
Community identification
Brown Recluse Spider
Loxosceles reclusa
- Order & Family
- Araneae / Sicariidae
- Size
- 6–20 millimeters (0.24–0.79 inches) body length; width of a quarter with legs extended.
Natural Habitat
Dark, undisturbed areas such as attics, basements, closets, woodpiles, and behind furniture.
Diet & Feeding
Strictly carnivorous, feeding primarily on soft-bodied insects like silverfish, flies, and crickets; they are also scavengers that eat dead insects.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal hunters that do not build webs to catch prey; they are reclusive and shy, typically only biting when pressed against skin (e.g., inside clothing or bedding).
Risks & Benefits
Possesses a potent necrotic venom that can cause skin lesions and tissue death (loxoscelism) in humans. They benefit the ecosystem by controlling populations of nuisance indoor pests.