where do brown recluse spiders live

Brown recluse spiders live primarily in the central and southern United States, with their known range extending from Nebraska to Ohio and from Texas to Florida. They prefer dark, dry, and undisturbed areas both outdoors and indoors. Outdoors, they are found under rocks, logs, woodpiles, bark, leaves, and debris. Indoors, they often inhabit closets, basements, attics, garages, storage boxes, furniture, shoes, clothing, and other cluttered areas that provide shelter and warmth. They favor locations like wall voids, cracks, and crevices where they remain hidden. Brown recluses are adaptable to human environments, especially in dry and warm spots like near furnaces or water heaters. They are nocturnal hunters and avoid areas with much human activity.