The Problem Of Brown Recluse Identification

An adult brown recluse is about the size of a quarter—that includes the span of its legs. The body of the spiders is roughly the size of three peas set in a row. If you go to the internet to look at brown recluse spiders, you may think that you'll be able to easily identify one of these spiders by the dark brown violin shape on its back. But this shape is small. When compared to the face of George Washington on the face of a quarter, this violin mark is only as large as the eyeball of our nation's first president. It is not easy to see this marking, especially if a recluse is moving away from you, which is exactly what recluse spiders do when you get too close. You need to know a few more visual characteristics.

A recluse is visibly hairless. If you see a hairy brown spider, you're probably looking at a wolf spider.

A recluse may be brown, gray, or a sickly greenish color.

A recluse does not have banding on the legs.

A recluse has a thin abdomen. It is not bulbous.

Brown Recluse Bites

The question we get most about brown recluse spiders is: "How bad is a recluse bite?" This is a fair question. There are a lot of varying opinions about how dangerous recluse bites are. While there is certainly cause for concern, you don't need to be fearful of these spiders. Brown recluse spider bites are rare. These are reclusive spiders. If you don't bother them, they aren't likely to bother you. When a recluse bites, there may not be a spread of necrosis. The dead tissue may be limited to the center of the wound. That's the good news. Now, the bad. If a recluse bites you in a sensitive location, it can lead to a disfiguring wound. When necrosis spreads, it usually spreads under the skin. This can be difficult to detect. Our recommendation is that you take precautions if you have seen one of these spiders in your home and contact a licensed pest control provider. If you are bitten, seek medical attention.