For people who hate spiders, there’s nothing about a spider that can appease them. But even those of us who can still withstand seeing spiders, the red house spiders are one species that you should try not to mess with.
If you want to know the reason why then read your way to the last line in this article. Because here, we will discuss everything there is to know about red house spiders.
What Do Red House Spiders Look Like?
Generally, red house spiders have the body outlines like most spiders. That is, they are quite small when you leave the legs aside. Their legs are eight legs in all. And like in all spiders, they have a very big abdomen shaped like small globes.
Because of their abdominal shape and the markings on that very abdominal, many people mistake red house spiders for black widow spiders.
Although black widow spiders are often black in color with characteristic star-shaped markings on the underside of their abdomen.
However, in terms of skin tones, red house spiders, as in their name, appear to be red. But sometimes, this red color may be diluted with patches of either brown or red.
Not only that, all their legs are usually dark-brown in color. This color is also consistent with the entire front part of the spider.
So, in a nutshell, when you see a spider with reddish-brown frontal parts and a very big globular abdomen that’s darker than the frontal part, then it’s most likely that the spider is a red house spider.
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Where Can You Find Red House Spiders?
For the most part, you can find red house spiders anywhere in the world. This is because, like most spiders, they are cosmopolitan.
However, here in the United States, red house spiders are common in areas like Texas, California, and Florida.
Although no matter the region where you find them, red house spiders still live up to their name. This is why oftentimes, red house spiders are found inside homes and gardens.
Within the house, you can find red house spiders in dark spots near the wall, kitchen cabinets, and furniture. In those places, these spiders lie in wait for an unfortunate insect, mosquito, or ant to fly by.
Sometimes, you even spot red house spiders in door frames and within the corners of siding and closets. In gardens, red house spiders are often found under leaves.
Are Red House Spiders Poisonous or Venomous? Can They Kill You?
The thing is, red house spiders can bite and this bite comes with a lot of pain. But before we note whether red house spiders are venomous or poisonous, let’s first get this out of the way.
You see, to put it simply; if you eat, bite or swallow a particular substance and it kills (or harms) you, then you can say that the substance is poisonous (as in lead or cyanide).
However, if an animal or plant needs to bite or inject you with a substance that later kills(or harms) you, then we say that such an animal or plant is venomous (as in snakes.).
With that established, we can then say that red house spiders are venomous. Because with every bite, red house spiders inject a particular type of venom that can kill small insects like mosquitoes, ants, and flies.
However, such a bite cannot kill a man. But it can cause excruciating pain that can last for several hours. In some cases, redness, itchiness, and swelling of the bite area can even come as backdrops.
But as earlier said, the venom of the red house spiders is quite mild to humans. In the science world, we say that such venom is non-necrotic.
So, unlike deadlier spiders like the brown recluse spiders, the non-necrotic venom from red house spiders cannot kill your skin cells; neither will they cause lesions.
Can Red House Spiders’ Bite Heal on Its Own?
Usually, within a day up to about three days, any pain spider bite should have eased up.
Although in the case of highly dangerous spiders like the black widow spiders and the brown recluse spiders, the pain can linger up to a week or even more.
However, as for red house spiders, the pain from their bites would last only for a day. The good news is that if you can endure the pain, you don’t have to do a single thing to heal the bite area.
This is because on most occasions, spider bites, even the ones from widows or recluse spiders, heal on their own. So, a bite from a house spider with mild venom is likely to be among those spider bites that heal on their own.
- READ MORE: How Long Do Spiders Live?
How to Know When Bitten by a Red House Spider
Generally, there are certain symptoms that are common to all spider bites. Out of these symptoms, the ones that are often noticed when bitten by red house spiders are:
- Excruciating pain around the bite area
- Redness of the bite area
- Swelling of the bite area
- Itchiness of the bite area
- Sometimes, allergic reactions.
What to Do When Bitten by a Red House Spider
Since the venom of a red house spider cannot kill a man, then you can treat the bite area and reduce the pain with the following method:
- Immediately after the bite, wash the bite area with soapy water. This will help wash off the dirt, toxin, and bacteria that can sneak through the bite wound into your bloodstream.
- After that, apply a cold compress in a rhythmic pattern (on and off) to the bite area for about 10 minutes. This will help reduce the swelling.
- Antihistamine and analgesic cream on the bite area. This will help reduce the itching and the pain respectively. Although as natural alternatives rose oil, lavender oil, and chamomile can help reduce the pain, swelling, and irritation as well.
- Sometimes, red house spider bites may cause blisters. When that happens, you can apply an antibiotic ointment or chamomile mixed in a carrier oil like jojoba oil to the bite area.
- In case of allergic reactions like-like difficulty in breathing or swallowing, then it’s best you visit the nearest hospital for treatment. Although when it comes to red house spider bites, such extreme cases are very rare.
What Are the Signs of Red House Spider Infestation?
There are three things that give any kind of spider away. These things are listed below:
- Adult Red House Spiders.
In earlier sections, we made it clear that red house spiders are small spiders whose abdomens resemble those of black widow spiders.
Although, the males are even much smaller than the females. Unlike the black widow spiders, their venom is relatively harmless to humans.
However, if you see up to five or eight of these spiders in your house, then you should be worried. This is because it’s most likely that there is a colony or nest of red house spiders right within your house.
But fret not, we have discussed how you can get rid of these red house spiders in the next section. Just find your way there and be saved.
- Spider Nests and Webs.
We all know that spiders make webs and live in webbed nests. So, if you notice one-too-many webs in your house, then there’s a high chance you have red house spiders in your house.
As for red house spiders, their webbings are quite messy and entangled. Worst still, these webs can be built at multiple wall and floor points at once and in areas like pantries and wardrobes.
So, if you notice any of the webbings with spider egg sacs, then know you either have a full-scale or minor red house spider infestation to deal with.
- Spider Droppings.
The truth is, spider poops are very hard to notice. But in most cases, spider poops look like black dots, and oftentimes, we see them near corners where spider nests can be found.
The more spider poops you notice, the more the number of spiders or the longer the red house spiders have been in your house. But since most of us clean our houses often, it’s very, very tough to notice spider poops.
How to Get Rid of Red House Spiders.
Because red house spiders pose a mild threat to humans, getting rid of them isn’t as difficult as dealing with black widow or brown recluse spiders. If you do the following, you won’t need to live with red house spiders for eternity.
- Start by brooming down all spider nests and webs.
Yes, if you have not read our article on spider nests, it might sound confusing at first. But the thing is, spider nests are not spider webs.
Instead, spider nests are spider webs with spider egg sacs. These egg sacs carry the spider eggs. So that means, spiders build webs to catch prey that they later carry to their nests for their kids to eat and reproduce.
That said, you need to use a long or short broom as required to remove the webs. In the case of spider nests, you might need to use a vacuum cleaner to help suck up the eggs.
Afterward, empty the trash bag in the vacuum cleaner. You can even ice the bag before disposing of it. That would help kill the eggs and any other red house spiders caught during the brooming down process.
- Declutter your house and maintain a strict cleaning routine.
A dirty house is always a welcoming spot for pest colonies. So, you need to make your house unwelcoming to the red house spiders and other pests at large.
But while cleaning, remember to clear out old boxes. Likewise, make sure you don’t forget to vacuum all dark corners near the ceilings and in-between furniture.
This is because those are the common hiding spots for these spiders. Every week, try to repeat this cleaning pattern to ward off house spiders.
- Use repellents.
Commercial spider repellents are always available in various brands at local stores. Try to get one and use it as described in the labels.
If you’re uncomfortable with using chemicals, natural repellents like peppermint oil and vinegar will always come in handy. To use them, just mix them in water that’s twice their amount, bottle up the mixture, and spray as needed.
- Ensure to always keep your doors and windows closed.
If that won’t work for you, you can use window and door screens instead. These would help keep all flying pests like insects and all jumping pests like red house spiders outdoors.
However, don’t forget to always keep the screens in good condition. Whenever they get holed, mend them or replace them. Every once in a year, changing or mending your door and window screens should be a priority.
Final Words.
So far, we noted that red house spiders and black widow spiders look quite alike. Although, black widow spiders are way more dangerous and have some kind of red markings under their abdomen.
As for red house spiders, their venom is most likely not going to kill a man. But their bites come with very excruciating pain. Though within a day or two, such pain would be relieved.
If you want to rid yourself of the pain much faster, you can wash the bite area with soapy water, and use antihistamine and antibiotic cream to reduce the itching and the pain. Or perhaps, you can opt-in for natural oils instead.