Brown recluse spiders, as their name suggests, are shy creatures. They prefer to live in quiet, undisturbed areas with low light, near the ground. Commonly found in garages, sheds, and other storage areas, these spiders are often unnoticed; however, they are quite proliferative and can develop an infestation quickly.  

Adult brown recluse spiders are able to lay up to 250 eggs at a time and will bite when they feel threatened, usually when stepped on or rolled onto in one’s sleep. These bites are notoriously problematic, with side effects that usually take a few hours to appear, such as a very noticeable sore, nausea, and fever. In some cases, tissue damage or necrosis may occur, in which case a medical professional should evaluate and treat the area.  

Signs of an infestation include a spider sighting. You can discern whether or not a spider in your home is a brown recluse by safely examining their appearance. A brown recluse is light brown with a dark violin-shaped marking on the back of their cephalothorax and has eyes visible from its top-side as well. Because some species of spiders may have one or the other of these two characteristics, a positive identification of a brown recluse must include both.