Finding a spider in your bathtub can be startling, especially if it’s a venomous brown recluse spider. These spiders are common household pests in parts of the United States and their bites can cause severe skin lesions. If you spot one of these spiders in your tub, don’t panic.
Here are the steps you need to take to safely remove the spider and prevent further infestations.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Carefully trap the spider under a cup and slide cardboard or stiff paper underneath to trap it. Then release it outdoors, far from your home.
Thoroughly clean the tub with an disinfectant cleaner and keep an eye out for more spiders over the next few weeks.
Identifying a Brown Recluse Spider
Appearance and Size
Brown recluse spiders are usually between 6-20 mm (0.2-0.8 inches) in body length and have long thin legs. Their color can range from yellowish-tan to dark brown, with a darker brown violin-shaped marking on the top of the cephalothorax (combined head and thorax).
The violin shape points toward the bulbous abdomen. They have six equal-sized eyes arranged in pairs, unlike most spiders which have eight eyes. Their long legs are covered in very fine hairs which give them a soft, velvety appearance.
Brown recluse spiders build irregular webs that are not used for catching prey, but rather serve as shelters in which the spider lives. The webs are constructed in out-of-the-way places like cracks and holes in walls, under furniture, and in corners.
The spiders are usually found either wandering at night looking for prey, or hidden in their webs during the day.
Web and Habits
Brown recluse spiders do not build traditional webs for catching prey. Instead, they construct irregular, off-white, papery silk nests in undisturbed areas where they can hide during the day. These retreats are built inside rotting logs, tree hollows, cardboard boxes, attics, closets, beneath furniture and other clutter, or behind baseboards and even picture frames.
Brown recluse spiders emerge at night to hunt for food.
These spiders are flexible hunters, tracking down and attacking a variety of arthropod prey including cockroaches, crickets, silverfish, firebrats and other spiders. Their venom allows them to kill prey much larger than themselves.
After envenomating their prey, the spiders retreat and let the venom work, returning later to feed.
Geographic Range
Brown recluse spiders are native to the central and southern United States. They are primarily found in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama and parts of Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska.
Despite rumors to the contrary, credible reports of brown recluse spiders come only from these areas. In their native range, brown recluse spiders live in rural areas and more urban environments.
Brown recluse spiders have expanded into non-native areas of the western and northeastern U.S. but populations are restricted to man-made structures like warehouses and residential buildings, likely transported via shipping crates and boxes. They do not occur in natural habitats in these regions.
Safely Capturing and Releasing the Spider
Materials Needed
Finding a brown recluse spider in your bathtub can be alarming, but there’s no need to panic. Here are some tips for safely capturing and releasing the spider outdoors:
- Glass jar or plastic container with a lid – This provides a way to trap the spider without hurting it.
- Stiff cardboard or paper – Slide this underneath the container to trap the spider inside.
- Leather gloves – Wearing gloves reduces the tiny chance the spider might bite when you’re trapping it.
- Flashlight – Helps you keep an eye on the spider so you can cautiously approach it.
- Piece of paper and tape – Place the paper over the container’s opening and tape it there after trapping the spider, so it can’t escape.
Trapping the Spider
Approach the bathtub slowly and calmly with the glass jar ready. Gently place the open jar mouth down over the spider, trapping it inside. Slide the cardboard underneath to completely seal the spider in. If it tries to crawl up the sides, gently push it back down with the cardboard.
Once the spider is contained, tightly seal the lid and secure the paper over the top with tape. The spider may seem quick, but resist the urge to slam the jar down forcefully – the goal is to trap it without harming it.
Releasing the Spider Outdoors
Take the trapped spider, still sealed in the jar, outside right away. Choose an area at least 50 feet from the house, such as a garden, wooded area, or hedge. Remove the lid and gently tap the jar to encourage the spider to crawl out on its own into the natural environment.
Avoid areas frequented by pets or children so the spider won’t be disturbed after its release. Releasing the brown recluse back into nature prevents it from finding its way back inside while also giving it another chance at life.
Disinfecting the Tub Afterwards
Once the brown recluse has been safely removed, it’s a good idea to give the bathtub a thorough disinfecting. Mix 1 cup of bleach with 1 gallon of warm water, and use disposable gloves to scrub down the entire tub surface. Let the bleach solution sit for at least 5 minutes before rinsing clean.
This will kill any bacteria left behind and prevent other spiders or insects from being attracted back to the same area. Wiping the tub down with rubbing alcohol after bleaching can provide extra disinfecting power.
Place a cotton ball soaked in peppermint essential oil on the tub’s edge – brown recluses dislike peppermint, so this can help deter others from crawling back in.
Preventing Future Infestations
Finding a venomous brown recluse spider in your bathtub can be startling, but taking some simple prevention steps can help keep these unwelcome arachnids out of your home. By sealing up potential entry points, decluttering areas where they could hide, using pesticides cautiously, and utilizing natural spider repellents, you can discourage brown recluses from taking up residence in your house.
Sealing Entry Points
Brown recluse spiders may enter homes through small cracks and crevices. Carefully inspect and seal areas like windows, doors, attic vents, plumbing penetrations, and any holes in your home’s foundation or siding using caulk, foam sealant, weather stripping, or other durable materials.
This helps block access points for the spiders to sneak in.
Decluttering
Brown recluses thrive in quiet, undisturbed areas where they can spin their irregular webs and hide. Decluttering closets, attics, basements, garages, and other storage areas denies them good harborage spots.
Get rid of debris like old boxes, papers, clothing piles, toys, or anything else cluttering up your house. The less mess, the fewer good hiding places for spiders.
Using Pesticides Safely
Applying pesticides around your home’s exterior and in key interior areas like basements, garages, and attics can kill invading spiders and discourage new ones from entering. However, caution must be used with chemicals, especially if you have children or pets.
The EPA provides guidelines for selecting and properly applying the least toxic pesticides for your needs.
Natural Spider Repellents
There are also some natural methods to help deter brown recluse spiders without resorting to harsh pesticides:
- Placing bowls of vinegar around cluttered areas produces vapors spiders dislike.
- Mothballs or cotton balls soaked in citronella, peppermint, or eucalyptus oils make a noxious anti-spider barrier.
- Insect-repelling plants like lavender, chrysanthemums, basil, and pennyroyal discourage spiders from building nests nearby.
Employing two or more deterrent methods, along with vigilant spider inspections and immediate removal, offers the best defense against recurring household invasions by brown recluses.
Signs of a Brown Recluse Spider Bite
Appearance of the Bite
A brown recluse spider bite may not even be noticeable at first. Within 2-8 hours though, the bite site reddens into a swollen blister, usually about an inch across. The blister top is tense and firm, but the center is soft, giving it a bull’s-eye appearance.
This open sore oozes fluid and eventually develops into an open ulcer (gross! ). The wound tends to turn black over the next few days as the venom kills skin tissues (necrosis).
Symptoms
Along with the bite wound itself, brown recluse venom causes systemic symptoms in some people bitten. Usually within 24-36 hours you may feel flu-like achiness, nausea, joint pain, vomiting, rash, and fever.
Later, the bite area can remain swollen, painful, and open for 6-8 weeks or longer as slow healing occurs!
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 10% of brown recluse bites cause these severe reactions. The other 90% heal without needing medical care. Children, elderly, and those with weak immune systems seem most vulnerable to severe symptoms.
When to See a Doctor
Watch for spreading redness, swelling, foul drainage, or fever beyond the first day or two. These signs indicate a worsening wound infection. Seek medical attention promptly if they develop! Rarely, the venom causes life-threatening hemolytic anemia, clotting problems, organ damage, shock, and tissue death.
Dizziness, blood in urine, yellowish skin/eyes, chest pain, etc are danger signs to get care quickly.
To treat a brown recluse bite, the doctor may give antibiotics, wound care, antihistamines, steroids, pain medication, etc as needed. In severe necrosis cases, reconstructive skin surgery or amputation are required for open chronic wounds unresponsive to other care.
Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that – yikes!
Treating a Brown Recluse Spider Bite
Home Treatment
If you suspect you’ve been bitten by a brown recluse spider, the first step is to wash the area with soap and water to help prevent infection (immediate action can make a difference in wound healing). You can apply an ice pack wrapped in cloth to the bite area to help reduce swelling and pain.
Over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen may also help alleviate symptoms.
It’s important not to scratch or probe the bite, as this can cause further tissue damage and increase risk of infection. Leave any blisters intact as well. Seek medical attention if you experience severe pain, swelling, nausea, fever, or other worrisome symptoms beyond the bite site.
Medical Treatment
For more severe brown recluse bites, visiting a doctor is highly recommended. Treatment options may include:
- Cleaning and bandaging the wound
- Oral antibiotics to prevent secondary infections
- Steroid injections to reduce inflammation
- Excision of damaged tissue
- Blood pressure support
In rare cases with significant tissue damage, skin grafting, heavy sedation, or critical care may be necessary. With prompt proper care however, most recluse bites heal well over time.
Preventing Secondary Infections
As the bite wound heals over the next few days or weeks, it’s important to keep the area clean and watch for signs of infection like increased pain, redness, swelling or pus drainage. See your doctor right away if you notice these worrisome symptoms. Preventative care is crucial.
| Do: | Don’t: |
| – Wash hands before touching bite | – Scratch or rub bite |
| – Use antibiotic ointment | – Wear tight clothing over bite |
| – Cover with clean bandage | – Soak in bath water |
Be patient through the healing process and don’t hesitate to seek medical care if concerns arise. Most recluse bites heal without further incident with proper initial and follow-up care.
Conclusion
Discovering a venomous spider like a brown recluse in your bathtub can certainly be alarming. However, these spiders are rarely aggressive and bites are uncommon. With proper identification, safe trapping techniques, sealing of possible entry points, and cleaning, you can get rid of the immediate spider problem and prevent future ones.
If you do suffer a bite, prompt first aid and medical treatment when necessary can help minimize damage from the venom. While not a pleasant pest to have in your home, brown recluse spiders can be controlled and managed with vigilance and care.
