Any spider can strike fear in even the bravest souls and with good reason; the brown recluse holds the spot as the most feared in the Midwest. One of the most dangerous sorts of spiders calls our region (the Omaha and surrounding areas) home. Brown recluse spiders are aptly named. They are indeed brown and are experts at hiding in places that are dark damp and, well, reclusive.
Brown recluse spiders have a distinctive violin-shaped mark on their backs right behind their eyes. If that isn’t creepy enough, this particular spider has a characteristic number and arrangement of eyes. While most spiders have eight, the brown recluse has six eyes arranged in pairs of three.
While identifying them is pretty simple, getting rid of them isn’t as straightforward and almost always requires a professional Omaha pest control service to intervene and eliminate a brown recluse infestation.
Behaviors and habits of the Omaha brown recluse
These crawling pests are nocturnal and are most active after dark. They favor hiding spots like cardboard boxes, inside the cracks or crevices in walls or furniture, or in basements or crawl spaces. It is very uncommon to find a brown recluse spider outdoors; no, they prefer the comfort and quiet of homes and structures like the one you live in.
So, what’s so dangerous about the brown recluse spider? It goes way beyond their scary appearance.
If bitten, you are likely to not even notice it at first. Oftentimes, the first signs are the redness, swelling, and burning sensation that develops around the bite within an hour or so. The red area typically enlarges with time, may blister, and eventually hardens into a hard knot under the skin about 2 inches around.
Our pest control experts believe it is important that you know that while most bites do heal without intervention in about eight weeks, there are severe complications that can occur if necrosis sets in.
If the skin around the bite turns purple in color around 4 days post-bite, or if you experience fever, nausea, or cramps, you must see a medical professional. In fact, it’s probably wise to err on the side of caution and see a doctor in any circumstance when a brown recluse spider bite is suspected.
How do brown recluse spiders get into Omaha homes in the first place?
They are excellent hitchhikers. They can come in by hiding inside boxes, shipping containers, furniture, or grocery sacks. Once in, a female recluse can produce more than 150 baby brown recluse spiders in a year, which can very quickly lead to an infestation.
It is actually pretty easy to identify a brown recluse infestation, in spite of their propensity to hide and only come out at night.
A bite is oftentimes the first sign. Confirming there is a brown recluse problem is as easy as laying down sticky traps behind furniture, in basements and attics, or any other place out of the way that looks like a good spider hiding spot.
A professional pest control service will be needed to eliminate a brown recluse infestation
Spraying baseboards or buying over-the-counter spider remedies such as aerial foggers is not enough to get to the very hidden nooks and crannies where these spiders live and reproduce.
The Genie Pest Control experts have years of experience in the Omaha area solving spider problems including the tricky brown recluse.
Aside from chemical pesticide applications, it may also require sealing any cracks and crevices where the brown recluse, and other pests/rodents, might enter and take up residence in your Omaha or surrounding area home.
Pest control and extermination of brown recluse spiders might also involve directed treatments where fog is injected into voids. This requires specialized equipment using professional formulations of chemicals that are formulated for the types of spiders, including brown recluses, that enjoy living in our area.
We can diagnose and solve spider problems and eliminate other insect pests in your Omaha home
Having a brown recluse problem is a serious issue and something best left to a reliable Omaha pest control company. Home treatments are ineffective at best in ridding your home of this reclusive invader. If you suspect a brown recluse, it’s time to call Genie Pest Control at (402) 346-7810.
