Watch Out For Brown Recluse Spiders When Unpacking Winter Clothes

While residents in Middle Tennessee will not see the same drop in temperatures as most northern states this winter, there are still some cold days! And cold days require sweaters, boots and coats, which may still be packed up in your attic or basement. Here’s the thing though, before you go ahead and unpack your sweaters, make sure to watch out for brown recluse spiders.

Unfortunately there are brown recluse spiders in Tennessee. A potentially dangerous type of spider whose venom can cause serious reactions to humans if bit and although rare, some brown recluse bites have proven fatal. What many people do not understand however is that the brown recluse spider is not aggressive by nature. In fact, as their name suggests, they prefer to be reclusive and stay well hidden.

This brings us back to the topic at hand, unpacking winter clothing. As you open storage containers containing your cool weather wear it is important to be on the lookout for any spiders. They could be hiding in your clothing, in your shoes, or just lurking in the back of the closet. The one thing that will provoke a brown recluse spider to bite is if they feel threatened. And by you grabbing onto the article of clothing they are attached to, well to them that is a serious threat.

Our advice is to carefully go through your winter clothing and shake out the coats and scarfs before putting them on. Perhaps even send your winter items through the wash to ensure that arachnids or even other pests are dislodged. And of course with shoes and boots, give them a good shake and take a peek inside before you slide your foot in.

If you have identified a spider problem in your Nashville or Middle Tennessee home then please contact All-American Pest Control for a Brown Recluse Evaluation. It is often hard for an untrained eye to detect the species of spider but you do not want to unknowingly be housing brown recluse spiders, or any other spiders for that matter, throughout the winter. Our Middle TN pest control team can place monitoring devices around the home, look for conditions that they favor, as well as their hiding spots to help eliminate the threat of brown recluse spiders in your home.