Brown Recluse Spider Info

[richards6402]

After the stories recently about dogs being bitten by the Brown Recluse I decided to do some research.

The spiders can be a yellowish tan to a dark brown. They can be from 3/4" to 3" long.

The best way to kill these spiders is with a spider trap. Most insecticides won't kill them.

They don't spin webs. They hide out in dark places.

They stray from their hiding spot about an hour or 2 after dark.


Now that I have freaked myself out I thought I would share.

[Doodlebug]

Thank you! I was hoping someone would post fhis info! An exterminator once told me that you have to spray insecticide directly on a spider to kill it. Interesting that they don't spin webs.

[richards6402]

My source said they don't spin webs because they attack the insects.

I didn't think these were in central Illinois until I saw my neighbor a few months ago and he showed me where he had been bitten by this spider while he was in bed. He said he felt something bite him and the next morning his back had a hot, red spot the size of an egg with 2 puncture wounds in the middle. They put him on all kinds of high powered antibiotics and 2 weeks later he still felt sore and his back hurt.

My DH sprays our house monthly with something he gets from the local feed store. It's made by Durvet and it has 10% permethrin in it. I was hoping it would kill any Brown Recluse spiders within 100 yards but I was surprised to see that spraying wouldn't kill these things.

Good Grief!! You worry about hawks, owls and coyotes but never thought about a small spider.

[yorkietalkjilly]

That's good info and one ugly, fleshy-looking bad guy! Thanks - I think!

[JuliannaB]

Spiders creep me out! They are the one thing that actually freaks me out When I find one I have to get a glass (so that I can keep an eye on the critter), put it over the critter, then put something on top so that it can't get out and bring it outside to live it's life there. To make things worse, I was bit on my toe a few months ago and was told it was a Recluse spider that did it. My toe went red and one could see the puncture marks it made. It was very difficult to walk and at worst I had to take a few days off work. It took a few months for the toe to return to normal color. There was nothing that I did about it, just let it heal on its own. So glad that things are back to normal now Cheers!

[JuliannaB]

BTW I live in British Columbia.

[Yorkiemom1]

Originally Posted by richards6402

My source said they don't spin webs because they attack the insects.

I didn't think these were in central Illinois until I saw my neighbor a few months ago and he showed me where he had been bitten by this spider while he was in bed. He said he felt something bite him and the next morning his back had a hot, red spot the size of an egg with 2 puncture wounds in the middle. They put him on all kinds of high powered antibiotics and 2 weeks later he still felt sore and his back hurt.

My DH sprays our house monthly with something he gets from the local feed store. It's made by Durvet and it has 10% permethrin in it. I was hoping it would kill any Brown Recluse spiders within 100 yards but I was surprised to see that spraying wouldn't kill these things.

Good Grief!! You worry about hawks, owls and coyotes but never thought about a small spider.

OMG!!!! Up to 3 inches long!!!!!! I would litterally drop dead from horror if one of those got on me!!!!!!!! I was weeding the grass away from my house once....thank God I had my garden gloves on.....and when I pulled up a handfull of grass, there was a HUGE brown grass spider that was ACTUALLY BITING THE END OF ONE OF THE FINGERS ON THE GLOVE!!!!!! IT WAS HANGING ONTO MY GLOVE, WITH ITS TEETH!!!!!! I have NEVER weeded again!!! I now use weed spray! I almost stripped in the yard that day, screaming and flinging gloves and everything else I had on me that was not firmly attached....garden tool included!

[richards6402]

Originally Posted by JuliannaB

Spiders creep me out! They are the one thing that actually freaks me out When I find one I have to get a glass (so that I can keep an eye on the critter), put it over the critter, then put something on top so that it can't get out and bring it outside to live it's life there. To make things worse, I was bit on my toe a few months ago and was told it was a Recluse spider that did it. My toe went red and one could see the puncture marks it made. It was very difficult to walk and at worst I had to take a few days off work. It took a few months for the toe to return to normal color. There was nothing that I did about it, just let it heal on its own. So glad that things are back to normal now Cheers!

I think you are one of the lucy ones. Usually the bite causes the tissue to die around the puncture site and it just gets worse from there. Did you have alot of pain? Was the spider hiding in a shoe or were you walking around bare foot?

[richards6402]

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

OMG!!!! Up to 3 inches long!!!!!! I would litterally drop dead from horror if one of those got on me!!!!!!!! I was weeding the grass away from my house once....thank God I had my garden gloves on.....and when I pulled up a handfull of grass, there was a HUGE brown grass spider that was ACTUALLY BITING THE END OF ONE OF THE FINGERS ON THE GLOVE!!!!!! IT WAS HANGING ONTO MY GLOVE, WITH ITS TEETH!!!!!! I have NEVER weeded again!!! I now use weed spray! I almost stripped in the yard that day, screaming and flinging gloves and everything else I had on me that was not firmly attached....garden tool included!

We always had a garden when I was growing up and there used to be these huge black and yellow spiders that would hang around the tomatoe plants. When you would get close to them they would shake their web.

It's a good thing you had a glove on that day. I don't blame you for starting to fling things to get the darn thing off. I bet the neighbors were wondering what the heck was going on.

[JuliannaB]

Originally Posted by richards6402

I think you are one of the lucy ones. Usually the bite causes the tissue to die around the puncture site and it just gets worse from there. Did you have alot of pain? Was the spider hiding in a shoe or were you walking around bare foot?

Yes, it was quite painful. I always wear something on my feet in the house, and socks in bed (haha), but this night I took the socks off as my feet were too warm. I presume that I got the bite in my bed. YUCK! I ended up on anti-biotics.

[Doodlebug]

Do you know what a spider trap looks like and where you can get them?

[richards6402]

Originally Posted by Doodlebug

Do you know what a spider trap looks like and where you can get them?

I saw one on the internet and it looked like one of the glue traps for mice. You may want to check with a local exterminator and see if they have any or have any ideas what they do for a Brown Recluse. I think the spider trap is used mostly indoors.

[nanahas3]

I was bitten by one 2 years ago. If you get treatment immediately the flesh will not rot away as you see in pictures. Also even spraying directly on them doesnt help. My DH put one in a jar with insecticide, no air, etc and it lived 6 weeks. They do have a powder you can spray but it is very harmful for our pups. We live with sticky traps everywhere in the house the dogs cant get to. In Missouri these little buggers are everywhere. The sticky traps are really cheap 4 for 2 dollars so if you have them in your home get some. We put several in the crawl space, attic, garage, and under all pieces of furniture that the pups cant get under. You will be shocked how many you catch. Once 1 gets on a trap others will follow as they feed on one another.

[richards6402]

Originally Posted by nanahas3

I was bitten by one 2 years ago. If you get treatment immediately the flesh will not rot away as you see in pictures. Also even spraying directly on them doesnt help. My DH put one in a jar with insecticide, no air, etc and it lived 6 weeks. They do have a powder you can spray but it is very harmful for our pups. We live with sticky traps everywhere in the house the dogs cant get to. In Missouri these little buggers are everywhere. The sticky traps are really cheap 4 for 2 dollars so if you have them in your home get some. We put several in the crawl space, attic, garage, and under all pieces of furniture that the pups cant get under. You will be shocked how many you catch. Once 1 gets on a trap others will follow as they feed on one another.

Nanahas, thanks for the info. Where did you buy your sticky traps? I am going to invest in a few to put inside the house if I can find them. That's amazing that it lived for 6 weeks in a jar.

[nanahas3]

You can buy them at any Walmart. They are mouse traps that are suppose to be folded but you dont fold them just lay them out flat. Be sure they are where the puppies cannot get to them. Lolita got in one once and it was horrible trying to get it out of her coat lol. Oh and dont bother with the ones that look like gel in a yellow tray, they do not work.