The brown widow is also slightly smaller than the black widow. The brown widow builds its web in secluded, protected sites around our homes, often very near our presence. It has a fondness for buildings but will construct its web in all kinds of man-made structures, and even vegetation. Some typical sites include inside old tires, empty containers such as buckets and nursery pots, mail boxes, entry way corners, under eaves, stacked equipment, cluttered storage closets and garages, behind hurricane shutters, recessed hand grips of plastic garbage cans, undercarriages of motor homes, underneath outside chairs, branches of shrubs. The following photographs show some sites where brown widows have constructed their webs.
Sanitation is the most important strategy in reducing widow spiders infestations around the home.
Routine cleaning is the best way to eliminate spiders and discourage their return. Gloves should be worn if you suspect widow spiders to be present. Reducing clutter makes an area less attractive to spiders. Inside a home or garage, a thorough cleaning with a vacuum cleaner is an effective way to removes spiders, their egg sacs, and webbing. When vacuuming, the vacuum bag should be removed when you are finished and placed in a sealed plastic bag for disposal.