We love perfect growing season weather! It means that, when harvest time comes, we can visit the farmers market and get locally-grown fresh fruits and vegetables! Brown recluse spiders feel the same way about the warm weather this season as we do. No, they aren’t looking forward to yummy Tennessee grown tomatoes or snap beans, but they know that warmer weather brings more of the food that they love: other insects!
Brown recluse spiders, like most other spiders, prefer to feed on flies, cockroaches, mosquitoes, and other insects. They have a paralyzing bite that paralyzes their prey almost immediately. These nocturnal hunters are actually more of a scavenger than an actual web-sitting spider. They are most commonly found roaming around at night in search of dead insects to feed on.
Brown recluse spiders are one of the most feared spiders in Tennessee, though they hardly live up to their reputation. As their name suggests, these spiders are rather reclusive and will hide away in warm, dark places during the daytime. Hunting at night also allows them to avoid coming into contact with people, especially when they are invading a home. Some of the most common places to find these spiders are:
- Attics
- Basements
- Crawl spaces
- Closets
- Heating and cooling registers and ductwork
- Inside storage boxes (in clothing, shoes, boots, linens, etc.)
- Eaves of buildings
- In the corners of storage sheds, barns, and garages
- Inside rock walls
Encounters with the brown recluse spider are relatively uncommon; these spiders typically only bite if a person inadvertently surprises the spider or tries to trap the spider as the spider’s natural instinct will be to bite in order to protect itself. Contrary to popular belief, these spiders do not seek out humans to bite them.
These small, 3/8” long and 3/16” diameter, light brown spiders are easily identified by the dark brown fiddle-shaped marking on their backs. Anyone who is bitten by a brown recluse spider should seek medical attention immediately; the bite of this spider can be extremely painful and the venom that is injected can cause a variety of reactions. If possible, obtaining the spider you were bitten by and keeping it secure for proper identification is important in order to take the proper course of medical treatment.
The warm summer weather in Tennessee is a happy time for many of us, including the brown recluse spider. Keep these dangerous spiders out of your home or business with a year-round pest control plan from the Tennessee pests control professionals at Russell’s Pest Control. We offer several pest control plans to fit your needs, your schedule, and your budget. Don’t wait another day; give us a call to learn more about our residential pest control plans!
Warm Tennessee Weather Makes Brown Recluse Spiders Happy in Knoxville TN
Serving East Tennessee since 1971
