Do you think that you may have brown recluse spiders in your Tucson home? It’s possible. We do have recluse spiders in our area, and not only do they get into homes, but they do quite well inside. Brown recluse spiders can create a population of thousands inside a home. As you can probably imagine, that’s not a good thing. Brown recluse spiders have a venom that causes necrosis. If bitten (while extremely rare) it is possible to develop a disfiguring wound. It is a good idea to figure out if your home has brown recluse spiders in it. Hopefully, this short guide will help you.

Is It Or Isn’t It A Brown Recluse?

There are a few spiders that you might mistake for a recluse spider. If all you know is that brown recluse spiders are brown, then any brown spider might fool you. If you know that brown recluses are small spiders, you might get them mixed up with any number of small spiders we have in our area. Let’s break down the visual characteristics of a brown recluse spider.

Not Hairy

If the spider you’ve found in your Tucson home is visibly hairy, it isn’t a brown recluse spider.

Uniform

If the brown spider you’ve found in your Tucson home has a mottled coloration, it isn’t a brown recluse spider. Apart from having a marking on the back, a brown recluse spider is uniform in color, with its abdomen possibly being a darker color than the rest of its body, depending on the species.

Small

If you see a brown spider in your home that is about the size of a quarter, you’ve got yourself a brown recluse. But, keep in mind that younger spiders aren’t as large as adults. This could throw you off.

A Violin Marking

If you see a dark brown violin shape on the back of the spider just below the head, you’ve found yourself a brown recluse. But there are a few things to take into consideration. The body of a brown recluse is quite small and it can be difficult to see the violin shape. If you get a good look at the shape, you might not recognize it as a violin. The neck of the violin points toward the abdomen, and looking at the spider from behind puts the violin upside down.

When You Don’t See A Spider

If you haven’t seen a brown recluse in your Tucson home, you may still be able to tell you have an infestation. Brown recluse spiders create somewhat distinctive webs.

• What they look like – The webbing of a brown recluse spider web is tangled and the threads are a dusty white.
• What they feel like – The threads of a brown recluse spider web are weak. The web is not used to capture prey. A brown recluse spider creates a web to protect itself as it retreats. Therefore, the threads don’t need to be strong. They’re more for camouflage.
• Where to find them – Brown recluse are very reclusive spiders. You’ll find their webs in storage sheds, your garage, attic, and interior storage rooms. Look for the webs near the floor and in between stacked boxes.

Checking For Spiders

There are control products that can be used to help you determine whether or not you have brown recluse activity in your home. Sticky traps, glue boards, and similar devices can snag a spider for close examination. Place these in still, undisturbed areas of your home.

Outside Inspection

You can also check for brown recluse spiders in your yard. Inspect holes, wood piles, brush piles, and other organic debris. Check under loose tree bark and in logs or stumps. Inspect stacked objects and ground holes for the presence of tangled webbing.

If You Have Brown Recluse Spiders

It is rare for a brown recluse spider to bite. They typically stay as far away from human activity as they can. You can have many brown recluse spiders in your Tucson home and never get bitten. But, it only takes one accidental bite in a sensitive area for one of these spiders to harm you or someone you love.

In light of this potential for harm, it is wise to have a licensed pest control professional do an inspection and perform spider control treatments to address a recluse infestation before these spiders have a chance to multiply. If you need assistance with this, the service team here at Pest Friends can help. We use field-tested methods to locate brown recluse activity, systematically treat appropriate areas, and monitor the success of the treatments. Connect with us today and schedule a pest control inspection to get started.