Q: Is it true that if I have one brown recluse my house is infested with hundreds
A: Generally this is somewhat true. If you find one brown recluse there are probably others, but numbers may only reach a few dozen or maybe into the hundreds not the thousands that you may expect. If it is a recent invasion you may have very few brown recluse spiders. However, single specimens have been collected from homes. The homeowner finds one, but never another.

Q: What do brown recluse spiders eat?
A: The quick answer is insects, live insects, dead insects, both small and large. They feed on them all. There are very few insects that a brown recluse spider will not eat.

Q: Someone told me that silverfish are a favorite meal of brown recluse spiders and if my house has silverfish it will probably have lots of brown recluse spiders.
A: This is a very overstated quote. Brown recluse spiders and silverfish have very similar habitat requirements, meaning that they are often found in the same areas (hot, dry, dark places). Do brown recluse eat silverfish? YES. Do they prefer silverfish to other pest? NO.

Q: I’ve heard that bombing a house (using an over the counter fogger) does not work, is that true?
A: Bombing a house is a very short-term answer to a long-term problem. Foggers and fumigation devices and techniques are very ephemeral. These methods will kill spiders, but shortly after these fumigation sources are used the spiders may return because there is no residual action to prevent them from returning. In addition, fogging or fumigating during the wrong part of the spider’s life cycle may have adverse effects, such as reducing competition between spiders. Foggers are effective tools when used correctly, at the correct concentration, and only when conditions are adequate. Read the label carefully and estimate the size of the area to be treated for maximum results.

Q: Is it true that sticky traps are the best way to get rid of brown recluse spiders?
A: NO. This is absolutely false. Sticky traps only serve as monitoring devices. In a 3 year survey of homes only 8 % of all brown recluse spiders captured on sticky traps included mature adult females. This means that the majority of spiders captured are males and juveniles. Unless the females are found and killed the problem will persist indefinitely. Males are able to mate with multiple females, therefore if only one male escapes the traps populations can continue.

Q: Is it true that the only way to get rid of the spiders is to get rid of their prey?
A: This statement is absolutely false. There is no earthly way that a pest control provider can get rid of all potential prey items in a house. In addition, when prey supplies reach drastically low levels, the spiders will resort to cannibalism. These spiders also require very little prey to continue their life cycle. They can survive 6-8 months easily without feeding. Therefore this statement is more of a ploy by pest control providers to obtain your business than reality.

Q: Do brown recluse spiders have any natural predators?
A: Yes, there are several common house spiders that frequently feed on brown recluse spiders, including two species of common cobweb weaving spiders and cellar spiders.

Q: Is it true that sprays do not work because brown recluse spiders can walk through it without getting it on them?
A: This is partially true. Brown recluse spiders walk on tarsal claws. These claws do not pick up pesticides readily. The most common pest control treatment includes spraying baseboards and corners with a residual spray. Brown recluse spiders spend very little time along these pathways, which translates into very little chance of picking up a lethal dose of pesticide. Spiders are not insects and have a different way of breathing, different skin layers, and a different behavioral pattern. However, when performed correctly by a professional with professional products, body contact can be obtained after spraying using residual liquid sprays causing the spider’s death.

Q: What will happen if I am bitten by a brown recluse spider?
A: Simply put, it is a toss up as to what will happen. There could be absolutely no effect, local necrosis, systematic responses, or a variety of other symptoms and complications. If you are allergic to the venom, your response will usually be worse. Bite severity also depends on the area you were bitten. Bites on fatty tissue areas tend to develop faster and cause a more severe case of necrosis. Bites on the arms and legs tend to be more painful, but also heal faster.

Q: What are the chances that a brown recluse spider will bite me if they are in my home?
A: In most accounts bites generally occur when the person is unaware of the spider’s presence in their home. People that know they have these creatures are rarely bitten because they know what precautions to take.

 Q: How long can a brown recluse spider live?
A: In the laboratory brown recluse spiders live approximately 18-24 months. In houses they may or may not live quite as long. This is a question that is very hard to answer. Currently there are no methods to mark and recapture spiders or determine their longevity in homes over multiple months or multiple years.

Q: How many eggs does a female brown recluse spider lay?
A: An average well-fed female lays approximately 53 eggs per eggsacs and is capable of laying up to three eggsacs in a year. Many females lay fewer eggs, and large mature females may lay as many as 80 eggs per sac.

Q: Do brown recluse spiders make webs?
A: Yes. Brown recluse spiders make irregular webs that are very sparse and hard to see. Only a trained eye will be able to differentiate between brown recluse webs and those of other spiders. Females will often make a heavier type of webbing when they are constructing eggsacs. You will only see these webs when the spider repeatedly uses the area. Brown recluse also have a ribbon-like silk that is unique in the animal kingdom.