The Brown Recluse Spider: Facts & Control

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People often fear spiders because of their ill-deserved reputation for poisoning victims. Most spiders do not have mouthparts strong enough to penetrate the skin. Spiders are considered beneficial arthropods because they often prey on insects and small soft-body arthropods that we consider nuisances. Homeowners should leave spiders alone if they are in their natural habitats, such as the yard or garden. However, the brown recluse, Loxosceles reclusa, is one of the exceptions.

Description

The brown recluse spider belongs to a group of spiders commonly known as the “fiddle-back” or “violin spider” because of the violin-shaped marking on the dorsal surface of the cephalothorax (fused head and thorax) with the neck of the violin pointing toward the abdomen (figure 1). The shape and intensity of the fiddle design may vary. A more definitive diagnostic feature is the eye pattern on the front of the cephalothorax—six eyes arranged in three pairs in a semicircle pattern with a space between each pair (figure 2). Most spiders have eight eyes.

The brown recluse spiders are pale tan to brown, with uniformly colored no-spine legs. Female bodies range in size from 10 to 15 millimeters (about 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch) and have a leg span over 25 millimeters (1 inch). Males are generally half the size of females. They molt a shed skin stretching out on a flat surface (figure 3).

Some brown-colored spiders are often mistaken for brown recluses. Eye patterns can differentiate them. The sac spiders and funnel weaver (hobo) spiders have eight eyes arranged in two rows of four, whereas the cellar spider species have either eight eyes closely grouped or six eyes grouped in two clusters.

Figure 1. Brown recluse spider with a violin shape on the cephalothorax. Female on top; male on bottom. (Photo credit: Richard Vetter and Matt Bertone, North Carolina State University) Figure 1a. Female brown recluse spider with a violin shape on the cephalothorax. (Photo credit: Richard Vetter and Matt Bertone, North Carolina State University) Figure 1. Brown recluse spider with a violin shape on the cephalothorax. Female on top; male on bottom. (Photo credit: Richard Vetter and Matt Bertone, North Carolina State University) Figure 1b. Male brown recluse spider with a violin shape on the cephalothorax. (Photo credit: Richard Vetter and Matt Bertone, North Carolina State University) Figure 2. Brown recluse eye arrangement. (Photo credit: Lisa Ames) Brown recluse eye arrangement. (Photo credit: Lisa Ames) Figure 3. A brown recluse molt attached to the side of a stored box. (Photo credit: Amber C. Marable) Figure 3. A brown recluse molt attached to the side of a stored box. (Photo credit: Amber C. Marable)

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