As one of the most common and most dangerous pests in Kansas City, it’s crucial to understand how to safely control a brown recluse infestation in and around your home. Because these spiders can be very dangerous, especially for young children or the elderly, you should know how to identify them so you can contact pest control to handle the situation and learn how to prevent future invasions.
What is a Brown Recluse Spider?
If you’ve lived in Kansas City or the Kansas City metro area for any amount of time, you’re likely already familiar with the brown recluse spider and may have even had one or two appear in your home. These creepy crawlies are among the most common spiders in Missouri and Kansas.
Fortunately, brown recluse spiders have no interest in making friends with their unwilling hosts. Preferring to hide in dark places like closets or cabinets, the brown recluse will seek out a quiet, private place to build its nest. They can be identified by their cream or dark brown solid-colored abdomen and a violin shape on their head and thorax. They also only have six eyes situated in pairs, as opposed to the eight eyes most spiders have — but don’t try to get close enough to count if you can avoid it!
How Dangerous are Brown Recluses?
A bite from the brown recluse spider contains the same venom as a rattlesnake bite (hemotoxin), which can lead to tissue degeneration and may require medical treatment. If a young child or an elderly member of your household is bit, they should seek medical attention immediately.
If you’re not sure whether a bug bite is from a brown recluse spider, be on the lookout for these symptoms:
- Localized pain or redness
- A deep sore (ulcer) with a purple center
- Fever
- Chills
Most of these symptoms will go away on their own without the need for medical intervention, but if the site of your spider bite is especially painful and inflammation is continuing to spread, you should contact your doctor. When in doubt, it’s always safer to seek the advice of a medical professional, as a brown recluse bite can have severe side effects.
Despite their nasty reputation, brown recluse spiders are very peaceful little loners. They aren’t interested in causing harm and prefer to be left alone, just as their “recluse” name suggests. This makes them significantly less dangerous than most people assume, although you still should do your best to avoid close contact as they can be aggressive if threatened!
How to Prevent Brown Recluse Spider Infestations
Especially in the heat of summer, brown recluses in the home are becoming more common as they venture indoors in pursuit of cooler temperatures. Spiders are notoriously good at finding ways into your home, even if you’ve religiously sealed any cracks or gaps in your exterior walls. Ultimately, the best thing you can do to protect yourself from brown recluses is to maintain a clean, tidy home.
If your common living spaces have a lot of clutter, it’s easier for brown recluses to find spots to call home. They can snuggle into the piles of laundry or corners full of boxes. Keeping things organized will encourage these spiders to seek shelter in less-trafficked parts of your home where you’re unlikely to ever encounter them. To avoid a surprise introduction with a brown recluse, shake out your shoes and clothes before putting them on and check your bed before climbing in for the night.
Why DIY Spider Control Doesn’t Work
Over-the-counter spider control products typically aren’t strong enough to kill off the resilient brown recluse. A brown recluse infestation requires an extensive treatment plan to eliminate the infestation, which cannot be done with DIY products. Brown recluse spiders also can get into the walls of your home, where you won’t be able to access them with insecticides.
Ultimately, trying to implement a DIY spider control solution on your own may kill off one or two of them, but won’t keep further brown recluses from coming in. For these reasons, calling an expert pest control solution is your best bet for keeping your household spider-free.
When to Call Pest Control
Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee you won’t accidentally run into a brown recluse in your home, so it’s safer for you (and the spiders) to prevent them from moving in.
Don’t wait until you find a family of brown recluse spiders to contact Advantage Termite and Pest Control. We can help you develop a custom treatment plan to prevent brown recluse spiders from ever entering your home with our professional preventative measures. When it comes to spider control, reducing the number of spiders through prevention is the best way to decrease the odds of a close encounter with a venomous species like the brown recluse.
Advantage Termite and Pest Control is Kansas City’s most trusted name in lawn care, termite, pest, and spider control services. Protect yourself and your family from an emergency situation by contacting us today to resolve your brown recluse spider problem.
