Seeing spiders in and around your home is fairly common when you live in SC. The state has more than 600 spider species, but you don’t have to worry about most of them. One of the species that you should be aware of as a possible danger is the brown recluse spider. Find out more about these spiders and why you’ll need a Hilton Head spider exterminator in order to get them out of your home.
Identifying a Brown Recluse Spider
How can you tell if you have one or more of these venomous spiders in your home? Their most distinguishing feature when compared to other spiders is the fact that they only have six eyes rather than eight. Since it can be hard to count the eyes on a spider, though, there are other features to look for. Brown recluse spiders are roughly the size of a quarter, including their legs. They have a smaller body that is a brownish color. These spiders also have a darker marking on their back that is in the shape of a violin.
Non-venomous spiders, such as wolf spiders and common house spiders, are sometimes mistaken for brown recluse spiders. These spiders have markings on their legs, such as bands, while brown recluse spiders tend to have plain legs. Keep in mind that these other spiders are much more common in SC than brown recluse spiders. In fact, brown recluses aren’t found very often in the state, which means you have a low chance of needing a Hilton Head spider exterminator for these pests.
Brown Recluse Spider Behavior
Brown recluse spiders get their name for their tendency to stay hidden rather than being seen out in the open. These spiders are typically found beneath rocks, under logs and in other hidden areas outdoors. When they live indoors, they’re usually found in basements or in places that provide a lot of cover, such as boxes or unused shoes in closets. Brown recluses remain in their hiding spot during the day and come out at night to search for prey. They feed on many types of insect pests, but they don’t use a web to catch them.
Dangers of Brown Recluse Spiders
Having brown recluse spiders around could put you at risk of being bitten, so it’s a good idea to have a Hilton Head spider exterminator handle them. Although these spiders are not aggressive and usually won’t bother people, they can bite if you accidentally disturb them. Since they’re sometimes found hiding in shoes and clothing, this can make it harder to spot them.
Bites from these spiders don’t usually cause pain at first. However, after a few hours the bite area can swell up, turn red and become sore. Many of these bites heal within a few weeks without any serious problems. In some cases, the tissue at the bite area can turn into a necrotic lesion that requires medical attention. It’s also possible to have an allergic reaction to their bites, which can cause fever, chills and other symptoms.
Preventing Brown Recluse Problems
There isn’t much you can do to keep these pests out of your home, although eliminating any other pest problems you have reduces their food supply. You can take steps to lower your risk of being bitten, such as shaking your shoes and clothing before putting them on and checking your bedding before going to sleep. Using plastic storage bins instead of cardboard boxes also reduces the hiding spots that these spiders sometimes use.
One of the most common spots a Brown Recluse will hide is in your grill! Jamie Horner from Summer Breeze Outdoor Kitchens explained that many clients will call because they can’t get their outdoor kitchen grill to light after not using it during the winter. The spiders like to crawl into the flame tubes and hide out. You always need to be extra cautious when moving any yard equipment that has sat for a long period of time.
If you need a Hilton Head spider exterminator at your home, contact Island Pest Control. Our technicians are licensed and have extensive training in dealing with all kinds of SC pests, including brown recluse spiders. We can eliminate these spiders for you, so that you don’t have to worry about being bitten.
