What Attracts Brown Recluse Spiders To Your House?

Whether you love them, hate them, or simply choose to ignore them, spiders are attracted to our homes for a variety of reasons. Some spiders are easier to get along with, edging into the shadows and behind furniture with no real threat to you and your family, while others bring serious medical risks. In the U.S., the brown recluse spider is one arachnid you don't want to share your home with. This species injects necrotic venom that breaks down cell membranes and blood vessels in the body, making it a spider you should avoid. Going by the scientific name Loxosceles reclusa, you'll find the brown recluse spider in several states across the country, mostly in and around the south central and Midwestern regions. While death from a bite may be rare, the effects on humans range from mild to severe.

You may know the spider by other names, which include the fiddleback and violin spider. Once it bites, there's usually no immediate pain, but after an hour or so, you might experience a burning sensation at the location of the bite. A few hours later, the venom will do its work and can cause extensive tissue damage. This spider is attracted to our homes for a variety of reasons. This includes sources of food, shelter from the elements and prey, and simply a quiet, dark hiding spot to hang out in. Knowing how to identify the spider and discourage its presence can come in handy, especially if you're an arachnophobe.

You don't have to be an arachnologist to spot the difference between a brown recluse and an American house spider. What you want to look for is that it's brown in color. Specifically, a tan or chocolate brown. You won't find any patterns on this spider, but you will see one defining feature. It has a dark, violin-shaped marking on its cephalothorax, which is the front main body section of the spider. This is why it's also called the fiddle or violin spider. This marking can be more distinct in some brown recluse spiders and less so in others. For example, in some species of the spider found in the Southwest, the violin-shaped feature can be faint or not visible at all.

Another unique feature of the spider is its eyes. Most spiders have eight eyes arranged in two or three horizontal rows, but that's not the case with the brown recluse spider. It has six eyes of the same size, arranged in three pairs. You'll notice one pair appears slightly offset or further forward from the other two. If you're unsure about whether or not it's a brown recluse, it's usually the eyes that give it away. If you do manage to get a little closer (not that we recommend this), you'll see the spider has fine hairs covering the abdomen. These hairs will all be the same color, and you won't see any pattern emerging.

As they say, prevention is better than a cure. If you're looking to keep spiders out of the house, you need to deal with what attracts them in the first place. As mentioned earlier, food and shelter are the primary reasons they'll decide to leave the outdoors to cohabit with you. Start by taking a walk around your home and looking for entrances they can use. It may require a little bit of DIY pest control by installing door sweeps, window screens, and caulking any gaps or other entrance points. The next thing to do is to consider the clutter around your home.

These spiders, like most species, love the dark and quiet spaces that boxes and other storage containers provide. If you have no other option but to store items at home, make sure to seal them properly, whether with plastic bags or tape. You also need to consider what attracts the brown recluse's prey. Flies love a dirty trash bin, so make sure to empty these whenever you can. It's the same for general insects that are attracted to food that isn't stored properly. Sometimes, no matter how many measures you put in place, spiders find a way into your home. If you live in an area known for high brown recluse spider populations, it's a good idea to get into the habit of tapping your shoes before putting them on and shake out any clothes that have been left on the floor.