# Is this a brown recluse



## harmon (Jun 15, 2013)

These are all over the place in my house. 
A visitor told me today they were brown recluses. I can't if it's a do.estic house spider on this page
http://visual.ly/harmless-or-deadly-how-identify-common-house-spiders

Or the recluse.


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## Paumon (Jul 12, 2007)

That link you posted isn't really a good reference as far as imagery is concerned, the pictures on there are not very good.

You haven't posted a picture of your spiders in your house for comparison but I'm assuming they are all *brown* spiders? There are lots of different types of brown spiders but I'm posting 5 pictures below of brown spiders: recluse, hobo, wolf, brown widow spiders (and domestic house spider). The *recluse, hobo *and* brown widow* spiders are the ones that can give you the worst bites that can turn horribly necrotic from infection - domestic house spiders can give a painful bite too but they don't usually get badly infected. Wolf spiders can give a nasty bite as well if they are cornered and aggravated but they are actually timid spiders and prefer to run away rather than fight back and bite. 

Here also are links with lots of other pictures of: 

brown recluse spiders.
https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=brown%20recluse%20spider%20pictures&gbv=2&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi

Domestic house spiders:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=dome...res&hl=en&gbv=2&um=1&tbm=isch&tab=wi&oq=&gs_l=

Hobo spiders:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=hobo+spider+pictures&hl=en&gbv=2&um=1&tbm=isch&tab=wi&oq=&gs_l=

Wolf spiders:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=wolf+spider+pictures&hl=en&gbv=2&um=1&tbm=isch&tab=wi&oq=&gs_l=

Brown widow spiders:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=brown+widow+spider+pictures&hl=en&gbv=2&um=1&tbm=isch&tab=wi&oq=&gs_l=

In this picture of a brown recluse (click on yellow bar to enlarge) notice the distinctive shape on top of its head that looks like a violin. Look for that mark on the spiders in your house.











Domestic house spider:




Male hobo spider - notice distinctive clubs like balled up fists held in front of the face










common wolf spider:




Brown widow spider:


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## harmon (Jun 15, 2013)

Here is a picture of one.


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

I believe that is a wolf spider. Those can het pretty good sized, but I don't belive they are poisonous.
I have never seen one attack, usually the run away quickly.
I am not a fan of spiders at all, I don't mind the ones on the bottom of my boots.
That said, if they aren't in the house, I leave wolf spiders alone.


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## Awnry Abe (Mar 21, 2012)

harmon said:


> These are all over the place in my house.
> A visitor told me today they were brown recluses. I can't if it's a do.estic house spider on this page
> http://visual.ly/harmless-or-deadly-how-identify-common-house-spiders
> 
> Or the recluse.


The one in the pic you posted is not. But based on your zip code, I'd say you have them in spades. They like the dusty, dry areas of barns, garages, etc. I always have to brush them off the sides of grains sacks before I grab and feed. Anytime we do barn cleanup work, brown recluse training is always refreshed. I generally don't find them out in open space, but that doesn't mean they aren't there.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

My house spiders have a FADED violin on them: the brown recluse has a violin that is darker and more distinct. If I have to stop and think "Is that a violin or just a darker area?" it is not a brown recluse. 

That being said, brown recluse are common in my area but nobody in my family have been bit by one, and I only know of a couple of people who have. Brown recluse are shy and retiring and not aggressive. 

I will not poke a spider with my bare hand, of course! I will not any spider, actually: that is what fly swatters and shoes are for! 

When I first came to this area I worried about the brown recluse, but I no longer do. If there are no bugs in the house there are no spiders either. Of course I do have SOME bugs of various sorts and I do have SOME spiders, but mostly they are garden spiders.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

harmon said:


> Here is a picture of one.


This is a wolf spider. They are much larger than a brown recluse, and they have stripes instead of a violin. They are very common in my area!

They bite but they are not poisonous.


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## Paumon (Jul 12, 2007)

harmon said:


> Here is a picture of one.


Yes, that is a wolf spider. I wouldn't want to have a house full of them but if I had to have spiders I'd far rather have wolf spiders around than any of the other more poisonous ones. 

Think of them as guardians against other pest insects - if you have lots of wolf spiders around it's kind of like having guard dogs protecting your house because they will help to keep other insect populations down. They don't spin webs to catch insects, they are related to tarantulas and build thick walled funnel webs in hidden corners as homes to live in. They are mainly nocturnal hunters who see exceptionally well in the dark (their 8 eyes are light collectors). They run around at night hunting for other insects that get into your house and that includes hunting down and killing poisonous spiders like recluses and hobos and widows. They are protective mothers, they carry their egg sacs with them and when the babies hatch the mom carries the babies on her back and provides them with food until they are big enough to hunt for themselves.


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