Is That A Brown Recluse? It Could Be A Lookalike In Your Garage Or Home

There are some spiders that are neutral or even nice to have in your home, but there are also a few you certainly don't want to see. Brown recluses fall into the latter category. While brown recluse bites are rarely fatal, they can be serious, painful, and require quick medical attention. This is why it can be so frightening to see a brown recluse. Before you panic, however, you should know that there are a few lookalike spiders. Some are even among the most common types of spiders found in homes. Cellar spiders are sometimes confused with brown recluse spiders, as both are the same color, have similar shapes, and lack hair on their bodies.

The good news is that, if you have a moment to stop and look at the spider from a safe distance, cellar spiders and brown recluses have a few key differences that can help you tell them apart. Cellar spiders are also called daddy long-legs, and, true to their name, they have very long, thin legs. Compared to a brown recluse, a cellar spider has a slim body. While some cellar spiders can grow rather large, their size is mostly in their legs. Brown recluses, on the other hand, have thicker legs and bodies, and can grow to around the size of a quarter. They also have a distinctive patch shaped like a violin, while cellar spiders sometimes have darker patches near their eyes. Another difference is their leg markings. Brown recluse spiders have no stripes or spots on their legs. Cellar spiders often have stripes near their joints.

Sometimes spiders move quickly, and if you only catch a glimpse of the spider, it may be hard to identify it. However, there are a few ways to narrow it down based on where you live and some context clues. Firstly, check if you live in the brown recluse's natural range. While cellar spiders live in homes throughout the U.S., brown recluses are only found in the central southern U.S. Outside of that range, you may have other venomous spiders to worry about, but not the brown recluse.

If you do live in its range, or are just looking for some extra reassurance, you can inspect the area for context clues. Cover your skin and wear closed-toed shoes before poking around, just in case you encounter a brown recluse. See if you can spot any webs. Cellar spiders make messy, tangled webs in any corner or gap they can find. They may be in cellars or attics, but also in more high-traffic parts of the home. When identifying a brown recluse web, keep in mind that their webs are homes, not traps for prey. They're tucked out of the way and don't resemble typical spider webs. You may also spot molts, which look like stretched-out brown recluses. Similar to a snake or crab, brown recluses shed their skin several times as they grow to their adult size. If you find brown recluses in your home, you may want to call in professional pest control experts.