Skip to main content
Close

Brown recluse spider

Loxosceles reclusa

Photo by KarenL
Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

35.8987, -86.9624

Field Notes

Description:

Brown recluse spiders are usually between 1⁄4 in and 3⁄4 in, but may grow larger. While typically light to medium brown, they range in color from cream-colored to dark brown or blackish gray. The cephalothorax and abdomen may not necessarily be the same color. These spiders usually have markings on the dorsal side of their cephalothorax, with a black line coming from it that looks like a violin with the neck of the violin pointing to the rear of the spider, resulting in the nicknames fiddleback spider, brown fiddler or violin spider.
The brown recluse bears a potentially deadly hemotoxic venom. However , it has a rather shy and nonaggressive behavior, although occasionally it will bite humans because they share the same habitat

Habitat:

This spider lives in dark corners and places inside the houses, and also under the furniture, boxes and books.

Notes:

This small brown recluse spider has been living in our bathroom for months but having ID'd him I think now might be a good time to evict him!

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (8)

So i guess they aren't as bad as jumping spiders ? anyways more power to you Karen cause i know i still have a fear of arachnids.
Tracy, that sounds nasty! ellysse, I wouldn't worry too much as they are non-aggressive. I've removed about a dozen that have been in our bathroom for months (they hang out in the gap under the baseboards!) & have had no problems, but I thought I had better err on the safe side!
ok thanks for the info. because i know these spiders are most common to Tennessee.
if these spiders bit you you most likely wont die i dont know about animals if they will die but if you do get bit your skin will get very infected and your skin will turn black and you will have to get a doctor to cut that spot out of you, my boyfriend got bit by one years ago.
From wiki - The brown recluse bears a potentially deadly hemotoxic venom. Most bites are minor with no necrosis. However, a small number of clinically-diagnosed brown recluse bites do produce severe dermonecrotic lesions.
The first couple did get evicted but I have to confess the last few have been vacuumed up. :( I hate to do it but I'm worried my cats will get bitten because they chase any critters that find their way into the house.
For sure. do you know if the bite is deadly?
Good call on the eviction notice. Their bites can be quite nasty.

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Image
Butterflies icon

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon