How to Get Rid of Brown Recluse Spiders
Q: have found 2 brown recluse in my basement (I have a teenage son down there)Is Deltamethrin the best product to use? Are there any other recommendations?
A: The first and foremost step you want to take is to thoroughly clean your basement. You need to clear out as much clutter as possible to eliminate possible shelter for the brown recluses. If you have any leaky pipes or anything that may act as a source of moisture, it needs to be removed and cleaned up as well. In terms of pesticides, Suspend SC is a great product to use on brown recluses and its active ingredient is Deltamethrin. We recommend using the Suspend SC with several glue traps for the most coverage.
HOW to GET RID of BROWN RECLUSE SPIDER – POSIONOUS SPIDERS
A Brown Recluse Spiders reclusive characteristic is that they seek hiding places and shelter. They are very adaptable and will still be active in temperatures from 45F to 110F, meaning that they will still be active during the winter. Brown recluse spiders have soft bodies with yellowish-tan to dark brown color. They can vary from 1/3- 1/2″ in length and can be over 1″ in diameter including the legs. They can be identified by a dark brown violin looking shape mark (please refer to the picture for identification). The brown recluse spider spins a web that is white to gray in color. They are active at night and usually eat other insects as in cockroaches and other small insects. Brown recluse spiders can survive up to 6 months without food or water.
INSPECTION
Brown recluse spiders can be found usually in indoors, bathrooms, bedrooms, closets, garages, basements and cellars. They can also be found living in or around the duck work or registers on above-ceiling duct works. Brown recluse spiders can be found outside in storage houses or buildings where things are stored and they MAY also be found in sheltered corners with debris, wood piles, and under loose stones. They can make webs under furniture, appliances and carpets, behind baseboards and door facings, even in corners and crevices.
SAFETY EMERGENCY PROCEDURE
People usually get bitten when they change clothes or when they put their hands in their pockets or even putting on their shoes. The pain from the bite will not be as intense immediately, but within 8-12 hours the pain will become intense.
- The person might have fever, chills, nausea, and joint pain.
- The person might become restless within 24-36 hours after they have been bitten
- The area of the bite will swell because the tissue will become inflames and it would be hard to touch. The venom of the brown recluse spider has an enzyme that will destroy cell membranes in the bitten area.
- After a few days, a huge ulcerous sore will form. If the wound is open from the bite, it may range from the size of an adults thumbnail to the size of the hand. The sore heals extremely slowly; it will take about 6-8 weeks to heal and it will leave a large, disfiguring scar. If possible, you would need to take the brown recluse spider to the doctor to get identification immediately.
- The person should apply an ice pack to relieve the swelling.
The brown recluse spiders only bite when someone or something disturbs their spot as a defense mechanism, so if you find a spider, please do not touch it with bare hands or feet.
CONTROL METHODS
Prevention:
If you live in the area where brown recluse spiders are common, you will need to shake out your clothing and shoes be dressing just in case a brown recluse spider is hiding in them. You will need to inspect any items that you are going to use and you will have to WEAR GLOVES the whole time when you are going to garden, handle firewood and pine straws. You should not go outside barefooted because the brown recluse spider might bite your foot or you might step on one. You should also eliminate much clutter as you can in the storage areas and also vacuum and dust around the windows, corners, and under furniture often.
Crack and Crevice Treatments:
This treatment is generally applied with a liquid spray (MASTERLINE BIFENTHRIN 7.9, DEMON WP,), and dust (DELTA DUST), and aerosols ( CY-KICK AEROSOL, ALPINE AEROSOL) to be applied to small cracks and crevices in a structure with spiders may live and hide.
For liquid spray application, you will need to have a pressure sprayer or a gallon sprayer (CHAPIN 1 GALLON SPRAYER). For MASTERLINE BIFENTHRIN 7.9,DEMON WP, you will need a low pressure system with a pinpoint or variable pattern nozzle to apply the spray mixture to areas such as floors, cracks and crevices, in and around baseboards, walls, expansion joints, around your windows, and under your furniture. You will need to apply using the amount that is said on the label and may need to reapply if needed.
The dust application is simple. However, when using dust please be cautious especially when children and pets are present. Use dust only in areas where it is hard for them to reach. The DELTA DUST, you will need to use a BELLOW BULB DUSTER . When using a BELLOW BULB DUSTER for DELTA DUST, you will need to fill the duster with the dust as directed in the label and apply DELTA DUST to cracks, spaces or bearing joints between the wooden members of the structure. Apply lightly and uniformly to the infested area. DO NOT OVER USE DUST. The aerosols are used by spraying into the crack and crevice.
Since aerosols and liquid sprays are liquid be cautious if you are spraying near any electric equipment or outlet.
Directly getting rid of the web that the spider has made already you will need to use COBWEB ELIMINATOR. You will directly spray the COBWEB ELIMINATOR on the web and it makes it easier to remove the web without leaving any of it behind. It also discourages the reformation of webs. The COBWEB ELIMINATOR has a mildly acidic odor to it, but it is indicating that the product is effectively working.
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| Masterline | Demon WP |
These products can be used with this item:
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| Chapin 1 gallon Sprayer |
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| Delta Dust |
These products can be used with these items:
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| Bellow Bulb Duster |
Broadcast Treatments:
This treatment is generally used for large turf or other land
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| Alpine | CY-Kick |
scape areas and will contain directions for specific amounts of the product to be applied as a liquid spray (MASTERLINE BIFENTHRIN 7.9) to a given area.
Broadcast treatments are usually for the entire lawn. For this treatment we suggest a 1 gallon sprayer for the application of liquid spray (CHAPIN 1 GALLON SPRAYER). Following the directions on the label, you would spray the entire lawn with the solution. Spray areas where there are lots of trees and bushes in the backyard making sure you have gotten every inch of the lawn where the spider might live.
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| Masterline | Demon WP |
These products can be used with this item:
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| Chapin 1 gallon Sprayer |
Barrier Treatments:
This treatment is applying a liquid spray to zone around on a structure that any pest might enter the zone. These are sometimes called a perimeter treatment where soil areas are adjacent to a structure as well as a portion of the lower foundation wall next to the soil are treated (MASTERLINE BIFENTHRIN 7.9, ).
Barrier treatments or Perimeter treatments are used just around the structure of your home to create a barrier for you home. We suggest that you use a gallon sprayer as well (CHAPIN 1 GALLON SPRAYER). Using the directions of the amount and the rate that you should use, apply a continual band of insecticide around a building foundation and around windows, doors, service lines entrances, eaves, vents, and other areas can greatly reduce the potential for entry by pests. Also apply a band to the soil 6-10 ft. wide around and adjacent to the building and treat the building foundation to a height of 2-3 ft. where peats are active and may find entrance. Apply as a coarse spray treatment to thoroughly and uniformly wet the band. For better results, this treatment needs to be done regularly to reduce the amount of insects and to keep your house insect free.
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| Masterline | Demon WP |
These products can be used with this item:
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| Chapin 1 gallon Sprayer |
Tuesday, 31. August 2010 15:47
We caught a spider that I think may be a brown recluse. I took photos of it and wondered if you would be able to tell me for sure if it is one or not.
Thanks for your help.
Karen
Wednesday, 1. September 2010 10:49
Hello Karen,
Sure, we would be glad to help! Just send the pictures to info@pestmall.com. We’ll take a look at them and let you know!
Friday, 3. September 2010 13:31
I was seeing a lot of spiders in my home, so I had someone come and spray about 5 weeks ago. They also put “sticky” traps in various locations in the house. Since, I have caught a couple brown recluses in the traps (basement laundry area and living room by the fireplace) and have killed live spiders in both upstairs bathrooms and the kitchen. I am totally freaked out, especially since I have a 3 month old baby. I had another company come and spray the whole house and “dust” the attic. I have cleaned and inspected the upstairs and don’t see anything else except the fireplace. All throughout it, there are small webs, and I even saw a dead baby brown recluse on the sticky trap near it. I really would love to just move out of my house!! Help! I keep having nightmares about spiders and I just don’t know what to do. Can I or should I do anything else? Can I relax now that I’ve had the house sprayed a second time? I’ve heard that brown recluses can be impossible to kill. Can I ever feel safe in my home again? My baby will be crawling in a few months and I don’t feel like I can let him down on the floor. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Friday, 10. September 2010 14:33
Hello,
Unfortunately, spiders are a difficult pest to get rid of.
I would recommend using Demand CS, as it is micro-encapsulated so it’s safer to use indoors,
and lasts twice as longer than other pesticides.
I would also recommend using some Trapper Moniter Insect Traps.
Just place them around your home where you most commonly see the spiders.
I’m so sorry to hear about your misfortunes, however,
if you stay consistent with your treatment, you should be fine in due time.
Friday, 12. November 2010 9:43
Hi, My son is currently in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. He said his mud shelter they are occupying is full of brown recluse, black widows, flies and rats. He has just arrived there and has 7 months left. I would like to know if you can tell me what would be the best product to send to him to keep these unwanted creepy crawling creatures at bay? Thanks, JJ
Monday, 15. November 2010 10:31
Hello, that sounds so uncomfortable. If he was located in this country, we would be able to help you, but from my understanding, we can’t ship out products internationally. So even though we have products available, we wouldn’t be able to ship them out to him. The chemical content in most of our products may be the reason why the country will not let our products in. I’m sorry I could not help out in a better way!
Tuesday, 31. May 2011 1:05
Hello,
I’ve got a serious problem. First of all, you should
probably know that I have a serious phobia of spiders in general. It’s so bad that it actually affects my life in many ways and puts a lot of limitations on me. We live in Missouri and have recently moved outside of a big city and onto some land in the country. Naturally I expected to see more spiders in general- but this is
out of hand. I saw a few brown recluses early this
spring and decided to call Orkin. They’ve been out
twice because I keep finding them. They have set 32 sticky pads up in my house because they say that you can’t kill them
with spray. He said they’re also called the dirty spider because they don’t clean themselves so they never ingest the poision supposedly. However, the sticky things have worked very well. Which is why I’m alarmed; in a matter of four weeks we now have confirmed that there are over 25 brown recluses on those. I hate to think about how many didn’t cross the path of a sticky pad. I literally am losing sleep over this. I check my sheets and our daughters crib every night. I sleep with long sleeve shirts and pants on. I sleep with my light on hoping they’ll stay in the dark. I’m with the lady above; I’m completely ready to move. I really cannot handle this. What else can I do besides the Orkin visits? Are they correct about the pesticides? I’ll do what ever it takes to stop this, anything at all. If there’s any advice you could give I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
Thursday, 9. June 2011 9:10
Hello Sally,
To our understanding, sticky pads are a good method of control. However, we are pretty sure that liquid concentrates will provide a residual contact kill for spiders, including the brown recluse. I have called several different manufacturing companies that produce different liquid concentrates that will kill brown recluse spiders. Backed By Bayer has three different liquid concentrates that will kill the brown recluse including Suspend SC, Tempo, and Temprid SC . Also, Sygenta has two products that targets spiders including the brown recluse called Demon Max and Demon WP. All these products that are listed are the top products in the market right now for general pest control as well as spider control. They will all dry on clear except for the Demon WP which will leave a visible residue. However, the Demon WP may be the best product to use because it may provide a longer residual. All the products that are linked have products labels which provide the dilution rates for spiders. Talking to the manufacturing companies, they have both said that when they label “spider,” it does target all species including the brown recluse and even the black widow. The behavior of brown recluse spiders can be found on our brown recluse main page which is linked here: http://www.pestmall.com/brown-recluse-spider-control-products/ – The bottom of the brown recluse category page lists where to look for them, how to get rid of them, and some other biological characteristics. If you have any questions though, you can always give us a call at 1-800-788-4142. We will love to help you! Good Luck!!
Friday, 1. July 2011 1:10
Can you please tell me the safest method to rid these spiders from the inside of my house I found one tonight under my pillow and today under my 2 year olds blankets and I don’t even feel safe sleeping in my house especially with my 2 babies
Saturday, 2. July 2011 9:01
That certainly sounds like an unwanted and scary pest! The best way to fight brown recluses is to be careful and to prevent them from living anywhere. Cover up any holes or creases in any boxes using duct tape and always check your clothes and shoes before putting them on. In terms of killing methods, I would recommend a glue trap to catch the ones wandering around your and your child’s bed. You can also use Demand CS to apply around the bed to hopefully prevent more brown recluses climbing up bed posts. However, most pesticides kill spiders effectively and don’t always list brown recluses as a target pest. I would recommend that you look through Pest Mall’s available brown recluse pesticides and then call the manufacturer to make sure it will definitely kill brown recluses. If you ever need any help, please call us at 1-800-788-4142.
Wednesday, 20. July 2011 10:20
We just moved to a rental home in Missouri, and we are battling these brown recluses. I am so ready to move, but I’m concerned that there may be spiders in any of the boxes we have here in the storage area. I really want to just get rid of anything we don’t absolutely need…because I don’t want to bring any to the next place we move. We have an exterminator who has sprayed twice and set out some traps. I’ve found all sizes of live and dead recluses (baby to large adult) around every level of the house. We have 3 young children and I don’t know which is worse ~ the spider or the insecticide! She actually is coming today to set off some “fog” bomb in the drop ceiling downstairs or something, and I’m nervous about going back home and letting the children around the residue. Any advice on these “fog bombs” or how to get rid of them on every level?
Saturday, 23. July 2011 6:50
I’m having the same problems as listed above… Only I live…….in a field…….in Tennessee……..SURROUNDED by piles of useless, dry, wood, which my landlord swears he’s gonna build somethin with.. :/ I’m seeing a lot of dead ones around the house, however to my dismay, when I inquired about these ‘dead ones’, I was told they’re actually the empty shell where the spider has molten and gotten BIGGER.. Bigger?? I can barely deal with the thought of a small one being in my home (as I’m 9 months pregnant, due any day) let alone the ones that are already here to get BIGGER!! I have killed some in the bathroom at night since I’m up going potty all night, found several ‘shells’ in the living room around the baseboards, and caught a really big one (WAAAYYY bigger than an INCH in diameter, btw) what can I use that is safe for me and baby besides only the sticky’s? Because that seems like a drawn out type process and I’m looking for more of an immediate affect? Also, will spraying and trapping, etc. kinda upset em and make them more prevalent and noticeable? Jw?
Saturday, 23. July 2011 11:45
Sorry to hear about the frightening experience you both are coping with. Here’s the misconception over pest bombs. Many people assume that bombs will reach all the hard to reach crack and crevices because it’s in a gaseous form, so after a couple bombs they assume they have gotten rid of the infestation, only to see them re appear within a couple days. Brown Recluse spiders love to harbor in undisturbed areas and can be found in shoes, clothes and bedding during the night. It is recommended to move your bed away from the wall so that the spiders may not have easy access to the bed. Shoes and clothes should also be shaken off before wearing. Before applying pesticide it’s always best to begin with glue boards so that you can get an idea of their harboring area. Following the glue boards or along with the glue boards you can use a long residual insecticide that will help you to control their numbers. When targeting the brown recluse spiders it also important to control the general population of pests around the home. As long as there is a food source for them, they are likely to stay. When their food source is eliminated, they are likely to move out and relocate to other areas. You will need to do an outdoor treatment as well as indoor treatment. Recommended products would be Delta Dust, Drione Dust, Cynoff WP, Cyper WP, and/or Demand CS.
Saturday, 23. July 2011 20:45
Last night, I saw what I thought was a baby mouse run across the floor of my room. Although a mouse isn’t that welcome of a guest at my house, it’s better than what I found out the “mouse” actually was. It was a massive(about the diameter of a tennis ball) brown recluse. I live in the middle of nowhere in Tennessee, and surrounded by fields and dense, wood-like areas. At first I thought it was a large wolf spider, because those are common around here. After the spider was smacked a few times with my shoe, I saw what looked like a violin-shaped marking on it’s head. Do wolf spiders have markings? And how big do brown recluses get? I also think that I just killed a smaller one. Is that bad to see more than one in two days time? I’m not one to be freaked out by spiders, and it would help if the mouse-spider-thing I killed wasn’t a brown recluse.
Tuesday, 26. July 2011 17:23
Hi, I am in the same boat as most everyone else. I am almost 6 months pregnant and my husband and I have been noticing brown recluse spiders primarly in the room that we are planning to be our nursery. We had a problem with them last year but we sprayed inside and set off foggers as well and did not catch anymore on the spider traps. This year the same thing we kept noticing them in the spare bedroom and we did the same thing we did last year and in the last month we have caught a baby spider on the trap. I killed another baby recluse that was crawling across the bed in broad daylight and my husband had another small one crawling on him in the bed last nite. I have a recluse phobia since my mom got bit two years ago. She is fine but had to take steriods and got reoccuring bites from it as well. Not sure what to do, but our baby will be here in Nov. and we really want this taken care of before he gets here. Can anyone purchase delta dust or the other powders that have been listed?
Thursday, 28. July 2011 20:14
We have a pest/termite contract with Terminex. They have found brown recluse spiders and are recommending a dust treatment that will go in every outlet/lightswitch in the house. Cost will be $800. This sounds pricey- should I try one of your kits first? Why is their treatment so expensive?
Monday, 1. August 2011 11:28
Hi Kim,
Most of the cost from extermination services comes from labor fees. Basically, you have to pay a lot because the exterminators have to come to your home and apply pesticides in a lot of hard to reach places. Our kits and even a dust product like Delta Dust will get the job done as well as any product your exterminator uses at a fraction of the cost; you just have to be willing to apply it yourself. However, if you encounter any problems or have any questions while treating for the brown recluses, you can always contact us and we’ll be happy to help you out
Whether your decide to go with your exterminator or us, I hope you manage to get rid of those brown recluses! Good luck!
Friday, 5. August 2011 11:13
Hi Anna,
I’m really sorry about the late reply. It sounds like, unfortunately, that what you saw was indeed a brown recluse spider. Wolf spiders do have markings, but that violin marking is the key identifying characteristic of a brown recluse. It doesn’t sound like there’s any need for alarm though. However, just to be safe, I think you should buy some glue traps to lay around your home. If you’re seeing more and more of these violin spiders, you definitely want to take chemical action, but if not, then the glue traps should be a sufficient defense.
Friday, 5. August 2011 12:04
Hi Jennifer,
Well, first off, I think you might want to change which room you make the nursery in! Brown recluse bites are definitely no fun for adults, but for small children and the elderly, they can be fatal. You can purchase the products we mentioned in this post as long as your state doesn’t have restrictions and as long as you don’t misuse the products or sell them for profit (but I highly doubt you would). The Delta Dust is great to use with brown recluses and so is a liquid insecticide like Suspend SC. When your baby is born, I recommend to switching to just a liquid insecticide and glue traps, for the safety of your baby. Good luck!
Sunday, 14. August 2011 12:25
I bought a house in eastern KS. not quite a year ago, and after killing a few of these spiders in the middle of the day in a well lit room, I decided to set out some glue traps. I have to date trapped well over 100 confirmed brown recluses so who knows how many I have.I have read that spraying for them is not only ineffective, but also counter productive, which makes me wonder why these products are different. Other places have posted that spraying kills other insects, which recluses like because they prefer their prey dead, and may actually cause a sort of dementia in recluses and cause them to be aggressive, so the spiders need to be sprayed directly.I am obsessed with eliminating these things.
Monday, 15. August 2011 8:36
Hello. It is an unproven myth that getting rid of their food source will cause a type of dementia in brown recluse spiders. Actually, killing other insects with insect spray will simply get rid of their potential food sources. Also, there are products available that will kill brown recluses. I have called several different manufacturing companies that produce different liquid concentrates that will kill brown recluse spiders. Backed By Bayer has three different liquid concentrates that will kill the brown recluse including Suspend SC, Tempo, and Temprid SC . Also, Sygenta has a product that targets spiders including the brown recluse called Demon WP. All these products that are listed are the top products in the market right now for general pest control as well as spider control.
Wednesday, 24. August 2011 13:42
Hi from Nashville…..What the heck…..all the sudden I have these little turds coming out of the woodwork……LITERALLY!!!! It’s August 24, 2011 and I know spiders are abundant in the Fall…..but all the sudden I am killing 3 or 4 a day…….HELP ME……I have brand new carpet and I don’t want to ruin it….I have 2 run across my bed…..RIGHT NEXT TO ME……..I screamed my dads ear on the phone…..(he’s 85..it wasn’t too pleasant for him either)…..I have always had BR’s but never this many or this big….it’s like they got into miracle grow….or viagra…..or both.
Thursday, 8. September 2011 10:58
Since the weather is a little out of hand and temperatures seem to be somewhat sporadic, it may have triggered a massive movement of all crawling insects including brown recluse spiders. I suggest spraying Suspend SC or Demon WP. Suspend is a liquid that you dilute with water and spray. It will dry on clear. Demon WP is a powder that you mix in water and spray. It has a longer residual time that Suspend but it will dry on with a visible, almost foggy, residue.
Saturday, 22. October 2011 22:32
Hi I live in Green bay Wisconsin. I was wondering if every home has brown recluse spiders in it. I am so afraid of spiders. Also how common are they in Wisconsin
Thursday, 27. October 2011 13:49
Hello Sheila, I don’t think all houses have brown recluse spiders. That’s like saying, all houses have black widows or all houses have centipedes and ants. Of course, any home can be a shelter for brown recluse spiders, you just have to make sure and be wise about doing regular outdoor treatment. If you are able to do a good outdoor thorough or barrier treatment, then there is no reason for them to even enter the home. Target all entry points as well as utility lines and make sure to seal all cracks and crevices.
Monday, 7. November 2011 8:48
Hello, I live in Chile where brown recluses are unfortunately very common. I saw one in my closet the other night and it got away before I could kill it. I haven’t slept well since. I’ve been cleaning and spraying, but it hasn’t shown up again. Does the spray really not work? Is it the glue traps that I should try and find. Also, if I saw one does that generally mean there are more? Or are they often just found alone.
Thursday, 10. November 2011 14:24
Brown recluse spiders and many other spiders species are usually non-social which means, they will not live in large colonies like ants or roaches. Brown recluses receive their name mainly from their physical color as well as their reclusive behavior, hence, Brown Recluse, so I don’t think you have to worry about finding many more elsewhere. However, depending on the location of your home, you may have brown recluse spiders enter your home more frequently than you wish. Glue boards are by far the safest way of controlling brown recluse spiders, but sprays will work! Long residual sprays work to kill brown recluse spiders when they come in contact with the treated area and instant knock down agents that usually come in a pressurized aerosol form also work to kill brown recluse spiders on sight.
Monday, 5. December 2011 5:23
We have brown recluse badly and when we first move in we thought they were coming from an old shed that we tore down, but years later we see them and black widows. I have a phobia of them and have 2 children and 1 on the way and want nothing more than to know everyone is safe. We have paid to have our home sprayed and it didn’t help. Last night I found a brown recluse with a sac of babies behind my bed. Please help!!!
Tuesday, 6. December 2011 9:59
Hi Cindy. I’m very sorry for this ordeal. I myself am terrified of spiders! The best thing to do for brown recluse is to set traps in concentrated areas as well as use long residual sprays that are POWERFUL like Cykick CS. You want to make sure you spray the concentrated areas inside and do an entire perimeter treatment on the outside. You always want to make sure to spray entry points from the inside as well like door frames, windows, and any other cracks and crevices. Keep in mind that all treated areas must be left alone to dry before anyone comes in contact with that area again. If there is anything that you have more questions on, feel free to contact us again and we’ll try to help you out the best way we can! Good Luck!
Saturday, 28. January 2012 8:19
In a few weeks I will be cleaning out a storage shed and I’m concerned about recluse spiders, is there a bug bomb that can be placed in the storage locker the night before to reduce the chance of an encounter
Tuesday, 31. January 2012 15:50
Usually, bombs are not very effective for spider control because they must come in contact with the insecticide. There is the Speckoz Evercide Total Release Aerosol Fogger that is labeled to kill spiders. Aerosol sprays are also very effective. Cy-Kick Aerosol is a great product for spider control.