Brown Recluse vs Hobo Spider

The quick tellA recluse has a violin mark and plain legs. A hobo spider has a herringbone pattern on the abdomen and lives in a funnel web. The two barely share any states.

Photo: Br-recluse-guy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Brown recluse

Medically significant · Loxosceles reclusa

Dark violin shape on the back, neck of the violin points to the rear
Six eyes in three pairs (most spiders have eight)
Plain tan abdomen and legs with no bands or spines
Long thin legs; with legs spread it is about the size of a quarter

Size: 0.25–0.5 in. Habitat: Indoors in boxes, closets, attics and basements; outdoors under rocks and bark.

Most bites heal without trouble; a few cause a slow-healing wound. Many wounds blamed on recluses outside their range turn out to be other conditions.

Photo: Géry PARENT, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Hobo spider

Harmless · Eratigena agrestis

Brown funnel-web spider with a herringbone pattern on the abdomen
Plain brown legs
Funnel-shaped web in window wells, wood piles and basements

Size: 0.4–0.6 in. Habitat: Pacific Northwest and the northern Rockies; introduced from Europe.

Once blamed for wounds like a recluse bite. Later studies found no evidence that its bite causes them.

Where each one lives

Brown recluse only
Hobo spider only
Both
Neither

Brown recluse: 16 states. Hobo spider: 6 states. Their ranges do not overlap.

Side by side

	Brown recluse	Hobo spider
Danger	Medically significant	Harmless
Size	0.25–0.5 in	0.4–0.6 in
States	16	6
Habitat	Indoors in boxes, closets, attics and basements; outdoors under rocks and bark	Pacific Northwest and the northern Rockies; introduced from Europe

Questions

How can you tell a brown recluse from a hobo spider?

A recluse has a violin mark and plain legs. A hobo spider has a herringbone pattern on the abdomen and lives in a funnel web. The two barely share any states.

Which one is dangerous?

The brown recluse: medically significant. The hobo spider: harmless. If you are not sure, keep your distance and do not handle it.

Where do both live?

Their ranges do not overlap in any state, which helps with identification.