Mediterranean Recluse Spiders Documented in 14 Federal Buildings in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON — A venomous spider native to the Mediterranean has taken up residence inside federal government buildings in Washington, D.C. A study published in American Entomologist documented Mediterranean recluse spiders (Loxosceles rufescens) in 14 federal government buildings in the Washington, D.C., area over a 10-year period.
The spiders were found mainly in underground spaces such as basements and foundation walls. Unlike spiders commonly seen spinning webs around homes, Mediterranean recluses are nocturnal and extremely shy, disappearing into cracks and crevices when disturbed. The species is native to parts of Europe and North Africa and has a history of turning up in buildings far from its native habitat.
Dr. Gale E. Ridge, an associate scientist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, told FOX Weather that the spiders can actually be beneficial because they hunt common building pests, including cockroaches and termites. Ridge has noted that such spiders often enter buildings when furniture and personal belongings are moved. Researchers are still investigating how the spiders arrived in the capital. (GSM, based on FOX Weather)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 地中海隐士蛛（Loxosceles rufescens）实拍，摄于克罗地亚 Rijeka。Marino Linić 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons 发布。/ A Mediterranean recluse spider (Loxosceles rufescens) photographed in Rijeka, Croatia. Photo by Marino Linić, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
