Is this a Brown Recluse?

So, you fpund a small, brown spider in your house. You freak out, probably- you ask yourself, is this a Brown Recluse?

Probably not.

So, what spider is it? How do you identify one? Should I be worried? I'll tell you how to identify one, and different species that are often misidentified as one.

Every once in a while, I like to look up "Brown Recluse" on sites like instagram, twitter, or bug groups on facebook focused on bug ID, and see how many spiders are posted that people say are a brown recluse. It's quite fun, and its nice to educate so people dont make this mistake in the future! Don't judge people on their spider knowledge, especially if they dont take care of them as a hobby! That's just mean, and turn people off from asking questions about other bugs. One species even looks very similar to a brown recluse, but that gets its own section.

The most important thing to do if you see a brown recluse is to remain calm, and know that these spiders wont hurt you unless you force them to.

Just stay calm and move them outside. Their bite, even though they almost never do it, is not always fatal. Treat these little monsties with the same respect you would any other wild animal!

About the Brown Recluse

All about the brown recluse, including some care and facts about its venom!

Common Misidentifications

All about common species that are mistaken for the Brown Recluse!

The Southern House Spider

An entire page about this species, which is a very common misidentification.