Unfortunately for the Trosts, This Home Was Gorgeous
According to reports, McCarthy Pest Control was confident they could solve the spider problem in the four-bedroom, 2,400-square-foot house with a prime view of the luxurious Whitmoor Country Club, which has never been sold.
Source: Imgur
It was a truly surprising ordeal for a newer home like this in such good condition.
McCarthy Pest Control Had a Plan
The home was covered with nine massive tarps measuring around 15,000 square feet. The workers then filled the home with harmful sulfuryl fluoride gas to kill both the venomous brown recluses and any eggs.
Source: McCarthy Pest and Termite Control/Facebook.com
Tim McCarthy, the president of McCarthy Pest Control, stated that nothing would be alive inside the house after the treatment.
The Trosts Were Blingsighted By This Eight-Legged Ordeal
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Trost family purchased the house for $450,000 in October 2007. However, they did not notice any spiders during their initial inspection.
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It was only after the family moved in that Mrs. Trost discovered massive webs surrounding the lights and throughout the basement. She thought that the house needed a deep cleaning.
Soon Enough, They Were Living in a Horror Movie
Upon moving into the house, the Trosts discovered it was infested with spiders. The spiders were found everywhere, including the ceilings, the fireplaces, the blinds, and the lights. One brown recluse even came down from the ceiling while Mrs. Trost was showering.
Source: entomology.ca.uky.edu
The situation got worse when the spiders began crawling from the walls. It was clear they needed to rethink their living situation.
What They Would Find Out Next Would Be Even More Terrifying
The Trost family captured a relatively large spider and identified it as a poisonous brown recluse.
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With a quick Google search, they discovered that the venomous spider could cause itching, swelling, pain, and, in the worst cases, organ failure or death. The brown recluse has a recognizable violin shape on its back. However, experts are still unsure why the recluses preferred the Trosts’ 1988 2,400-square-foot home to an older one.
Danny McCarthy Spoke to the Family About These Spiders
The owner of the pest control business, Denny McCarthy, drew the Trost’s attention to the painting of a brown recluse spider with a violin design on the side of their truck.
Source: jetem.org
What’s strange about these spiders is that the bites are not often felt when they happen, as they are very small.
Brown Recluses Were an Anomaly In the Area
According to the Post-Dispatch, neighbors living around the Missouri home noted the fact that they hadn’t spotted any brown recluses in their houses.
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Once Mrs. Trost realized the severity of the infestation, she hired a local pest control company to lie down traps, spray the interior and exterior of the home, and spray behind the drywall. However, the measures failed to eradicate the spiders.
The Numbers Were Quite Astounding
During the winter season, a University of Kansas biology professor estimated that there were approximately 4,500-6,500 spiders inside the Trosts’ house.
Source: citybugs.tamu.edu
Brown recluses are not social spiders and typically live alone. However, in certain circumstances, they may be found living in groups.
The Trosts Wouldn’t Settle for Nothing
After discovering the spider infestation, the Trosts filed a lawsuit in 2008 against the prior homeowners for not disclosing the issue. They also filed a claim with State Farm, their current insurance provider.
Source: claremontportside.com
Despite the prior owners’ denial of ever seeing the brown recluses – and suggesting that the Trosts had carried them in with their furniture – the couple was awarded $472,110 by the jury.
The Trosts Wouldn’t Settle for Nothing
The Trosts also attempted to sue State Farm for refusing to pay for the damage caused by the spiders.
Source: Imgur
State Farm argues that the brown recluses did not cause physical damage to the home, and, therefore, it was not their responsibility to pay for anything.
Unfortunately, Vacating the House Was a Must
Due to safety concerns for their children, the family decided to vacate the house. They took precautions such as wrapping up the furniture and leaving it outdoors in temperatures below freezing to eliminate any brown recluses that might be present.
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Currently, the house is owned by Fannie Mae, one of the market leaders in mortgage financing.
The Extermination Process Wasn’t Cheap
The exterminator, Tim McCarthy, was hired to eliminate the spiders from the home. McCarthy’s method costs range from $5,000 and $30,000, though it depends on the home’s size. Many of his extermination methods have been effective in other homes.
Source: Imgur
Of course, this was no small sum of money for the Trost family to fork over.
Regular Pesticides Wouldn’t Do
According to McCarthy, regular pesticides are not effective against spiders as they have feet that don’t absorb ground substances.
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Instead, they used incredibly toxic poison gas to fumigate the home.
Luckily, Most Missourians Don’t Have To Much to Worry About
Missouri has two types of spiders that are potentially harmful – brown recluses and black widows. Among them, brown recluses have more potent venom compared to a rattlesnake, but they inject very minute quantities, resulting in less damage.
Source: Reddit
However, their venom is still harmful to tissues and cells, which can lead to tissue death.
Plus, These Little Critters Aren’t Fond of Biting
Bites from brown recluse spiders are rare occurrences. They typically only bite people when pressed against the skin, such as when they have made a home inside your clothing when you put it on.
Source: 11alive.com
Routinely cleaning your home is a great way to avoid encounters like the one the Trosts went through.