Pest Control, Termites & Wildlife Removal Experts

Brown Spiders in Missouri: Which Ones Are a Brown Recluse?

By Jacob Ingledue

The short answer: most small brown spiders in a Missouri home are harmless house or cellar spiders. The one that deserves care is the brown recluse, and you tell it apart by a violin-shaped mark and six eyes, not by color alone.

How to tell a brown recluse from other brown spiders

Size: females reach about ¼ inch in body length, about 1 inch with the legs spread, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Color: grayish yellow-brown, with fine gray hairs on the abdomen and legs darker than the body.
The violin: a violin-shaped patch sits on the broad, heart-shaped head region.
Eyes: brown recluses are “six-eyed” spiders. Most spiders have eight, so this is the check that matters.
Webs: small, irregular and untidy, not a neat orb.

Where brown recluses hide in a home

Indoors they hide in little-used storage areas: drawers, closets, attics, basements, behind baseboards and furniture, and they often get trapped in bathtubs and sinks. Outdoors they live under and in rock crevices.

Are brown recluses in Missouri?

They are presumed to occur statewide, and the species has gradually spread north. University of Missouri Extension reports that one study found this spider in about 70 percent of the Missouri homes it sampled. That is why identifying it correctly, and not guessing from color, matters.

What about the bite?

Bites are rarely noticed at first and are almost never fatal. Most cause only a small red mark, but some ulcerate for months. MU Extension says a larger sore develops in less than 5 percent of cases. If you think you have been bitten and are concerned, seek medical attention.

Other brown spiders you are more likely to meet

Common house spider: drab tan, brown or gray with a whitish patch behind the top of the abdomen and a messy, tangled web. See our guide to house spiders in Missouri.
Cellar spiders (“daddy longlegs”): very long, thin legs, found in cellars and corners.
Wolf spiders: hairy ground hunters that do not build a web to catch prey. See brown recluse vs wolf spider.

The full list of Missouri species is in common spiders in Missouri.

What to do if you think you have brown recluses

Do not rely on color. Capture one in a jar, look for the violin and count the eyes, or send us a photo. Reduce clutter in storage areas, shake out stored clothes and shoes, and put glue boards along walls to see what is moving at night. For a basement problem, start with how to get rid of spiders in your basement.

If you want it handled, our Springfield spider control team covers Springfield and the Ozarks, and our Kansas City pest control team covers the metro. Book a free inspection and we’ll take a look.

Common questions

Is every small brown spider in Missouri a brown recluse? No. Color alone does not identify one. Look for the violin mark and six eyes.

Do brown recluses live in Missouri houses? Yes. They hide in little-used storage areas, and they are presumed to occur statewide.

What should I do after a bite? If you think you have been bitten and are concerned, seek medical attention.

How can I find out if I have them? Glue boards placed along walls and in storage areas show what is moving at night.

Sources: Missouri Department of Conservation, Brown Recluse (Violin Spider); University of Missouri Extension, Spiders (g7386).