Brown Recluse Spider

Natural Habitat

Brown recluse spiders are commonly found indoors in dark, secluded, and undisturbed areas such as closets, attics, basements, crawl spaces, stored boxes, and behind furniture. Outdoors, they can be found under rocks, logs, or debris.

Diet & Feeding

The brown recluse spider primarily feeds on small insects like crickets, cockroaches, and other soft-bodied arthropods. They are opportunistic hunters.

Behavior Patterns

Brown recluse spiders are nocturnal and reclusive, as their name suggests. They prefer dark, undisturbed areas. They are not aggressive and typically bite only when pressed against skin, such as when putting on clothes or reaching into dark spaces. They build irregular webs used as a retreat rather than for trapping prey.

Risks & Benefits

Potential risks: The bite of a brown recluse spider can cause a necrotic lesion, meaning the tissue around the bite dies. Symptoms can range from mild local reactions to severe ulcerating wounds that may take weeks or months to heal and can sometimes require medical intervention. In rare cases, systemic reactions can occur. Potential benefits: They help control populations of various insects, including some household pests.

Identified on: 8/24/2025