Brown Recluse Spider

Natural Habitat

Often found in undisturbed, dark, and dry places like closets, attics, basements, woodpiles, and outbuildings. Indoors, they prefer boxes, clothing, shoes, and seldom-moved furniture.

Diet & Feeding

Feeds on small insects and other arthropods. They are ambush predators, often hunting at night rather than relying on a web to catch prey.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal and reclusive, avoiding light and human activity. They are not aggressive and typically bite only when pressed against the skin, such as when getting dressed or rolling over in bed. They are characterized by a violin-shaped marking on their cephalothorax, though this can be difficult to see.

Risks & Benefits

Potential risk: Venomous bite. While rarely fatal, the bite can cause a necrotic lesion (tissue death) that may take weeks or months to heal, sometimes requiring medical intervention. Benefits: They aid in controlling populations of common household pests like cockroaches, crickets, and other spiders.

Identified on: 10/27/2025