Brown Recluse
Scientific Name: Loxosceles reclusa
Order & Family: Order: Araneae; Family: Sicariidae
Size: 6 to 20 millimeters (0.24 to 0.79 inches) in body length; leg span is roughly the size of a quarter.
Natural Habitat
Dark, dry, undisturbed areas such as woodpiles, basements, attics, and inside closets or cardboard boxes.
Diet & Feeding
Insects including cockroaches, crickets, and other spiders. They hunt at night rather than catching prey in webs.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal and non-aggressive, typically biting only when cornered or pressed against skin. They build irregular, silk 'retreat' webs.
Risks & Benefits
Necrotic venom can cause significant skin lesions and medical issues in humans; however, they provide pest control by eating disease-carrying insects.
Identified on: 5/1/2026