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Photo#922789
Spider in my house - Loxosceles reclusa

Spider in my house - Loxosceles reclusa
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, USA
May 18, 2014
This spider was crawling on the walls and ceiling in my house today. I've had them in the house before and would like to know what they are and if they're venomous. It's a pretty large spider.

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

Loxosceles reclusa
Just to confirm Jimmy's statement (I was writing this up at the time he posted). This is the Brown Recluse. Their venom is necrotic and dangerous, but they very rarely bite, and they also rarely inject venom as a defensive tactic. Most bites are dry.

The Recluse spiders are generally considered the second most dangerous spider genus in the United States, second only to the three species of Black Widow that live here. However, no deaths in the US that have been blamed on Recluse spiders have ever been medically verified.

Genus Loxosceles - Recluse Spiders

 
Thank you spider ID
Thank you both, Jimmy and Brian, for the spider ID. I have to say that I'm surprised that this is a Brown Recluse. If memory serves, isn't that the same as a Fiddleback? If so, could you point out the fiddle shape on the back of the spider pictured? I don't see it, so I must be looking in the wrong place. I'd like to be able to ID them in the future, so if there are some other features that would help me know what to look for with this type of spider, it would be most appreciated.

Thank you.

Deanne

 
The fiddle...
While the fiddle is a way to identify brown recluse, some individuals have very faint fiddles on their backs. I can somewhat make out the fiddle on the back of the individual. If you take a look at the image I posted below and correlate the fiddle shape on the carapace (back) of the spider to your photo, you should be able to see it. If not, with your permission, I can save your photo and mark it up to show you the fiddle.


^Note the violin shape on the back of the carapace.

 
I think I see the fiddle
Thank you Jimmy. I think I can see the fiddle on the back of your spider picture; not on mine, though. You are welcome to markup my spider photo if you wish.

Deanne

Brown Recluse
I'm afraid it looks very much like a brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa). In reality, they aren't as big of a worry as many people make them to be. I suggest using sticky traps and sealing off any cracks within the house to prevent them from entering.

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