Spiders Indoors During Winter – Common Areas & Brown Recluse Risks

Hi everyone, this is Luis Gonzalez with Midway Pest Management, and welcome back to another episode of What’s Bugging You? Each episode we talk about the real pest and wildlife issues people in the Kansas City metro are dealing with, and what you can do to protect your home. Thanks for joining me today, let’s jump right in and see what’s bugging you.

When winter settles into the Kansas City region, homeowners commonly begin seeing more spiders indoors. Unlike many insects that die off or migrate, spiders seek stable temperatures and remain active year-round. During colder months, they gravitate toward undisturbed spaces such as basements, utility rooms, storage closets, crawlspaces, mechanical rooms, and behind furniture or appliances.

Most spiders that enter homes are harmless and even beneficial, as they reduce other insect populations. However, two species in our area require particular caution: the brown recluse and the black widow. The brown recluse is especially notorious in Kansas and Missouri homes. It prefers dark, quiet areas such as cardboard boxes, clothing piles, behind wall voids, attic corners, and inside closets. Their violin-shaped marking makes them recognizable, but they are often mistaken for other harmless spiders.

During winter, spiders move closer to living spaces as they follow heat and seek shelter. Brown recluses can hide in shoes, folded blankets, storage bins, and behind baseboards. While they are not aggressive, accidental contact—such as putting on clothing they’ve crawled into—may result in a bite. Recluse bites can lead to necrotic skin damage, requiring medical attention in some cases.

Interesting fact: Brown recluses can survive six months without food and often live for several years inside homes. Their webs are irregular and loosely built, typically in hidden, ground-level locations rather than high corners like common house spiders.

Signs of indoor spider activity include webs near heating vents, behind storage items, inside window tracks, or around basement joists. Managing indoor humidity, reducing clutter, sealing cracks, and performing regular cleaning helps reduce spider harborage areas.

If you are finding spiders frequently indoors or suspect brown recluse activity, professional inspection and targeted treatments can greatly reduce risks.

For spider control in the Kansas City metro, call Midway Pest Management at 913-820-9737. If you need help identifying a spider, send a clear image to info@midwaypestmanagement.com.