Brown Recluse Spiders Move into Kansas Homes:
What to watch for in Arizona
The Brown Recluse Spider is probably one of the most feared insects in North America, and this is because of misinformation. Today’s story is about some homeowners and renters in Kansas that have actually seen these spiders.
The residents of Lawrence have been reporting a huge influx of spider activity in their homes and called their local pest control service. One technician told Kansan.com that he has seen a great deal of brown recluse activity due to the mild winter last year and the long hot summer. Now that the weather is turning colder the brown recluse spiders are coming inside to feed and stay alive. They can’t survive a cold winter so the way that spiders get along is by hiding in spaces we usually don’t bother with. Attics, basements and the backs of closets; boxes and bags that are used in place of sealed storage crates; these are the hotbeds of activity.
The brown recluses have turned up in the living rooms of some of the Lawrence residents and that’s unusual. The recluse spider gets its name from the propensity to hide. The Brown Recluse is the most dangerous of all the recluse spiders, although many may cause a reaction. People seem to report Brown Recluse bites in states that don’t even have the spider, and that’s where the misinformation comes in. There have been many diagnoses based on the patient’s adamant claim that they have been bitten by a brown recluse. Later the diagnoses have been changed to a diabetic ulcer, a staph infection, shingles and more. No one goes back on line to report that they were NOT bitten by a brown recluse after all. Licensed pest control specialists are the only ones who should be looking for dangerous spiders in your house.
We are lucky in Arizona to have our own recluses that are not as dangerous as their much maligned brown cousin. All recluse spiders are identified by the fiddle on their back and a characteristic that is shared by no other spider: they have six pair of eyes instead of eight. The University of Arizona has a great PDF on Recluse Spiders that is a real eye opener and should be read by everyone regardless of where they live. It’s one of the most comprehensive studies on Recluse Spiders that I’ve seen.
Just because you don’t have to worry about the brown recluse in Arizona, that doesn’t let you off the hook for your annual termite inspection in Mesa. The knowledgeable professional will tell you all you need to know about your local pests and how you can protect your home and family from them. Don’t wait until you see something to make that call.
Tempe AZ –
Termite Control Arizona
1753 E BROADWAY, STE #101
TEMPE, AZ 85282
(480) 630-3019
