Community identification
Brown Recluse Spider
Loxosceles reclusa
- Order & Family
- Araneae, Sicariidae
- Size
- 6 to 20 millimeters (1/4 to 3/4 inch) body length; including legs, roughly the size of a quarter.
Natural Habitat
Dark, undisturbed areas such as basements, attics, woodpiles, and behind furniture.
Diet & Feeding
Carnivorous insectivores that hunt small soft-bodied insects like silverfish and cockroaches.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal and reclusive; they do not spin traditional webs to catch prey but hunt on foot. They are generally non-aggressive to humans unless trapped against skin.
Risks & Benefits
Contains necrotic venom that can cause skin lesions (loxoscelism) in humans; however, they provide ecosystem benefits by controlling pest insect populations.