Brown recluse spiders are characterized by their tan bodies, a violin-shaped marking pointing toward their abdomen, and their six eyes. In many cases, it’s often easier to identify what isn’t a brown recluse than what is.
If you discover a spider in your home and it has eight eyes or the violin-like marking points towards the spider’s head instead of away, you can rest assured that you’re not dealing with a brown recluse.
However, if you do have a brown recluse problem on your hands, here’s what you should know about the dangers of brown recluse bites, how to prevent these spiders, and what to do if you’re seeing a lot of them around your home.
The Dangers of Brown Recluse Spider Bites
While brown recluse spiders aren’t usually aggressive, they can bite you, and their venom poses definite health risks. Their venom is hemotoxic, which means it will destroy and damage red blood cells and tissue within your body. If it’s left untreated long enough, a brown recluse bite can even result in organ degeneration.
Unfortunately, many people don’t realize they’ve been bitten by a brown recluse until symptoms begin to appear. Depending on your sensitivity, symptoms could start immediately, or take several hours. Signs of a brown recluse spider bite include:
- A stinging sensation along with intense pain at the site of the bite
- A small, pus-filled blister at the site of the bite, and the surrounding area swollen and inflamed
- Restlessness, a fever, or nausea
If you know that you’ve got a spider bite but you’re not sure whether the culprit was a brown recluse, you shouldn’t wait for symptoms to appear. Instead, seek medical attention immediately – you’re better safe than sorry.
What To Do If You’re Seeing A Lot Of Brown Recluse Spiders On Your Oklahoma Property
If you’re noticing any type of spider, brown recluse or not, frequently in your home or around your property, you could have an infestation on your hands. Even non-poisonous spiders may bite, so you never want to leave a spider problem untreated for long periods of time.
Some homeowners may want to solve their spider problem with OTC pest sprays or traps, but these methods are rarely effective, and they don’t treat the underlying cause.
The best way to get rid of a spider, or any pest infestation, is with professional help, such as our professionals at Guaranteed Pest Service of Oklahoma. Not only do our specialists have decades of experience solving spider and other pest problems, but we’ll also seek to discover the root of the problem so that these pests don’t return.
How To Prevent Brown Recluse and Other Spiders In Oklahoma City
Along with getting help from professional pest control, there are a couple of steps you can take to keep spiders from making their home in yours:
- Seal any entryways to your house, along with unrepaired cracks and gaps in walls and foundations
- Take care of the clutter in your home or yard that brown recluse spiders may want to use for shelter
- Deal with areas containing excess moisture, like leaky pipes or standing water, that may attract spiders or their pest prey
- Keep storage areas clean and spider web-free
The tips above can help prevent future spider infestations, but if you suspect that you already have one, call us at Guaranteed Pest Service of Oklahoma today for a free, no-obligation inspection of your property.
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