Brown Recluse Spiders in Arkansas: Where They Live, What They Eat, How to Get Rid of Them

Brown recluse spiders are one of two venomous spiders in the United States, along with the black widow. Spiders are not generally aggressive creatures, but a bite from a brown recluse is definitely something to avoid.

Brown recluse spiders make their home throughout the state of Arkansas, but there are steps you can take to keep them out of your home or get rid of them if they do enter your house.

What Is a Brown Recluse?

As its name suggests, the brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa) is a reclusive brown spider with a venomous bite. Brown recluse are a widespread spider that can be found in sixteen states, including Arkansas. They live in central states such as Nebraska, Ohio, Missouri, and Kansas and in southern states such as Texas, Alabama, and Georgia.

Brown recluse spiders are highly adaptable creatures. They are able to survive even freezing temperatures and can go long periods of time without food or water. However, these spiders do prefer the warmth, which may lead them to seek refuge in your home.

Appearance

Brown recluse spiders vary slightly in color, but they are typically dark to dull brown or slightly yellowish looking. Unlike most spiders, brown recluse have 6 eyes arranged in three pairs, writes the University of Arkansas Anthropod Museum. They have eight long, thin legs that are uniformly colored and their bodies are usually 1/4-1/2 inch long — about the size of a quarter.

A brown recluse may be easily mistaken for other spiders, but there are a few distinctive features to look for when identifying these creatures, such as their eye arrangement and uniformly colored legs. Another important feature is the violin-shaped dark marking at the top of their cephalothorax. This marking earned the brown recluse the nickname “violin spider.”

Female brown recluse spiders are larger than males, but both genders bite and inject venom. However, according to the University of Kentucky, females also tend to be more reclusive, while males and older juveniles are more likely to wander around and travel farther.

Brown Recluse Webs and What They Eat

Like many spiders, the brown recluse builds webs, which can help determine if you have a spider infestation in your home. Webs from a brown recluse are irregular, medium-sized, and made of sticky silk. However, webs are not especially important for the brown recluse to eat.

Brown recluse spiders are active nocturnal hunters that eat other insects such as crickets, moths, and flies. These spiders can also survive for months without food or water.

Venom of a Brown Recluse Spider

Brown recluse spiders get a bad reputation because of their powerful venom. However, true to their name, these spiders are reclusive and not aggressive toward humans. Most bites occur when humans and brown recluse accidentally come in contact with each other, such as when the spider gets trapped in bedding or clothing.

Still, a bite from a brown recluse may require medical attention. Symptoms from a brown recluse bite typically don’t develop right away. After several hours you may develop reddened skin and itching at the site of the bite. After about a week or more, an open sore that causes tissue death may occur, according to VeryWell Health.

More severe symptoms include:

• Fever and chills
• A skin rash all over the body consisting of tiny flat purple and red spots
• Nausea and vomiting
• Joint pain

Identifying a brown recluse spider bite can be difficult. A mnemonic device from the National Library of Medicine can help exclude whether the bite in question came from a brown recluse:

• (N)umerous: Brown recluse lesions come in only ones and twos.
• (O)ccurance: A brown recluse spider typically only bites when it is disturbed.
• (T)iming: Brown recluse bites almost always occur between April and October.
• (R)ed Center: If the bite has a red center it is likely not from a brown recluse. A bite from these spiders usually has a pale central area.
• (E)levated: Bites from a brown recluse are typically flat.
• (C)hronic: Brown recluse spider bites typically take about three months to heal.
• (L)arge: The area of necrosis is rarely larger than 10 cm in brown recluse bites.
• (U)lcerates Too Early: Brown recluse bites do not ulcerate until 7-14 days.
• (S)wollen: Unless a brown recluse bite occurs on the face or feet it will not be red and swollen.
• (E)xudative: Brown recluse spider bites do not cause oozing from the lesion.

How to Treat a Brown Recluse Spider Bite

Treating a brown recluse spider bite should start with basic first aid. Clean the wound with soap and water and apply ice to help halt the necrosis process. If the bite is on a limb, elevate the extremity above the heart. NSAIDs can also be used to help alleviate pain.

It may also be a good idea to seek professional medical advice for a brown recluse bite. You should definitely see a doctor if the bite gets worse or you develop symptoms such as fever and chills. Additionally, ensure you are up to date on your tetanus vaccine, as brown recluse spiders can sometimes transmit the bacteria that causes tetanus.

What Parts of Arkansas Do Brown Recluse Spiders Live?

Brown recluse spiders are common in the central and southeastern United States. Arkansas is right in the middle of theri natural habitat. Brown recluse spiders can be found throughout the state in urban and rural settings.

Where Are Brown Recluse Spiders Found in Homes?

Brown recluse spiders prefer dry, secluded areas of your home. As naturally shy creatures, they prefer not to come into contact with humans and often hide out in undisturbed places such as closets, garages, and attics.

The Anthropod Museum warns of indoor locations humans may run into a brown recluse. They may be found in boxes, among papers, in folds of clothing or bedding, bedrooms, and bathrooms. In the yard, brown recluse spiders are commonly found under rocks or around relatively dry wood piles or logs.

What to Do If You Find a Brown Recluse in Your Home

Although brown recluse spiders aren’t aggressive, you definitely don’t want them living in your home. There are several ways to help prevent these spiders from coming inside, according to Pest World. Inspect your home for small holes where spiders could enter and seal the openings with silicone caulk.

Additionally, keep stacks of firewood at least 20 feet away from your house and five feet off the ground. It’s also a good idea to avoid leaving clothing and shoes on the floor, as brown recluse spiders may try to hide out in them. Lowering your home’s humidity with a dehumidifier may also make homes less attractive to brown recluse spiders.

If you do find a brown recluse in your home, contacting a licensed pest control specialist is one way to deal with the problem. Pointe Pest Control recommends other tools to get rid of brown recluse spiders such as putting out sticky glue traps to catch the creatures. You can also use food-grade diatomaceous earth to kill spiders.

When dealing with brown recluse spider infestations, use the proper precautions to avoid being bitten. Wear gloves and tuck pant legs into socks to ensure that spiders can’t crawl up them. If you spot a brown recluse, you can get rid of the creature by vacuuming it up and disposing of the bag contents outside. Spraying a brown recluse with vinegar will also kill the creature.