What Does a Brown Recluse Look Like?

Introduction
The brown recluse spider is one of the most feared but seldom seen spiders. Its venomous bite can cause necrotic lesions and in rare cases, even death. Despite their notoriety, brown recluses are small creatures and can be difficult to recognize. To help identify them, it’s necessary to know what a brown recluse spider looks like. In this blog article, we will provide an overview of this spider’s characteristics including its size and shape, coloring, and unique violin pattern.

Size and Shape
Brown recluses are small spiders, ranging from 6-20 millimeters (¼ to ¾ inch) in body length. They usually have a light tan to dark brown coloration and three pairs of eyes. Brown recluses also have distinctly long and slender legs and an elongated cephalothorax—the middle part of their body.

Coloring
A brown recluse has a distinct mottled coloration. The spider is usually a light tan to dark brown and may even appear grayish in color. Brown recluse spiders also have a slightly darker marking in the center of their cephalothorax—or “violin shape”—as well as a few long hairs on the legs.

Unique Violin Pattern
Perhaps the most unique feature of the brown recluse is the violin pattern on its back. The shape resembles a violin, hence the nickname. It’s a dark brown marking that runs down the length of the spider’s cephalothorax. Although it doesn’t appear on all of these spiders, the violin pattern is a good indication that the spider is a brown recluse.

Conclusion
Brown recluses are small, light tan to dark brown spiders with long, slender legs and an elongated cephalothorax. They have distinctive mottled colorations and a unique violin pattern on their back. Knowing what a brown recluse looks like can help you identify these spiders quickly and stay safe from their venomous bites.