Key takeaways
- DSHS names two venomous spiders in Texas, the black widow and the brown recluse, and says both live throughout the state.
- Bites are usually accidents that happen when someone reaches into stored items, woodpiles or clothing that sat undisturbed.
- Gloves, shaking out stored items, tight containers and less clutter can help reduce the chance of a bite.
- For a suspected bite, wash the area and call the Texas Poison Center Network at 1-800-222-1222 or your doctor.
Two spiders worth knowing
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) names two venomous spiders in Texas, the black widow and the brown recluse, and says both can be found indoors and outdoors throughout the state. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension lists five recluse species and four widow species in Texas. The sources behind this guide do not give county maps, so it cannot say how common either spider is on a particular Amarillo street. They do describe clearly what each one looks like.
- Black widow: the female is jet black with a rounded abdomen and a red marking on the underside, often shaped like an hourglass. She hangs upside down in an irregular web.
- Brown recluse: light tan to grayish brown, about the size of a quarter to a half dollar with its legs spread. The violin-shaped mark can be faint, so Texas A&M AgriLife points to size, color and eye pattern instead: six eyes in three pairs, where most spiders have eight.
Where they hide around Panhandle homes
Both spiders prefer quiet, undisturbed places. Outside, that means woodpiles, piles of boards, meter boxes, sheds, rock piles and the underside of eaves. Inside, it means garages, basements, attics, closets, cardboard boxes, old towels and stored clothing or shoes. Widows favor sheltered spots such as the undersides of tables, chairs, eaves and plants. Recluses come out at night to hunt insects and other spiders, and their webs are sparse and lack a clear pattern. If nothing has been moved for months, a spider may have settled in.
How bites happen
Neither spider is aggressive. DSHS says both bite when accidentally trapped, disturbed or threatened, and the CDC says most bites happen because a spider is trapped or touched. Typical scenarios include reaching into a woodpile, putting on clothes that sat in a closet or slipping on a stored shoe.
Reactions vary. A widow bite can bring pain, cramping and sweating, and DSHS notes that the most severe reactions occur in children and older adults. A recluse bite is often painless at first and can range from a mild sore to a wound that takes months to heal. Other skin problems, such as staph infections, can look like spider bites, so let a doctor make the diagnosis.
If you think you were bitten
This guide is not medical advice. Wash the area with soap and water and apply a cold, damp cloth or an ice pack. If you can catch the spider without touching it, save it for identification. Call the Texas Poison Center Network at 1-800-222-1222 or your doctor for guidance, and get medical care promptly if the bite worsens, opens up or does not heal. Call 911 if you have trouble breathing.
What you can do yourself
Advice from DSHS, the CDC and AgriLife is consistent, and it mostly comes down to habits.
- Wear gloves and long sleeves when handling firewood, lumber, boxes or anything stored for months.
- Shake out shoes, towels, linens and seasonal clothing before use. AgriLife also suggests a high-heat dryer cycle for clothes that have been in storage.
- Keep stored items in tightly closed containers, and clear debris, leaf litter and rock piles from around the foundation.
- Trim weeds and grass near the house, and seal gaps around doors, windows and utility openings.
- Vacuum up spiders, webs and egg sacs indoors, and place sticky traps along walls to see where spiders travel.
- Reduce bright outdoor lighting that attracts the insects spiders feed on.
When to call a professional
Call a professional if widows or recluses keep turning up, if you find egg sacs repeatedly or if someone in the household has been bitten. DSHS lists a professional treatment around the building perimeter among the control options, and AgriLife notes that a recurring problem may call for action. The same AgriLife specialist stresses that recluses want to avoid people as much as people want to avoid them, and describes a house where hundreds were caught over time without a single bite. Treatment and the habits above work together, since most bites happen when someone reaches into a hidden spot.
How the Home Protection Plan fits
Spiders are among the pests covered by our Home Protection Plan, which includes year-round visits about every two months for homes in Amarillo, Canyon, Bushland and nearby communities. Tell us what you have been seeing when you request a free quote, and we will explain how the plan applies to your situation.
Sources
This guide is general information for homeowners in the Texas Panhandle, drawn from the sources listed with each guide. It is not medical advice and does not replace product labels, your doctor, the Texas Department of State Health Services or Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. If you think you have been bitten, stung or exposed to a pesticide, call your doctor or the Texas Poison Center Network at 1-800-222-1222. Pest activity varies by property and season.
