Pest Control For Brown Recluse Spider: Lookalike Spiders

Pest control for brown recluse spider presence requires knowledge and expertise that most people don’t have. The brown recluse spider (also known as the Fiddleback spider) is small in size and unremarkable looking. Commonly found in the Midwest, there are several types of harmless brown spiders that are often found in homes in Springfield, MO, and the surrounding Ozarks area that look very similar to the brown recluse, and it can be difficult to tell them apart. But because their bite can cause serious wounds, it is important to know which spiders look like the brown recluse so you can easily tell the difference.

Some of the lookalike spiders include wolf spiders, hobo spiders, huntsman spiders, and house spiders. The following are descriptions that can help pest control of brown recluse spider differentiate between spiders.

Wolf Spiders. The wolf spider is a member of one big spider family that chases down their prey rather than catching it in webs. They are slightly larger in size than the brown recluse, and their coloring can be black, brown, gray, or tan. But wolf spiders are marked with dark stripes, not the distinct violin-shaped marking seen with pest control for brown recluse spider.

Huntsman Spiders. This species gets its name for its formidable hunting skills. Like the brown recluse, they pursue their prey on foot, rather than entangling them in webs. Typically, the huntsman spider is very fast and larger than a brown recluse, with a leg span of up about 5-inches, although it can grow to 12-inches. Both spiders are brown, but huntsman spiders do not have the distinctive, violin-shaped marking on their abdomens. Although they may appear terrifying when you see one, they are not considered dangerous to humans, they don’t usually bite. 

Funnel-Web Weaver Spiders

Funnel-web weavers have a variety of shades on their bodies and brown recluse spiders are one solid color. Their habitats are often out in the open, in bushes or grass, which differs from recluse habitats that pest control of brown recluse spider commonly finds under woodpiles and rocks, and indoors in attics and basements, dark closets, and other hidden places. 

Hobo Spiders. These spiders look a lot like a brown recluse, and are aggressive, but only bite if they feel threatened. They usually are brown with yellow markings without the violin-shape that characterizes the brown recluse. Also, unlike the brown recluse, they build funnel-shaped webs. Pest control for brown recluse spiders can rule out brown recluse in areas where there is evidence of web building.

House Spiders (Spitting Spiders). These common spiders get their name from spitting a liquid onto their prey which congeals into a sticky mass. They are mistaken for brown recluse spiders because of their similar eye patterns, but they lack the violin marking of the brown recluse. 

Expert Pest Control of Brown Recluse Spiders

Our area of the Ozarks is notorious for brown recluse spiders. Brown recluse has a habit of coming indoors, especially during the chilly fall and winter months. Learning to spot a brown recluse among other common, house-dwelling spiders can help you stay safe from bites.

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