Extreme heat leading to more Brown Recluse spider sightings across Middle Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — This summer, there has been an increase in sightings of the venomous Brown Recluse spider across Middle Tennessee.

According to University of Tennessee Entomologist Karen Vail, the hot and wet weather likely isn’t causing more Brown Recluse spiders to enter your home, but it could be changing the behaviors of what they eat.

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“It could be forcing a lot of those prey items, maybe to come indoors to avoid the rain, to avoid the extreme heat because the indoor environment is a fairly constant temperature, and it could be that people are spending more time indoors because of the extreme heat,” Vail told News 2.

Vail added that summer is really the only time Brown Recluse spiders are seen because they hibernate from November to February.

She said Brown Recluse spiders are not aggressive, and people commonly get bitten when going through old boxes in the attic or closet.

“It’s just a matter of being cautious and making sure you’re looking before you grab because they’re not aggressive spiders,” Vail said. “They’re not going to run up to you, bite and attack. It’s when you are threatening their survival that they respond and bite us.”

If you get bitten by a Brown Recluse spider, you’re urged to sit down, clean the bite area, apply ice and go to the doctor. Vail said it is extremely rare for a bite to be fatal, and most people heal completely in a couple of weeks.

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Vail told News 2 that adult Brown Recluse spiders are the size of a half-dollar coin. They have a violin-shaped pattern on them, and they have three pairs of eyes.

According to Vail, they are difficult to exterminate from your home because they are commonly hidden away in the walls, in the attic and in boxes. She said if you see one, call pest control, which will have the right equipment to get rid of the venomous spiders.

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