Brown recluse spider

Natural Habitat

Typically found in undisturbed areas like basements, attics, closets, sheds, and woodpiles; indoors and outdoors. They prefer dark, dry places.

Diet & Feeding

Insectivorous. They primarily feed on small insects like cockroaches, crickets, and other soft-bodied arthropods. They are ambush predators.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal and reclusive, emerging from their hiding spots to hunt at night. They are not aggressive and usually bite only when pressed against skin, such as when putting on clothes or disturbing their hiding places. They do not build typical orb webs but rather irregular, messy webs for shelter.

Risks & Benefits

Potential risks include their venomous bite, which can cause dermonecrotic lesions (tissue damage) that are slow to heal and can sometimes require medical attention. In rare cases, systemic reactions can occur. As predators, they contribute to controlling insect populations, but their presence in human dwellings is generally considered a nuisance and a health concern.

Identified on: 9/4/2025