Recluse???

[Rezizzle]

So I don't know if this goes here because I'm on mobile and can't see the descriptions but I found this guy in a cup holder while looking for my pencil sharpener and thankfully I saw it too.

I know recluses have that violin shape so I'm a little concerned. I also noticed he's missing two legs (one of which is in the holder). Is this a recluse or a look alike trying to give me a stroke?

Update: there are two smaller ones. Like baby sized ones. No more than that.

 

[chanda]

Yes, that does appear to be a recluse - or at least one of the Loxosceles. The notorious brown recluse, Loxosceles reclusa, does have a few look-alike cousins. A more precise geographic location is often the best way to differentiate between them.

Despite their fearsome reputation, recluse spiders rarely bite. In most cases of alleged recluse bites, no spider was actually seen. They just get blamed for any sort of necrotic or otherwise nasty skin lesion, even though it's impossible to ascertain if there was really a bite of any sort or not. In many - if not most - cases, a bacterial infection may be the real culprit. I have a pet recluse and can verify that they are shy, timid spiders that prefer to avoid contact.

If you live in a recluse-prone area (which would appear to be the case) you can minimize your chances of being bitten by not leaving shoes and clothing lying on the floor, shaking out items that have been left out before putting them on, preventing bedding from touching the floor or walls, minimizing clutter, sealing gaps around windows and doors, and of course, not sticking your hands or other body parts into dark places where you can't see.

 

[Rezizzle]

Oh I saw him before I put my hand in it. I think we do have them often in Arkansas. I always joke about how I'd take a widow over one of these guys but then I'm always interested and just watch the spiders. I'm guessing those other two are younger ones.

Is it safe to release it outside? It's missing two legs and seems to keep getting stuck in its own web too.

 

[chanda]

Oh I saw him before I put my hand in it. I think we do have them often in Arkansas. I always joke about how I'd take a widow over one of these guys but then I'm always interested and just watch the spiders. I'm guessing those other two are younger ones.

Is it safe to release it outside? It's missing two legs and seems to keep getting stuck in its own web too.

Yes, you can release them outside. Spiders can usually do pretty well even with a few missing legs.

 

[Rezizzle]

I was just making sure because I've never seen one get caught in its web before.

 

[Ungoliant]

Oh I saw him before I put my hand in it. I think we do have them often in Arkansas.

In Arkansas, the only species you're likely to encounter is Loxosceles reclusa. (There are other species that live farther west, mostly in sparsely populated deserts.)

 

[myrmecophile]

They are as common as dirt in Arkansas.

 

[Rezizzle]

Well to be honest, if they're as common as dirt, then they'd be everywhere.

But we've seen a ton of them where I live so I would guess that they'd be common. I don't really pay attention to how often I see a spider since I grew up with them being everywhere in the house and outside.

 

[myrmecophile]

If you are looking in the right places they are definitely common as dirt.

 

[The Snark]

Brown *RECLUSE*.