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How to Identify Brown Recluse Spiders

How to Identify Brown Recluse Spiders

Who doesn’t get freaked out by the  sight of a brown recluse spider? After knowing more about these spider species, a lot of homeowners start imagining them around everywhere. It does not matter how rare these spiders bite, but the name and sight of these spiders will give your spine chills. This spider species is visible in the central and southern US. Recluse Spiders possess necrotic venom that rarely triggers severe symptoms in the victim.

Next time you encounter any spider, make sure to consider each element and identify whether it is a brown recluse or not.

Uniform coloration:

Brown recluses have a light and tan-brown to dark dirt brown coloration. The bodies have a darker color than their legs.

The bodies and legs of the brown recluses have uniform coloration without many variations. However, the head of the brown recluses has a slightly different color. Otherwise, these spider species are mono-colored.

These spiders have no stripes, bands, or mottling except a small dark mark on the abdomen. If any spider species have stripe marks or band marks, it is not a Brown recluse.

If you are not sure about their identification, check out their legs. The legs of the brown recluse do not have any multi-colored banding or speckled pigmentation. Apart from these indications, other spider species have different body colors, whereas brown recluses have uniform colors.

Violin mark:

These spider species have a single violin-shaped mark at the top of the cephalothoraxes, which means fused head and thorax. Generally, the violin mark is lighter than the spider’s body, varying in different intensity and sizes.

The mark is most widespread at the tip of the spider’s head above the eyes and narrows off as it runs towards the abdomen. These violin marks may be too small to see, and if these marks are lighter than the spider’s body, it is not a brown recluse spider.

Eye Pattern:

One of the most recognizing features of a brown recluse spider is its eyes. The brown recluses spiders have six eyes, whereas other spider species have eight eyes. The eyes have three pairs of two. Brown recluses have small eyes, and it is difficult for us to notice. Other spider species have a similar eye pattern. However, they do not have violin marks and color uniformity.

Fine hairs, not spines:

Most spiders have large spines on their legs and abdomens. These spines are thick hairs that help the spiders to hold and catch the prey. However, brown recluses do not possess these spines. Instead, they have thin and short body hairs. These recluses have hairs all over their body, except on their heads.

However, if you notice spines everywhere, then it is not a brown recluse spider.

To summarize:

A brown recluse spider has a uniform tan brown coloration with a single brown violin mark. It has six eyes arranged in a pair of two. It is covered with fine hairs and not spines. If your spider possesses every characteristic mentioned above, then it is a brown recluse.

If you are concerned about brown recluse spider infestation, don’t blame yourself. Instead of panicking, call professional pest control experts to remove spider infestation.

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