The Brown Recluse

Your Chicagoland Guide on Brown Recluse Spiders

The Breakdown

COLOR	SIZE	LEGS	DANGER RATING
Light Brown	24.2 mm	Eight	HIGH

The Infamous Brown Recluse

The Brown Recluse earned its name for its shy, reclusive nature. This spider prefers to live in dark corners and under furniture in homes. In comparison to other spiders, the brown recluse has six equal sized eyes arranged in three pairs. One way you can tell this spider apart from others is the violin marking that lays on top of their head. This pest is about a quarter in size and ranges from light to dark brown.

If you spot a brown recluse, chances are there are many more lingering around. They can survive up to six months without any food or water. This type of insect is non-aggressive and is not on the pursuit to hurt anyone. However, if they feel threatened, they will bite. This is extremely dangerous for humans because they are highly poisonous. The bite will not only be painful, but it could result in disfiguring skin ulcers and occasionally there has been cases of life threatening complications.

If you come across a brown recluse, we recommend that you don’t try to kill it with over the counter sprays. The spider’s bite is extremely serious so contacting a professional pest company is your best move.

Signs of an Infestation

Brown recluse are spiders that are hardly ever seen. They like to lay low and stay away from people as much as possible. The most obvious sign of an infestation will be just seeing them around your home however, and if they are coming out of their hiding spots, this is the biggest sign of an overcrowding problem in their nesting area. Along with hiding and staying low from traffic, brown recluses typically only come out during the night. You must be alert to an infestation is because their bites are potentially deadly.

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Understanding the Seasons

Weather has a profound effect on pest life cycle. Most pests, rodents and insects breed aggressively during spring and go through periods of hibernation during autumn and winter.

Spring

When the weather slowly begins to heat up, pests start to get more active after having stayed dormant over the colder winter months.

Birds often start to find mates and start building their nests.
Moths which consumer leaves usually become active again.
Flies often emerge from their winter hibernation places and start to breed and spread out.
Squirrels also spend the winter in hibernation. When spring approaches these creatures start looking for a new home. This is usually the time when they make their way into lofts and other spaces.

Summer

Summer is arguably the best season for pests. It is the time when they are in full swing and breed as rapidly as they can. Wasps are one of the most common summer pests followed by flies and rodents. Many a summer picnics and BBQs have been ruined by the ‘home invasion’ of these pests.

Wasps build their nesting grounds and lay their eggs during this time. Although the creatures are not directly harmful, they can be very aggressive and territorial at this time of the year, because they’re at their strongest.
The number of fleas also multiplies. Since pets spend more time outdoors during summer, they are more likely to bring the pests back indoors with them.
Bees are also more active during summer as they go out to gather nectar. Many times, homeowners find a new beehive in their garden and require pest control to take care of it. Because of their sting, bees are more dangerous than some of the other pests and you should call our professional service to get rid of them.
Moths and flies usually start to multiply significantly during summer.
Ants begin to swarm to find new mates and start new colonies during summer.
Cockroaches become very noticeable in the summer, especially in the kitchen and toilets. This is due to the hotter temperatures and stronger smells.
Bedbugs are also very active in the summer.

Autumn

Autumn is the month when things start to get cooler. The number of pests starts to dwindle as they begin to slow down their breeding activities.

Wasps start becoming dozy and docile. You may find them buzzing around occasionally as if they are drunk. This is usually the end-time for their life.
Spiders in particular are more active at this time of the year.
Squirrels will gather their food and start to look for shelter.
The second breeding phase for flies begins. These pests remain active during the season.
Rodents also become more active. Due to the approaching cold, rodents usually find shelter inside homes in the loft or inside walls.

Winter

The coldest months are when pests seek out warmth and shelter. You will find a number of insects especially rodents and lizards make their way inside your home.

Spiders come into our homes to escape the web-destroying frosts.
Rodents move indoors to escape the cold, increasing infestations.
In many cases, homeowners find squirrels nesting in lofts when they go to get their Christmas decorations.