Spider, Brown Recluse and Scorpion Control in Paris, TX

The Brown Recluse

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension calls the brown recluse one of the most dreaded household pests in Texas. It is light brown to gray, with slender legs that spread about the size of a quarter to a half dollar. Look for two marks:

• A dark violin shape on the front part of the body, with the neck of the violin pointing back.
• Six eyes set in three pairs, instead of the eight eyes most spiders have.

As the name says, it is shy. AgriLife notes it hides in spots that are rarely disturbed, like cluttered closets, garages, crawl spaces, attics, piles of boards and boxes. It hunts at night and does not spend much time on a web. Bites usually happen when someone puts on a shoe, rolls over in bed or reaches into a box where a spider is hiding.

Bites are not always serious, but some cause painful sores that heal slowly. See a doctor if a bite looks bad, spreads or comes with fever.

Striped Bark Scorpions

The striped bark scorpion is the common scorpion across Texas. It is tan with two dark stripes down its back. It climbs well, so it can turn up on walls and ceilings, not just floors. Scorpions come inside through gaps under doors and around pipes, and they hide in wood piles, rock borders and under boards. A sting hurts like a bad wasp sting. Get medical help if a child is stung or if a sting causes trouble breathing.

Cut the Clutter

No treatment works well in a cluttered space, because spiders have too many places to hide.

• Store items in sealed plastic bins instead of cardboard boxes.
• Keep clothes and shoes off the floor, and shake them out before you put them on.
• Move beds a few inches from the wall and keep bed skirts off the floor.
• Clear wood piles, lumber and junk away from the house.
• Trim shrubs and vines back from the walls.
• Use yellow bug lights outside. White lights draw insects, and insects draw spiders and scorpions.