When it comes to spiders, most people either love them or hate them. And while some folks are terrified of these creepy crawlies (hello, I’m some people), some make a living out of dealing with them every day. That’s why one homeowner turned to the Pest Control Subreddit recently, sharing a photo of a glue trap that had an unusually large number of arachnids on it.
It wasn’t just the quantity of spiders that raised eyebrows on Reddit user Fabulous-Elk-8297’s post, but also the type of spider he uncovered in his home. That’s because the Redditor found seven brown recluse spiders on a trap, raising red flags for pest control experts on the message board.
Fortunately, the OP came to the right place when they asked how to deal with the problem, since the responses were more practical than what you’d usually expect to find online (AKA: just burn the house down).
Here’s what the OP learned.
How to deal with brown recluses?
by
u/Fabulous-Elk-8297 in
pestcontrol
The OP Lives in Missouri Where Brown Recluse Spiders Are More Common
According to the OP, the trap had recently been set out on the second floor of their mid-Missouri home. “We have lots of traps, and this one’s pretty new,” they captioned the photo featuring the venomous spiders. “They fill up.” In addition to sharing their location and where the trap was placed, the OP also informed the subreddit that there was a dog at home as well.
While there were a few Redditors who shared the typical “burn the house down” comments, there were way more who shared thoughtful responses to the OP’s problem.
Dealing With a Brown Recluse Problem Involves a Three-Step Approach
Unfortunately, the solution to the OP’s spider situation doesn’t seem like a fast fix, since one of the more official-sounding responses says that you need to approach them from multiple angles. “Mid-Missouri is known for having a high density of BRS,” the commenter wrote. “I’m not too far away, and handle a lot of BRS issues for customers successfully.”
The suggested approach involves stopping the spiders from getting into the home, catching and eliminating the ones that are already indoors, and treating the property with some sort of chemical repellent to deal with the rest. “I use Cimexa to dust all cracks and crevices, behind any insulation, any wall voids or spaces between structural members we can get to, including basements, crawl spaces, and attics,” the person added.
Brown Recluse Bites Can Be Serious
There’s a reason why some unserious responses included suggestions to burn the house down. According to the Poison Control website, brown recluse spider bites can be quite damaging since the spider’s venom can damage underlying tissues. And while serious complications and death from these bites remain rare, there is no antidote, and treatment can sometimes involve surgical intervention to remove the damaged tissue.
If you’re bitten by one of these spiders, the website suggests using its online tool or phone center (1-800-222-1222) to get more answers about your situation and what you should do next.