How to recognize one
- Tan to gray-brown with slender legs
- A darker violin-shaped mark on the front body section
- Six eyes in pairs, where most spiders have eight
- No bands or stripes on the legs
Where they hide
- Closets, boxes and stored clothing
- Garages, attics and storage rooms
- Behind furniture and baseboards
- Rarely used shoes, gloves and bedding
What helps
Texas A&M entomologists say sticky traps placed along walls catch them passively, because spiders follow edges. Reduce clutter, store items in sealed bins, pull beds away from walls, and shake out clothes and shoes that have been sitting. Because they're hard to kill with most sprays, a pest pro can target hiding spots with products that work better.