Brown Recluse Spiders

Brown recluse spiders are among the most well known arachnids in the United States. Known for their violin-shaped marking and potent venom, these spiders are often feared for good reason—but also frequently misidentified. At A-1 Pest Control, we specialize in the accurate identification, prevention, and removal of these elusive pests, ensuring the safety and comfort of your home or business.

How to Identify a Brown Recluse

Correctly identifying these spiders is the first step toward safe and successful brown recluse control. While most spiders have eight eyes arranged in two rows, brown recluse spiders are different—they have six eyes, arranged in three pairs. This unique eye pattern is one of the most reliable ways to distinguish them from other spiders, along with a few other trademarks:

Violin shaped marking on the cephalothorax, with the neck of the violin pointing toward the abdomen.
Typically dark brown or tan, sometimes appearing as brown colored spiders with a pale center marking.
Mature spiders typically measure about ¼ to ½ inch in body length.
Mature spiders have long, thin legs covered with fine hairs.
Spiders have eight eyes—but remember, the brown recluse has eyes arranged in three pairs.

The scientific name for the brown recluse is Loxosceles reclusa, and this species is sometimes referred to as the violin spiders.

Common Misidentifications

Many common spiders, including the funnel weaver, wolf spiders, and black widow species, are mistaken for the brown recluse. Some related species, like the mediterranean recluse, share similar markings.

Where Brown Recluse Spiders Are Found

Brown recluse spiders prefer dry, undisturbed environments. In homes, their hiding places often include:

Attics, basements, and closets
Under furniture, inside cardboard boxes, and behind wall voids
Clothing piles, shoes, and bed skirts (we recommend you remove bed skirts in infested homes)

In nature, their natural range extends through the Midwest and parts of the South, but a single female hitchhiking in a moving box or shipment can establish populations well outside this range, even into the southwestern United States.

Why Brown Recluse Spiders Enter Homes

A recluse spider is an expert at adapting to its surroundings, and while its natural range is outdoors, it will readily move inside when conditions become unfavorable. Extreme heat, prolonged drought, or cold snaps often push these spiders toward the stable, sheltered environment a home provides. Once inside, they can thrive if the conditions meet their survival needs.

Safe Spaces to Hide Inside

Brown recluse spiders aren’t wandering in by accident—specific features in and around your property can make your home more appealing:

Abundant prey: If your home already has a problem with small insects such as cockroaches, crickets, or silverfish, recluses may enter to capture prey more easily.
Cluttered storage areas: Cardboard boxes, piles of clothing, and seldom-used furniture create the perfect hiding places for these shy arachnids.
Easy entry points: Poorly sealed windows and doors allow spiders access to the indoors. Small cracks, torn screens, and gaps in siding can be inviting. Adding weather stripping and sealing crevices reduces these entry opportunities.

Cool, Dark Places Indoors

Once inside, brown recluses seek dark, undisturbed spots where they can rest during the day. They may settle behind baseboards, under bed skirts (it’s best to remove bed skirts in infested homes), inside closets, or in basements and attics. The shy nature and nocturnal habits of these spiders mean they often remain hidden, emerging at night to hunt.

Corners to Hide In

Because they rarely cross open spaces in daylight, brown recluse spiders can live alongside humans for months without detection. In many cases, their presence is only discovered after a surprise encounter—such as moving stored items, cleaning, or finding one in a sticky trap. Unfortunately, brown recluse spiders commonly go unnoticed until after a recluse bite occurs.

Understanding Brown Recluse Bites

While humans are rarely bitten by a brown recluse, it can happen if the spider feels trapped—such as when pressed against skin in clothing or bedding. Brown recluse bites can be serious, and recluse bites should always be monitored for signs of worsening.

A brown recluse spider bite injects venom that can destroy tissue, leading to necrotic lesions or necrotic wounds. Typical brown recluse bites result in:

Redness and swelling
Itching or burning sensation
In some cases, more severe symptoms like fever, nausea, or chest pain

Very rare cases may cause systemic reactions, especially in young children or those with preexisting conditions.

Severe and Long-Term Effects

In most spiders, venom is harmless to humans. The brown recluse is different. In more severe symptoms, tissue death can expand over days, requiring medical treatment. The development of necrotic lesions can lead to permanent scarring if untreated.

If you suspect you’ve been bitten by a poisonous spider, it’s crucial to seek medical evaluation immediately.

Brown Recluse Behavior

Reproduction and Life Cycle

A female brown recluse can produce multiple egg sacs each season. When the eggs hatch, spiderlings emerge and begin hunting small insects. Within a year, these spiderlings can become adult brown recluse spiders.

Hunting Habits

Brown recluse spiders are hunters, not web trappers. They lay down silk strands as they spiders walk, but they don’t use them to snare prey. Instead, they roam to capture prey, usually at night, due to their nocturnal habits.

How to Tell if You Have an Infestation

Detecting a brown recluse problem early is critical for preventing it from spreading throughout your home or business. Because of their shy nature and nocturnal habits, these spiders often remain hidden for long periods, so you’ll need to look for more subtle indicators of activity.

Regular Sightings

If you’re seeing recluse spiders in open areas during the day, that’s a sign of a significant population. In a healthy home ecosystem, most spiders avoid humans, but when sightings become regular—especially in bedrooms, closets, or near furniture—it could mean your property is one of the infested structures.

Even spotting a single female hitchhiking in on a package or laundry could be enough to establish a population if conditions are right. Because brown recluses capture prey without web traps, you might see them roaming floors or walls at night.

Presence of Shed Skins or Egg Sacs

Like all arachnids, mature spiders molt several times as they grow. Finding shed skins—often tan and curled up—is a strong indication that adult brown recluse spiders are present.

You may also discover egg sacs, which are white, silken structures attached to hidden surfaces like the undersides of shelves, behind picture frames, or inside storage boxes. When these eggs hatch, dozens of spiderlings emerge, ready to disperse through your home. A single female brown recluse can produce multiple sacs in a season, quickly expanding an infestation.

Spiders Found in Sticky Traps

Sticky traps are an essential tool for detecting low-level infestations and confirming activity. When placed in the right locations—such as along baseboards, under furniture, in corners of basements, or behind appliances—they can intercept wandering recluses.

This method is particularly useful because it not only confirms the presence of loxosceles reclusa, but it can also help your pest professional determine the extent of the problem and the areas most in need of treatment. Sticky traps also catch other spiders and insects, giving a fuller picture of the conditions attracting the recluses.

Prevention and Brown Recluse Management

Preventing infestations is far easier than eliminating them after they’ve established. Steps include:

Reducing clutter in storage spaces
Using weather stripping on doors and windows
Removing potential hiding places like unused boxes
Vacuuming corners and baseboards regularly
Using sticky traps for monitoring

Professional brown recluse management often involves targeted spider control methods by licensed technicians.