North Carolina is home to many different species of arachnids, including the brown recluse. If you plan to move to Raleigh or another city in the state soon, it’s important that you take steps to keep brown recluses out of your home.

Although this spider prefers to live outdoors, it can take refuge inside your home. The spider can bite, but they generally do so when frightened, harmed, or touched. You want to avoid these issues as much as possible, and you can protect your family with the facts and tips below.

Like many other types of spiders, the brown recluse spider prefers dark, dry, and quiet places to live. The pest can hide beneath furnishings, under beds, inside closets, and even inside sink cabinets. Due to its small size, it can move around your home unnoticed.

Once you do see a spider in your home, you can try to identify it. The recluse spider has six individual eyes and features a distinct violin shape on the back of its head. The arachnid typically doesn’t grow larger than a penny, but females can be much larger than males.

Brown recluse spiders don’t bite unless provoked. If a spider does bite you, you might notice a small, reddish mark on your skin, and the bites can be dangerous. The skin surrounding the bite may redden and swell. The center of the bite might develop pus and appear infected from the spider’s venom.

The venom eventually creates a hole in the skin that appears discolored and diseased.

Victims of recluse bites may also experience nausea, vomiting, itchiness, and severe pain in the bite site or muscles. You should seek medical care as soon as you notice any symptoms of a recluse bite. If venom enters your bloodstream, it can cause damage to your body’s cells and other organs.

You can take temporary steps to keep your new home safe from recluse spiders, including vacuuming your closets, cabinets, and other locations with enclosed doors and recesses. Before you begin, place rubber gloves on your hands. You want to prevent accidental bites during your cleaning.

In addition, use a vacuum with a long suction head and bag to contain the pests. If the bag becomes full, secure the top, then remove it immediately.

Spiders like recluses can move fast, so keeping a safe distance from them is critical.

During your cleaning, look for signs of webbing. The pests don’t spin traditional webs when they invade your home. Instead, the webs look similar to balls of cotton with holes in the center. You might notice egg sacs in the webs. Remove the eggs immediately with your vacuum and discard them away from the home.

Finally, store your unused belongings in plastic containers instead of cardboard and place them in areas you can easily inspect when you clean your home. The spiders love cardboard and may create webs inside in them.

If you notice a great number of live spiders or eggs during your vacuuming, retreat and contact a pest control specialist for help. You may have an infestation in your home that requires additional steps to remove the spiders.

After you take temporary precautions above, contact the experts at Triangle Wildlife Removal & Pest Control Inc. for a thorough and detailed evaluation of your home. Brown recluses can inhabit other areas of the home you can’t reach, such inside your walls and along your roof’s edge. We can spider proof your home and offer valuable tips on how to keep it safe.