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Photo#111502
Brown Recluse Spider - Loxosceles reclusa - male

Brown Recluse Spider - Loxosceles reclusa - Male
Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska, USA
May 15, 2007
Size: Approx 1 1/2" leg span
I live in Lincoln, NE, the very northern range for the brown recluse. I live in an apartment and over the past year and a half my recluse problem has become worse. I find mostly adult males, but have seen some juveniles and possibly one female. Any ideas for how to get rid of these guys? I use sticky trap, some low toxic pesticides, and have tried to reduce clutter, but they are still everywhere.

This one was caught on a sticky trap, and gives a clear view of the unique eye pattern.

Moved
Moved from Recluse Spiders.

Moved
Moved from True Spiders.

Avoidance?
I would simply not put my hands anywhere I couldn't see. Most bites occur because people do not do this when they are putting things in (or taking things out of) storage places they visit only infrequently. Wandering males like this one are more problematic, but the sticky trap solution is a good one. Please consult online fact sheets, too (there is, no doubt, one available from UNL-University of Nebraska at Lincoln). It is pretty difficult, if not impossible, to evict this species, from what little I know.

 
Thanks for the tips!
You're right on the money...I definitely am more careful before I pick things up. It's only recently become a real problem since I've found males walking around on the floor and walls. The sticky traps do help somewhat with that, as does a nearby spatula!

I actually work at UNL in an entomology area, so have been able to get tips from lots of people...unfortunately, getting rid of these spiders is much easier said than done.

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