How To Spot And Get Rid Of A Brown Recluse Spider Nest In Your Home

If you saw a spider in your house and you aren't sure what kind it was, well, there's not much you can do about it until you get a better look at it. When trying to identify the dangerous brown recluse, look for the brown fiddle on its back. In the meantime, you can look for the spider's nest around your home, which might help you determine what kind of arachnid you're dealing with. If you live in an area that has brown recluse spiders, you should start by looking in areas of your home that aren't actively used — such as the attic, basement, and garage. Brown recluses prefer dark, dry places — so you may also want to check storage closets, where they might hide in empty boxes and piles of unused clothing. Look behind furniture, too. This is where they're likely to build a web, if they're hanging out inside your home for indefinite periods of time. Otherwise, this species is known to nest outdoors in woodpiles and sheds.

When hunting for a web, keep an eye out for the kind that appear poorly constructed compared to a typical, intricate spider web. The brown recluse's web serves only one purpose: to provide safe shelter. Unlike most spider webs, theirs is not used to catch prey — they do that by actively hunting. So if you see an ill-constructed spider web, one without dead bugs wrapped amongst its mess, you could be looking at the web of a brown recluse. 

If you spotted a messy web somewhere in your home, you definitely want to start keeping an eye out for the actual spiders, which could be hiding in numerous places. During the daytime, they're likely nestled in your shoes, between the clothing hanging in your closet, in your bedding, and in the boxes you keep your stored papers and other unused items in. These are just a few places where brown recluse spiders are likely lurking in your home. You'll want to grab a flashlight to search these areas, since they'll be the darkest spots. At night, you could stumble across them anywhere in your home while they're out hunting for food.

To get rid of them, start by cleaning up the clutter in your home where they are likely to be hiding. Be sure to wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, socks, and even gloves while you're doing this project — the spiders won't be able to bite you through the material. Lay down some sticky traps to catch the spiders when they're active, especially at night when they come out of their other hiding spaces. Because they're poisonous, calling an exterminator is the best way to tackle a known brown recluse problem to protect your pets and children from bites. There are many brown recluse pest control hacks you can try, but some are better left to the pros.