There are over 38,000 species of spiders, and professionals estimate you’re never less than 10 feet away from one of them.
If you encounter one, your first question may be “why are there spiders in my house?” The next one should be, “what species is it?”
The house spider is common and harmless but still a pest. The brown recluse may be a shy creature, but its bite is dangerous and makes it a more serious threat.
Read our guide to learn how to identify spiders in the home and how to remove them.
House Spider
The common house spider lives indoors. It has a yellowish-brown body, a dirty white abdomen, and dark stripes. The females are usually 5-8 mm in length and the males are 3.8-4.7mm. They have 8 eyes and 8 legs, and the 4th pair has serrated bristles.
Approximately 95% of these spiders have never been outside. They were born in your home and lived their entire lives there.
A house spider can lay 250 eggs in one sac. It can produce 17 sacs and a total of 3,760 eggs in its lifetime. It doesn’t have a painful bite but can infest your home.
Brown Recluse
Brown recluse spiders are brown to gray. They have a dark, violin-shaped mark on the front of their body. They have slender legs and 6 eyes grouped in pairs. They’re 1/4-1/2 inches long.
Brown recluse spiders get their name because they prefer to hide in dark corners or under clutter. They live for 2-4 years and can produce up to 5 egg sacks in their life with 50 eggs each.
The brown recluse is venomous. Their bites are painless but can make the skin swollen and tender within 3-8 hours and take up to 3 weeks to heal.
In serious cases, they may create an open wound or burst red blood vessels. They can even cause a serious allergic reaction with symptoms such as:
- Rash
- Fever
- Itching
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Shock
The severity of the reaction depends on the amount of venom, the age and immune system of the one bitten, and other factors. The best way to avoid the danger is to figure out how to get rid of spiders in your home.
Spider Pest Control
Start with spider prevention before moving on to spider removal. Don’t store your clothes on the floor and shake them out before wearing them. Seal any cracks or holes in your walls, doors, or windows. Remove clutter, and move your bed out from the wall so spiders can’t climb onto it.
Call for residential pest control services as soon as you notice any webs or egg sacks to prevent a serious infestation.
More Pest Control Tips
Spiders are a common pest, and there are thousands of species that can enter your home. The house spider is common but harmless, while the brown recluse has a potentially deadly bite.
It’s important to identify which one is in your home and how they got in so you can find the right professional to remove them. They have thousands of young in their lifetime, and getting them out quickly prevents an infestation.
Read the rest of our content for more pest control tips.