1 Look at the color. A brown recluse has a dirt or sandy brown body with a slightly darker marking at its center. Its legs are a lighter brown and completely uniform in color, with no additional markings.
2 Examine the violin shape on the spider's body. It's a slightly darker brown color than the rest of the body, or cephalothorax. The violin shape isn't clearly defined, so it may not look to you exactly like the musical instrument.
3 Count the eyes. The brown recluse, unlike other spiders, has only six eyes. They are arranged in pairs: one pair is in the center, and there's a pair on either side. Because the eyes are so small, it can be difficult to see them without a magnifying glass. If you count eight eyes, you're not looking at a recluse.
4 Look for fine hairs. The brown recluse has many fine, short hairs on its body. Unlike some other spiders, it does not have spines on its body or legs. If you see a spider with spines, it's definitely not a recluse.
5 Check the body width. The brown recluse's body doesn't grow to be larger than 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm). If you're looking at a spider that's larger than this, it's a different type of spider.
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