Are there brown recluses in California?
No. GBIF holds 1 isolated record of the brown recluse from California, far from its range. That is most likely a captive animal or a mislabeled record.
Where the records come from
- None
- 1 to 2 records
- 3 to 9
- 10 to 49
- 50 or more
Brown recluses across the US
- Lives here
- Rare records
- Gone
- Not here
How to recognize one
Brown recluse Loxosceles reclusa
- Dark violin shape on the back, neck of the violin points to the rear
- Six eyes in three pairs (most spiders have eight)
- Plain tan abdomen and legs with no bands or spines
Medically significant. Most bites heal without trouble; a few cause a slow-healing wound. Many wounds blamed on recluses outside their range turn out to be other conditions.
Related species in California
Often mistaken for brown recluses
- Brown Recluse vs Wolf Spider Wolf spider: harmless, lives in California
- Brown Recluse vs Hobo Spider Hobo spider: harmless
- Brown Recluse vs Cellar Spider Cellar spider: harmless, lives in California
- Brown Recluse vs Southern House Spider Southern house spider: harmless
Questions
Are there brown recluses in California?
No. GBIF holds 1 isolated record of the brown recluse from California, far from its range. That is most likely a captive animal or a mislabeled record.
Where are the nearest brown recluses to California?
In Oklahoma and Texas.
What related species live in California?
Desert recluse. See the section below.
What do brown recluses look like?
Dark violin shape on the back, neck of the violin points to the rear. Six eyes in three pairs (most spiders have eight). Plain tan abdomen and legs with no bands or spines.
Could a wound be a recluse bite anyway?
Doctors and spider researchers warn that many wounds blamed on recluses in states without them are other conditions, often skin infections. A doctor should look at any wound that spreads or does not heal.