Brown recluse spiders (Loxosceles reclusa) are primarily found in the south- central and midwestern United States. Their documented native range extends roughly from southeastern Nebraska through southern Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and southwestern Ohio, and southward from central Texas to western Georgia and north to Kentucky

. Typical habitats include:

• Outdoors: under rocks, logs, woodpiles, debris, caves, and bark of dead trees where it is warm and dry

• Indoors: dark, undisturbed areas such as closets, basements, cellars, garages, storage boxes, cardboard, shoes, clothing, furniture, and behind walls or stored items

They prefer warm, dry, and secluded environments both in natural and human- altered settings, often favoring places that mimic their natural habitats such as cardboard (resembling rotting bark) and woodpiles

. Although there are occasional reports of brown recluse spiders outside their native range (e.g., Florida, California), these are generally rare or due to accidental transport, and established populations are mostly confined to the central and southern U.S.

. In summary, brown recluse spiders are found mainly in the south-central and midwestern U.S., living in warm, dry, and secluded places both outdoors and indoors.