Most spiders in a Central Texas home are harmless cellar spiders or jumping spiders. Two are not: the brown recluse and the southern black widow. Both are common in San Antonio, Seguin, and rural-edge properties — and both deserve professional control.
Identifying the two that matter
Brown recluse: light tan, about the size of a quarter with legs, with a distinct dark violin shape on the back behind the eyes. They hide in undisturbed clutter — storage boxes, attic insulation, closet corners, behind dressers. Black widow: glossy black with the unmistakable red hourglass on the underside. Females build messy, irregular webs in garages, sheds, woodpiles, and under outdoor furniture.
Why Central Texas sees so many
Hot, dry summers push spiders indoors hunting for prey and humidity. Rural and suburban-edge homes in Seguin, Boerne, and outer San Antonio see consistent recluse pressure because barns, sheds, and detached garages are perfect harborage. Black widows show up everywhere there's an undisturbed dark corner — playground equipment, outdoor electrical boxes, and gas meter housings included.
How we treat
Spider work is mostly about treating where they live, not where you saw one. We dust attic insulation and wall voids for recluse, apply a residual treatment to garage perimeters, eaves, and exterior light fixtures (light draws the prey insects that draw the spiders), knock down accessible webs, and address the prey insect population at the same time — fewer prey means fewer spiders.
What homeowners can do today
Shake out shoes and gloves left in the garage. Store clothes and seasonal items in sealed plastic bins, not cardboard. Move firewood and lumber away from the house. Replace white exterior bulbs with yellow LEDs to cut insect attraction. If you've been bitten and the wound is spreading, get medical care — don't wait.
Treat spiders like the layered problem they are: harborage, prey, and entry points. Spot-killing doesn't solve a recluse or widow population — a real treatment plan does.