The Midwestern state of Ohio is home to a large variety of spiders of all colors, shapes and sizes, some of which are poisonous but most of which are not. Loxosceles reculsa is commonly called a brown recluse spider because it is brown and prefers and seeks to be alone.
Ohio
Some brown recluse sightings have occurred in Ohio, but the spiders are not common to the state. Some have been found in the far southwestern part of the state, along parts of the borders of both Indiana and Kentucky. However, it is believed these spiders most likely were transported across state lines and didn't originate in Ohio.
Distribution
Brown recluse spiders are native to the United States. Their primary range stretches from the central Midwest part of the country in a southerly direction to the Gulf of Mexico.
Habitat
The brown recluse can be found both indoor and outdoors. They prefer dark, quiet places such as indoor closets, cellars and crawl spaces. Outdoors, they tend to hide in woodpiles, under loose rocks and in outbuildings like sheds and barns.
Description
As well as being brown, a mature brown recluse has a marking on its body that resembles a violin. The spider has six eyes that are arranged in three pairs along the front of its head. Many spiders in Ohio resemble the brown recluse, but they are often harmless, nonpoisonous varieties. It takes a spider expert to correctly identify a brown recluse.
Warning
The brown recluse in not an aggressive spider, but it will bite if it is crushed or disturbed. The spider's bite is poisonous, although rarely fatal. However, the very young, the elderly and those who are in poor physical condition are most at risk. Symptoms of a bite can include generalized itching, chills, vomiting, fever or chills.
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