The brown recluse spider is found only in certain areas of the country. If they are located in your region, it’s important to know what they look like. It’s rare for them to bite people, but when they do, their venom can cause serious wounds.
On average, these spiders are about the size of a quarter, including their legs. They are tan to dark brown and have a few distinct characteristics. These include six eyes (most spiders have eight) and a violin- or fiddle-shaped marking.
Unfortunately, these descriptions don’t always hold up and you need an expert to accurately identify a brown recluse spider. An expert examination can rule out other species that look like a brown recluse but aren’t as potentially dangerous.
This article discusses why brown recluse spiders are dangerous and how to identify them.