Illinois school fights problem with venomous recluse spiders

EASTON, Ill. -- Carpet is being ripped out, clutter is being eliminated and cracks in the walls are being sealed with caulking as Illini Central Middle School deals with venomous brown recluse spiders that have harbored in the building.

During the first few days of school, students found themselves dodging white triangular traps scattered along baseboards, beside doorways and tucked in corners.

"Our teachers and staff are every bit as concerned about these kids as their parents. There's nothing more important than making sure these kids are safe," said principal Dave Mouser.

Every other day, pest control specialists are checking the traps, which have helped lower the number of spiders in the building, Mouser said.

A bite from the recluse spider has the potential to cause a large, open wound that could require plastic surgery to correct. In rare cases, they can cause kidney failure, seizures and even coma, according to the National Institutes of Health.

But school officials think contact with them is unlikely. The arachnids tend to shy away from noise and light, and the district has worked to remove any potential spider habitats.

Superintendent Jim Rich said his district -- located about 30 miles south of Peoria -- isn't alone in battling the dangerous spider.

Before classes started this month, he sent a letter to parents informing them of "several dozen spiders" caught in the spring and the district's efforts to deal with the problem.

The strategy devised by an entomologist included eliminating places the spiders harbor, eliminating food sources, monitoring the population with traps and spraying pesticides.

Carpet has been ripped out and replaced by floor tile. Cracks in floors or walls have been sealed, the entire building was sprayed with pesticide, and teachers had to sort through years of stored lessons and teaching supplies to eliminate clutter.

The district's entomologist thinks the spiders are coming into the building in cardboard boxes from school vendors, so the pest control service is comparing a list of the district's vendors with other schools with similar infestations, officials said.