Brown Recluse Spider (presumed bite assessment)
Scientific Name: Loxosceles reclusa
Order & Family: Araneae: Sicariidae
Size: Body length of 6-20 mm; leg span about the size of a quarter to a half-dollar.
Natural Habitat
Typically found in dark, undisturbed dry areas such as basements, attics, cardboard boxes, and closets across the South-Central and Midwestern United States.
Diet & Feeding
Secondary predators that feed on soft-bodied insects such as crickets, silverfish, and cockroaches.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal hunters that do not use webs to catch prey; they are non-aggressive and generally only bite humans when pressed against skin (e.g., trapped in clothing or bedding).
Risks & Benefits
Possesses necrotic venom (hemotoxic) which can cause skin lesions, though most bites heal without significant scarring. They benefit the ecosystem by controlling indoor pest populations.
Identified on: 5/14/2026