• Spiders can be beneficial when feeding on all sorts of insects. The vast majority of spider species are harmless to humans. Spiders can help control various home pests, such as crickets, flies, mites, etc.


• Species vary widely in their preferred environments. Some like cool damp spaces such as basements and around plumbing, while others prefer dry warm areas such as ventilation ductwork and attics. Most species found in homes hide in dark areas


• Spiders produce an egg sac nest. When the eggs hatch, the spiderlings extrude fine silk threads that enable them to "balloon" - travel on air currents - and thus spread out over a large area quite readily

• Brown Recluse spiders are extremely rare in northern Ohio, but may be introduced if accidentally transported from elsewhere in shipping boxes, cars, camping gear, etc.


• True to their name, these spiders are very reclusive. Inside homes, they generally hide in closets, in or around old boxes, storage areas, and the like, but may also hide in more transient spots such as shoes or clothing. Outdoors, they will be found under rocks, near wood piles, and similar seldomly disturbed areas. They are nocturnal, and normally eat other insects such as crickets and cockroaches. They do not normally bite humans, except in defense.


• The body of an adult Brown Recluse can grow as large as 5/8" in length, and the leg span can be about 1.5". They have three pairs of eyes arranged in a downward-pointing triangle. They are sometimes called the "fiddle back spider" due to the pattern which resembles a violin found on their back.


• After mating in early summer, the female will deposit about 50 eggs in an off-white spherical sac about 2/3" in diameter, producing several sacs over the course of a few months. From the time of egg-deposit, these spiders take about one year to fully develop to adulthood, so it is important to look at the markings of the spider, not just the body size and color.

Brown Recluse bites may go unnoticed or feel like a small pin-prick initially, with no notable symptoms for 2-to-8 hours. Some will feel a prick followed by immediately burning and pain. A small percentage of people will have immediate systemic reactions, with generalized itching, fever/chills, nausea, vomiting, and even shock. In extreme cases, the bite can cause death.

The bite of this spider may develop a small white blister at the center, ringed by red swelling which may become tough or hard to the touch. The lesion will be dry and blue-gray or blue-white due to cell death because Brown Recluse venom contains a necrotic/cytotoxic component. Severe bites can cause a deep painful wound that is extremely slow to heal. When there is a severe reaction to the bite, ulcerations can occur, ranging anywhere from the size of a dime to the width of a hand. Severe ulcerations can take up to two months to heal over. Full recovery can take several months, and there may be longterm scarring. Recovery time varies with the individual and how much venom was injected.

Brown Recluse bites demand immediate medical attention. If possible, attempt to catch and contain the spider. This will help the doctors identify the exact species of spider. If a bite is suspected, the poison center should be contacted immediately at 1-800-222-1222.