Brown Recluse Spider Control

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Brown Recluse Spider Control

Most Effective Products

Supreme IT Insecticide
Suspended Concentrate
As low as $54.99
Solutions Pro Glue Board - Peanut Butter Scent
Glue Trap
As low as $0.42
Pyrid Insecticide Aerosol
Aerosol
As low as $27.99
Stuf-Fit Copper Mesh Exclusion
Ready-To-Use
As low as $10.99
Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules
Granular
As low as $32.99
Keith's Pro Tips

"The brown recluse spider may be a bit tricky to control in the home because of its reclusive nature. The insect likes to hide in dark secluded areas of the home, areas you may not pay much mind to. It’s when the spider starts hiding in clothing or under furniture that can be concerning because you are vulnerable to be bitten out of nowhere. Understanding the Brown Recluse Spiders' nature that will help you in ridding this pest from your home."

Brown Recluse Spider Control: How To Get Rid of Brown Recluse Spiders

A species of spider that is feared by many because of its venomous bite is the Brown Recluse Spider. Though they are elusive, it is not uncommon for a Brown Recluse to be encountered in or around the home.

Brown Recluse Spiders are nocturnal and like to live alone and build webs in dark secluded corners. These spiders are poisonous and bite when they feel threatened or disturbed. Bites may be painful and leave a bit of irritation but in rare cases, a blister can develop into an open ulcer and can bring about symptoms like restlessness, fever, and trouble sleeping.

Brown Recluse spiders are--as their name states--more reclusive and would much rather be left alone. However, this deadly spider hiding in your home can cause great concern and thus control and removal is necessary. 

If you have Brown Recluse Spiders present in your home, our DIY treatment guide can help you to take action quickly to protect you and your family from harmful bites. Our pest control experts have put together these step-by-step directions which, if followed carefully using our recommended products, will guarantee that the Brown Recluse in your home will be eliminated.

Identification

brown recluse id

Before you can proceed with a treatment program, you need to make sure that you are dealing with a Brown Recluse Spider and not a different spider species. Knowing what a Brown Recluse Spider looks like will be key in determining your treatment approach.

  • Brown Recluse Spiders are small and range in color from either a dull yellow to a tawny, darkish brown.
  • Brown Recluse Spiders are quite small with adults measuring approximately 1/4 - 1/2 inch long.
  • The Brown Recluse spider can be distinguished by the violin or fiddle shape on its head. The black lines go from its eyes to its abdomen.
  • They also have a unique eye pattern with 6 to 8 eyes arranged in a semicircle.
  • Both males and females have three pairs of eyes (6 eyes total) and the fiddle-like marking on their backside but the male has longer mouthparts.  
  • The male Brown Recluse has a broader head then its abdomen and legs are thinner than the female brown recluse. 

Use the description and image above to help you in identifying the Brown Recluse spider. If you are having trouble, contact us and we will help you identify the spider problem you have and offer control recommendations.

Inspection

After you have confirmed that you are dealing with Brown Recluse spiders, you need to carry out an inspection to determine the areas where they are active and frequenting. This will help you to know where to focus your treatment applications.

Where To Inspect

Brown Recluse spiders like to live in dry or slightly wet areas with dust and dirt. Some examples of where they have been found hiding include tree trunks, hollow hills, behind furniture, boxes, tanks. 

Indoors, the Brown Recluse Spider is usually found in areas where there is no human activity and where dust accumulates. Check areas of your home where there is excessive clutter like in garages, basements and attics.

What To Look For

You should be looking for the Brown Recluse Spider themselves or signs that they have been present. The Brown Recluse is always in search of cracks and crevices to hide and protect themselves.

Look in dark areas of the home for this small brown spider with a violin-shaped pattern on its head. Brown Recluse don't weave webs like other spiders but only upholster its burrows with silk lining in a rather disorderly manner. 

Treatment

Please make sure you have on the proper PPE for safety in the form of gloves, a protective mask and goggles before conducting any chemical applications.

The best way to control Brown Recluse spider invasions in the home is to perform exclusion, declutter the home and apply Supreme IT as well as the Solutions Pro Glue Board to the area so it either gets killed or captured. 

Step 1 - Decluttering

Start by creating unfavorable conditions for the brown recluse spider. This can be done by reducing clutter and cleaning up indoors, thus eliminating places for the brown recluse to hide. Clean out your closets, attics, basements, garages, and storage units as if it is spring cleaning season.

Keep everything in an organized manner and throw away things you don’t need. Wipe and clean all areas properly using disinfectants. Look for webs spun from silk, usually found behind mirrors and insulations. 

Outdoors, you should focus on removing excess mulch and leaf litter from the garden. Woodpiles, compost leaf piles, barks and stones all should be removed. Clean up the garage, sheds, attic, air ducts and air conditioner ducts. These are a few of the places where the Brown Recluse spiders like to hide and lay their eggs.

Step 2 - Exclusion

Exclusion for wolf spiders

Next, we recommend moving on to exclusion, cutting off access into your home. This can be done by sealing cracks on the outside of the home and use screens on doors and windows. Scan carefully around your home for possible entry and use caulk and/or Stuf-Fit Copper Mesh.

Do this both inside and outside, taking away any places that brown recluse spiders can enter or hide. Continue exclusion measures by making your outdoor area uninviting by clearing away any vegetation or debris on your yard.

Step 3 - Perimeter Treatment With Supreme IT

outdoor barrier treatment

To control a Brown Recluse that is indoors we recommend treating all your baseboards, around windows and doorways, and any other crack or crevices where you think the spider may be hiding by spraying an insecticide like Supreme IT.

Supreme IT is a broad-spectrum insecticide that is labeled for treating many pests, including Brown Recluse Spiders. It works great as a barrier treatment to keep pests away because it has a long residual effect that continues to kill for up to 90 days after application. 

To apply Supreme IT, simply mix water in a hand pump sprayer then add Supreme IT at a rate of 1 oz. per gallon to cover 1,000 sq. ft. This should be applied on all your grass, mulch, flowers, bushes, etc. as well as the home’s siding. Make sure to spray up the siding as well between 5 to 10 feet since Brown Recluse Spiders are known for crawling up walls and entering through the attic.

If you happen to find the Brown Recluse, use a spray with a quick contact kill like Pyrid Aerosol. This product is odorless and goes on “dry” making it a great choice for use inside living areas. 

Step 4 - Apply Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules

Spreading granules

Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules is a reliable granular insecticide that will kill a long list of insects for up to 90 days and can significantly reduce the presence of insects, and thus, taking away the Brown Recluse Spider's food source.

The typical application rate is 2.3 pounds of Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules to treat 1,000 square feet of lawn.

To broadcast Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules, you could use either a push spreader or a hand spreader like the Plantmates Scatterbox. While both styles are easy to use, a broadcast may be better suited for larger lawns as it holds more granules than a hand spreader and can cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. If you need to spread granules on a flowerbed, around trees, or are covering a smaller area and want to do it quickly yet precisely, the Plantmates Scatterbox hand spreader is ideal.

After measuring the square footage of your lawn (measure and calculate your lawn's length x width), add the appropriate amount of Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules to your spreader and then broadcast it uniformly over your entire lawn while walking at a steady pace. Spread the product in flower beds, around trees, and places where you have noticed insect activity.

Step 5 - Lay Out Glue Traps

Glue Board

If you are unable to find the Brown Recluse Spider after initially spotting it, you can try and capture them with Solutions Pro Glue Boards.

Place the glue boards in your attic, basement, and garage where you identified spider activity.

Before long, the glue boards will catch the spider that survived treatment and you can dispose of them accordingly.

Prevention

Prevention with Caulk sealing

Once brown recluse spiders have been removed from your property, you will want to ensure they do not return. Take on some of the preventative practices below:

  • To prevent another Brown Recluse invasion, you will need to maintain a clutter-free environment in rooms you do not frequent often. Keeping a clean and clutter-free garage, basement, or attic, will reduce harborage areas for insects and spiders. 
  • Seal off or caulk any openings around your property to block entry points. By sealing cracks and crevices, insects and spiders won't be able to get inside.
  • Barrier treatments of Supreme IT insecticide conducted quarterly should deter the brown recluse and other insects from coming into your home.

Key Takeaways

What is a Brown Recluse Spider?

  • The Brown Recluse spider is notorious for its venomous bite and tendency to trespass into homes and hide in dark, secluded areas.

How to Get Rid of Brown Recluse Spiders

  • Treating for brown recluse spiders involves a combination of exclusion measures, indoor and outdoor insecticide treatment with Supreme IT and Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules and trapping using Catchmaster Glue Boards. If you see the spider, you can kill it on contact with Pyrid Aerosol.

Preventing Brown Recluse Spider Reinfestation

  • To prevent Brown Recluse Spiders from trespassing your home again, practice exclusion and perform barrier treatments of Supreme IT insecticides periodically throughout the year.
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