads under the skin. This can be difficult to detect. Our recommendation is that you take precautions if you have seen one of these spiders in your home and contact a licensed pest control provider. If you are bitten, seek medical attention.

Brown Recluse Infestation

There are many spiders that get into Streator homes and then go right back out. Most spiders won't find an ideal habitat in a man-made structure. Brown recluse do very well indoors. They do so well, infestations in the U.S. have had brown recluse spiders numbering in the thousands. Yes. You read that correctly. Thousands. We hope you don't let your spider problem get that bad.

How To Prevent A Recluse Bite

There are many ways you can reduce your chances of being bitten by a brown recluse spider. These are not meant for long-term protection. We recommend you use these tips as you wait for a service visit from your pest control provider.

Move all your beds away from the walls.
Remove skirts from your beds.
Don't allow bedding to touch the floor.
Turn your bedding down before sliding into bed for the night.
Shake footwear before slipping your feet in.
Shake clothing before putting clothing items on.

Spider Exclusion

When these spiders explore your exterior, they'll get in through entry points that are near the ground. Seal cracks in your foundation walls, gaps around windows and doors, and holes created by wood-destroying pests. Reduce moisture near your home to reduce spiders and the bugs spiders feed on.

Don't Go It Alone

Remember that Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators is available to assist you with all your pest control concerns. We provide advanced pest control solutions in Streator, Illinois and the surrounding area. Reach out to us today.