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Brown recluse

Loxosceles reclusa
Also called violin spider, fiddleback spider, fiddleback

Most brown recluse bites heal on their own, but some cause a slow-healing skin wound and a few cause serious illness, so get medical advice if you think you were bitten.

If you think you were bitten or stung, call Poison Help. Free, private, any hour.1-800-222-1222Call 911 for trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, or severe symptoms.
Brown recluse, photo 1
Photo: wildreturn, CC0, via iNaturalist
SizeBody about 9 mm (about 3/8 inch); about the size of a US quarter with legs spread
Where in the houseClosets, basement, attic, garage, bedroom
WhenFound indoors year-round; wandering males and juveniles are seen most from spring through fall.

Check these features

  1. Six eyes in three pairs arranged in a U-shape (most spiders have eight); a magnifier helps
  2. Dark violin-shaped mark on the front body section, with the violin's neck pointing back toward the abdomen
  3. Plain light tan to chocolate brown, with no stripes, bands or spots on the legs or abdomen
  4. Long, thin, evenly colored legs without obvious spines
  5. Does not build a catching web in open corners; hides in small, loose, irregular silk retreats

Bites and stings

The bite is often painless at first. Redness, swelling and tenderness may show up several hours later. Most bites stay small and heal within a few weeks. Some develop a blister and a sunken, bluish or dark patch of dead skin that can widen over days to weeks and leave a scar. Rarely, fever, chills, rash, vomiting, dark urine or weakness appear in the first days, most often in children; that is an emergency. Get medical advice for any suspected bite, and see a doctor promptly if a wound is growing, darkening or blistering.

What to do

  1. Wash the bite with soap and water, apply a cool, damp cloth or wrapped ice, and keep the area raised if you can.
  2. Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US, free, any hour) for advice on what to do next.
  3. Call 911 for trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, or severe symptoms such as high fever, dark urine, or feeling very ill.
  4. See a doctor promptly if the bite blisters, darkens, spreads or is very painful, and mention that a recluse bite is possible.
  5. If you can do it safely, keep the spider (even squashed) in a sealed jar so an expert can identify it.
  6. Do not cut the wound or apply heat.

Look-alikes

Cellar spidersVery long, thread-thin legs and hang in messy webs in corners; recluses do not sit in open webs.
Funnel weavers and grass spidersHave eight eyes, striped or banded markings and build sheet or funnel webs.
Southern house spider (male)Tan and long-legged but has eight eyes clustered on a small bump and no violin mark.
Other recluse species (desert, Arizona and Apache recluses)Similar six-eyed spiders found in the desert Southwest; same precautions apply.

Why it came inside

It lives readily inside homes, sheds and barns, hiding in cracks, wall voids, boxes, clutter and stored clothing, and can survive months without food or water.

Keep it out

  • Shake out shoes, clothing, towels and bedding that have been on the floor or in storage before using them.
  • Pull beds slightly away from walls, remove bed skirts and keep bedding off the floor.
  • Store seldom-used items in sealed plastic containers instead of cardboard boxes, and reduce clutter.
  • Put many sticky traps along walls, behind furniture and in closets to catch and monitor recluses.
  • Seal cracks and gaps around the foundation, windows and pipes, and move woodpiles and debris away from the house.

What helps

Links go to Amazon search results so you can compare current options. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Always follow the product label.

Sticky traps

Flat glue traps set along walls and in corners show what is moving through and where. Place them where pets and children can't reach.

See options on Amazon
Caulk and sealant

Silicone or siliconized acrylic caulk closes cracks around windows, pipes and baseboards. Bigger gaps need foam backer rod or expanding foam first.

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Door sweep

Closes the gap under an exterior door. If you can see daylight under the door, bugs can get in.

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Weatherstripping

Seals the gaps around doors and windows that let in drafts and bugs alike.

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Vacuum with a hose

Lets you remove bugs, webs and egg sacs without touching them. Empty the bag or canister outside right away.

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Hand lens

A 10x magnifier makes small features easier to check, like eye patterns, markings or the shield on a tick.

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UV flashlight

Scorpions glow under ultraviolet light, which makes them much easier to spot at night.

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Bug catcher

A long-handled catcher moves a spider or insect outside without you having to touch it.

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Sources

  1. University of Kentucky Entomology
  2. Penn State Extension
  3. CDC / NIOSH
  4. Entomology Today (Entomological Society of America)
  5. Iowa State University Extension (via State of Iowa publications)

Checked October 18, 2026. Rating backed by 3 sources. How we rate danger.