Timber Ridge residents say complex is infested with brown recluse spiders

A man went before the Columbia City Council Monday night to make the city aware of what he calls a “brown recluse infestation” at his daughter’s apartment complex.

He said he and his daughter have killed at least 40 spiders in her Timber Ridge apartment since the beginning of August. And he presented a video to the council as proof.

ABC 17 News went to Timber Ridge apartments Monday to ask other residents if they were also having problems.

Seven residents said they have killed dozens of what they believe to be brown recluse spiders.

“They’re everywhere all the time and I keep killing them,” said Timber Ridge resident Lexie Rick.

Rick moved to Timber Ridge last month and said she has killed between 20 and 30 spiders since then.

Rick and Baker said the complex has sprayed, but it hasn’t solved the problem.

According to a local pest control company, brown recluse spiders are not easy to get rid of.

“It can be very difficult to kill them with insecticides that you spray for things like ants and cockroaches and things like that,” said Peter Riney with Critter Control.

Baker said management didn’t take any action beyond their routine spray.

When he addressed the council, he suggested an ordinance be put in place that protects tenants and requires property management across the city to report infestations.

In the meantime, Riney said he suggests residents to buy cardboard glue traps to monitor the problem and help catch the spiders.