The name brown recluse conjures fear in just about anyone. Getting rid of them fast and keeping them away permanently helps you live in peace.
Brown recluse spiders can be identified by their sandy brown color, lighter abdomen, long thin legs, and violin-shaped mark on their backs. They prefer outdoor habitats, but can establish indoor homes in cracks and hidden areas. Eliminate them using insecticides, sticky traps, vinegar, or diatomaceous earth powder. Next, take preventive measures such as sealing entry points, maintaining a clutter-free environment, implementing pest control, and growing aromatic plants. While their bites can be serious, fatalities are rare, and seeking medical attention is advised if bitten.
I’ve helped many folks get rid of brown recluses over the years. Read the rest of this article for my detailed tips that will keep you safe and eliminate these scary spiders.
You may also be interested in reading these two related articles “How To Get Rid Of Spiders” and “How To Get Rid Of Scorpions“.
Identifying Brown Recluse Spiders
Not every big brown spider you see is a recluse. Making a positive identification helps you take the best course of action to eliminate them.
Brown Recluse Physical Appearance
It can be tough to tell a brown recluse from other spiders without getting too close for safety. Some of the characteristics you can look for include:
- Sandy brown with lighter colored abdomen. Color can range from white to blackish gray.
- Adult spiders with legs extended are about the size of a quarter.
- Long, thin legs.
- Have a faint brown, violin-shaped mark on their backs, with the widest part of the “violin” sitting right behind the spider’s head. In some places, brown recluses are called fiddleback, brown fiddler, or violin spider for this mark.
Not to be confused with brown widows, which are smaller and have a similar color, but also have a large abdomen with red markings.
Where Do Brown Recluses Live?
These spiders are native to the lower midwestern and south central U.S. Contrary to urban myth, brown recluses haven’t established themselves outside their original zone.
The habitats this spider prefers to live in are:
- Outdoors under rocks, logs, or woodpiles.
- Can establish indoor homes under appliances, in wall or floor cracks or anywhere dry and hidden.
- Prefer carboard, which might be because it’s like the rotting tree bark they inhabit in the wild.
Brown recluses use their webs as homes and to hold their egg sacs, not to catch prey. The nests look like an irregular patch of white webbing, instead of the geometric nets other spiders build in the air for catching flying insects.
Brown Recluse Behavior
A brown recluse spider typically stands on a flat surface with all legs radially extended. When alarmed, it may lower its body and withdraw the forward two legs straight back into a defensive position.
In response to threats, the brown recluse spider usually flees to avoid conflict. If cornered, it may employ several defensive tactics, including:
- Quick horizontal rotating movements
- Playing dead.
- Typically, it doesn’t jump unless spooked abruptly
- Might exhibit autotomy, which is ejecting a leg, but won’t grow the missing limbs back.
When running, the brown recluse spider does not leave a silk line behind, making it harder to track when pursued. Regardless of speed, its movement follows an evenly-paced gait with extended legs.
Methods to Eliminate Brown Recluse Spiders
Before proceeding with any inspection or treatment, seeking professional pest control assistance is strongly recommended. However, if you believe the infestation is small and wish to attempt a do-it-yourself approach, there are a few methods to try.
Fortunately, brown recluse fangs cannot pierce clothing. Therefore, wearing long sleeves, gardening gloves, and boots will protect you reasonably well from bites.
Insecticides For Brown Recluses
The most reliable method to kill brown recluse spiders is by using an insecticide. They can evade traps, especially egg-laying females.
To use insecticides to get rid of brown recluses, follow a few steps, including:
- Choose a synthetic pesticide effective against brown recluse spiders, such as cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, deltamethrin, and lambda-cyhalothrin. They are available in spray, liquid, and dust forms.
- Apply the insecticide in targeted areas, specifically cracks and crevices where brown recluses are likely to hide. Avoid relying solely on whole-house foggers, as they are rarely effective.
- Follow the instructions on the insecticide packaging and keep it out of reach of children and pets.
- Continue applying insecticides until you no longer see spiders.
When using insecticides, remember that they won’t only kill brown recluse spiders. Other insects, even beneficial ones like honey bees, will die and could affect the ecosystem around your home.
Natural Remedies To Get Rid Of Brown Recluse Spiders
If the idea of pesticides doesn’t appeal to you, you can try natural remedies to eliminate them. Unfortunately, these methods don’t have much scientific backing, but they’re worth a shot if you have some patience.
Sticky Traps For Brown Recluse Spiders
Place sticky traps where brown recluses commonly hide, such as attics, basements, closets, and garages. These traps might catch other critters too, so check them often and free anything you don’t want to kill.
Also, glue traps can help you identify where spiders or other pests live so you can target future treatments there.
Does Vinegar Kill Brown Recluses?
Vinegar’s high acidity kills brown recluse spiders if you can give them a strong enough dose. You’ll have to spray or pour vinegar directly onto their bodies for this method to work.
You can use any vinegar type, though white vinegar is often the cheapest option. Dilution is optional, and a stronger concentration might be more effective on brown recluses.
Pour or spray the vinegar onto the nest or the spiders if you can catch up to them. The spiders might not die instantly and are likely to crawl somewhere to hide and die.
Diatomaceous Earth Powder
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a white powder made from fossilized algae. It’s extremely abrasive and kills many insects and spiders by cutting their outer layer, causing them to dry out.
DE can be sprinkled on surfaces where you’ve seen spider activity to kill brown recluses. However, it works slowly, and direct contact is necessary for the spiders to be affected.
Use food-grade DE and protect your skin and lungs from its dust with long clothing and a face mask. Fortunately, DE isn’t dangerous to pets or children, but they should still be kept away.
Permanently Keeping Brown Recluse Spiders Out of Your Home
Once you’ve gotten rid of brown recluse spiders, you can take action to prevent them from returning. Also, taking steps to spider-proof your home will make it more efficient, comfortable and keep other pests away.
Seal Entry Points
The primary step in preventing brown recluse spiders from infiltrating your home is to utilize caulk or expanding foam to seal cracks and crevices that serve as potential entryways. Be particularly thorough around windows, doors, vents, and utility pipes, as these areas are more prone to developing cracks.
Also, install door sweeps under outside doors to stop brown recluses from crawling underneath. These devices keep out drafts and dust, too.
Maintain a Clutter-Free Perimeter
Reduce the spider-friendly hiding spots around your home by relocating woodpiles and yard debris further away. Brown recluse spiders tend to seek shelter in such areas and then spread inside houses when their numbers rise.
Additionally, trim tall grass and remove any climbing plants or tree branches from the exterior walls of your house, as they can provide pathways for these spiders to enter. As a bonus, this helps your siding last longer and makes your home look cleaner.
Implement Pest Control Measures
Since brown recluse spiders rely on other insects as a food source, it’s crucial to maintain general pest control within and around your house. Regularly employ methods to control and eliminate other insects, indirectly discouraging brown recluse spiders from establishing themselves.
Some of this spider’s favorite prey include:
- Crickets
- Moths
- Flys
- Cockroaches
You can work on eliminating the pests yourself or hire pest control professionals. If you need help, I’ve created guides to getting rid of various pests, which I’ve linked to above.
Natural Plant Repellents for Brown Recluse Spiders
Several aromatic plants can effectively repel brown recluse spiders. Also, they make your yard look beautiful and can be used in cooking.
Some plants you might want to grow to help keep brown recluses away are:
- Mints
- Basil
- Lemon balm
- Oregano
In fact, most herbs with a powerful aroma deter brown recluse spiders. Select ones that you like for their appearance, smell, ease of care, or culinary qualities.
Also, if you have fruit trees, don’t let the fruits fall and rot on the ground. This attracts insects that brown recluses might be attracted to.
How Dangerous Are Brown Recluse Spiders?
Brown recluse spiders possess dangerous venom but aren’t typically aggressive toward humans. Bites usually occur when the spiders unintentionally become trapped against human skin, such as inside clothing, shoes, or bedsheets.
While most bites heal naturally, there is a possibility that the wound can become necrotic, causing tissue damage. Although rare, some individuals may experience severe immediate reactions such as fever, dizziness, or vomiting.
It’s important to note that while a brown recluse bite can be serious, fatalities caused by these spiders are exceptionally rare. In fact, the likelihood of death from a brown recluse bite is much lower than the chances of being struck by lightning.
What To Do If A Brown Recluse Bites You
If you’ve been bitten by a brown recluse, immediately apply ice to the bite area, elevate it, and seek medical attention. Try to bring the dead spider with you for identification, even if it’s crushed.
Initially, a brown recluse bite is often painless, so you may not realize you’ve been bitten. It might take several hours before symptoms manifest.