Summary
Brown recluses are small, smooth-legged, six-eyed spiders that hide indoors. Wolf spiders are large, robust, eight-eyed ground hunters with visible leg spines and a stockier build.
Diagnostic traits
| Trait | Brown Recluse | Wolf Spider |
|---|---|---|
| Eyes | 6 eyes in 3 pairs | 8 eyes in 3 rows (2-4-2) |
| Body length | 6–12 mm | 10–35 mm |
| Legs | Smooth, fine hairs only | Visibly spiny |
| Coloration | Uniform tan, dark violin on cephalothorax | Mottled brown with stripes |
| Behavior | Reclusive, hides in undisturbed areas | Active hunter, often seen running |
The bottom line
At-a-glance comparison
| Brown Recluse | Wolf Spider | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific | Loxosceles reclusa | Lycosidae (family overview) |
| Family | Sicariidae | Lycosidae |
| ♀ body | 7–12 mm | 10–35 mm |
| Leg span | 20–30 mm | 25–80 mm |
| Range | 16 U.S. states | 1 U.S. states |
| Medical | Medically significant | Low |