Desert recluse
Venomous · Loxosceles deserta
Medically significantNeeds medical care
The recluse of the desert Southwest. It seldom lives in houses and bites are rare.
- Lives in
- 3 states
- Size
- 0.3–0.5 in
- Open US records
- 73
- Group
- Spider
How to identify it
- Pale tan recluse with a faint violin mark
- Six eyes in three pairs
- Plain legs with no bands
Size: 0.3–0.5 in (body length). Habitat: Under rocks, dead cactus and packrat nests in the desert; rarely indoors.
Where it lives
- Lives here
- Rare records
- Gone
- Not here
When it is out
Look-alikes
State by state
| State | Status | Open records | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Lives here | 51 | 8 |
| Arizona | Lives here | 13 | 6 |
| Nevada | Lives here | 6 | 1 |
| New Mexico | Rare records | 2 | 1 |
| Kansas | Not here | 1 | 1 |
States not listed have no open records and are outside the range.
Questions
Where does the desert recluse live?
In 3 states: Arizona, California and Nevada. Rare records also come from New Mexico.
Is the desert recluse dangerous?
Medically significant. The recluse of the desert Southwest. It seldom lives in houses and bites are rare.
How do you identify a desert recluse?
Pale tan recluse with a faint violin mark. Six eyes in three pairs. Plain legs with no bands.
When is the desert recluse most active?
Most open US records fall in March to May, October.