Unless your lifelong goal is to develop superhuman spider powers, chances are that the less you see of these eight-legged furry creatures inside your home, the better. Spider control is made difficult due to the fact that spiders don’t drag their bodies or groom themselves with their legs, which makes pest control barriers less effective. The best method, therefore, is to disrupt their environment or to spray them directly. Dallas is home to several spider types, the most popular of which are highlighted below:

Brown Recluse Spider

The brown recluse spider is small brown spider native to Texas and known for its painful and damaging venom. The spider is identifiable with a violin marking near their heads and with the presence of only six eyes. Although brown recluses are not aggressive, they do tend to wander from their webs at night hunting for food which can increase the chance of accidental contact where biting may occur. They like to nest in woodpiles, sheds, closets, beds, garages, and several other places around the home. Because of this, it is always a good idea to wear gloves or be careful when handling items in these areas that have been left alone for any significant period of time. In the worst case scenario, venom from brown recluses can cause severe damage to the skin and organs, with young children, elderly, and immune sensitive individuals at the greatest risk.

Black Widow

The black widow is another spider found in Dallas famous for its venomous bite. Black widows are black (surprise, surprise) with a red hour glass showing on the abdomen. Their webs are characteristically low to the ground and appear messy or three dimensional compared to the flat webs made by most other spiders. Their bits are highly venomous and should be taken seriously when detected.

Wolf Spider

These relatively harmless spiders are roaming nocturnal hunters that like to come inside the home during the colder months of the year to stay warm. They will bite if provoked, but have superior eyesight and do their best to avoid humans when they can.

Southern House Spider

These large brown spiders are often mistaken for brown recluses although they have more slender bodies and are solid brown displaying no distinctive patterns. Because these spiders lack advanced eyesight, they commonly walk across any object, alive or not, and will attack if provoked. Their mouths, however, are too small to cause sufficient penetration to human skin in most cases.