They are secretive, brown, and wear musical tattoos on their backs. Brown recluse spiders occur in our area, but even where they are common, people don’t often find them. The brown recluse prefers quiet nooks and crannies in buildings and woodlands.
With its legs outstretched, a full-grown brown recluse is about the size of a quarter, and carries a distinctive, dark fiddle design on its back. Brown recluses are not nearly as fearsome looking as harmless wolf spiders, which are bigger and bulkier. In fact, the brown recluse might go entirely unnoticed, except that its bite can cause people serious medical problems.
The bite of the brown recluse is usually not felt, but symptoms may develop 5-12 hours later, in the form of chills and a fever. The area of the bite may discolor. Medical attention is advised.
Brown recluse spiders hide in storage areas that are dark and undisturbed for long periods. They are in your house because they can find insects to eat there. To reduce the chance of contact with these creatures, keep usually undisturbed areas free of clutter. Like all spiders, a brown recluse avoids human contact.
Brown Recluse on the Loose
- The brown recluse spider is also called the “violin spider.”
- The name “violin spider” describes a characteristic marking on this animal: there is a violin-shaped patch on the broad, almost heart-shaped cephalothorax (the head, as opposed to the abdomen).
- The brown recluse’s overall color is usually a grayish-yellow-brown, the oblong abdomen covered with gray hairs.
- Its legs are darker than the body and are long and slim. Females are larger then males.
- Their webs are small, irregular, and untidy. These spiders are usually seen walking or running around, not in a web.
For more on brown recluse spiders, visit the MDC’s Field Guide.
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