Common questions

What spider has a white violin on its back?

What spider has a white violin on its back?

brown recluse spider
The brown recluse spider is a venomous spider that is often times referred to as the violin or fiddle back spider, due to the fact that it carries a violin-shaped marking on its back. This spider is also unusual because it has only six eyes, whereas most spiders have eight.

Is a violin spider real?

The recluse spiders (Loxosceles (/lɒkˈsɒsɪliːz/), also known as brown spiders, fiddle-backs, violin spiders, and reapers, is a genus of spiders that was first described by R. T. Lowe in 1832. They are venomous spiders known for their bite, which sometimes produces a characteristic set of symptoms known as loxoscelism.

Is a violin spider the same as a brown recluse?

Myth: You can identify “brown recluse” spiders by a violin shape. Fact: Because of this myth, brown recluses are also called “violin” or “fiddleback” spiders. Although the “fiddle mark” does exist (not always very fiddle-like), it is worthless in identification!

How do I identify a violin spider?

Violin spiders are usually brown or reddish brown in colour, with dark markings on their bodies. They have characteristic violin-shaped markings on the cephalothorax and are quite often confused with daddy-long-legs, which are not venomous. The superficial bite is painless and initially goes unnoticed.

What other spiders have a violin?

While other spiders may have circular brown markings, only the brown recluse has a distinct violin shape on its body. However, it may be quite difficult to distinguish it. For the brown recluse, this violin shape is usually dark brown on a lighter brown body, with the shape imposed on the cephalothorax of the spider.

What spiders have violin?

The brown recluse spider is a venomous spider that is often times referred to as the violin or fiddle back spider, due to the fact that it carries a violin-shaped marking on its back. This spider is also unusual because it has only six eyes, whereas most spiders have eight.

What do violin spiders eat?

insects
Brown recluse spiders feed on soft-bodied insects such as crickets, cockroaches, moths and flies. Cannibalistic, this species is known to eat one other. Unlike some spider species that use their webs to ensnare their prey, brown recluse spiders are nocturnal hunters. They chase down their victims.

What do violin spiders look like?

Appearance. The most telltale characteristic of brown recluse spiders is the presence of a dark, violin-shaped mark on the dorsum of the arachnid’s light brown or yellowish-brown cephalothorax. Due to this marking, brown recluses are also commonly known as fiddle-back spiders.

What happens when a violin spider bites you?

Symptoms of a brown recluse spider bite include: Reddened skin that may be followed by a blister that forms at the bite site. Mild to intense pain and itching for 2 to 8 hours following the bite. An open sore (ulcer) with a breakdown of tissue (necrosis) that develops a week or more following the bite.

Is a brown violin spider real?

The brown recluse is part of the Loxosceles genus of spiders. Members of this group have violin-shaped markings on the top of their cephalothorax (fused head and thorax) and may be informally referred to as fiddleback or violin spiders, according to The Ohio State University Extension Entomology Department.

Which Spider has a violin on its stomach?

For the brown recluse, this violin shape is usually dark brown on a lighter brown body, with the shape imposed on the cephalothorax of the spider. Though often known colloquially as the stomach of the spider, the cephalothorax is right between the head and bigger abdomen of the spider, and is the part of the body onto which the spider’s legs attach.

Where are violin spiders found?

All species of Violin Spider should be considered medically important. Several species occur in southern Africa, and in a variety of different forms. Some species of Violin Spiders live in caves, others can be found in savanna habitats. In some areas it’s not uncommon to find them in houses.

Where are violin spiders located?

The Brown Recluse spider, also known as the Violin Spider or Fiddleback Spider, is generally found throughout the American South and west to California. The reach, or range, of this spider is stable and it is unlikely to be found outside of those states listed below.

What is a violin marking on a spider?

On the back of the brown recluse spider there is a marking that closely resembles a violin, with the neck of the violin pointing back towards the rear of the spider. The violin itself is usually black or dark brown. Because of this distinctive marking, brown recluse spiders are also called violin or fiddleback spiders.