What do I do if I find a false widow spider?

If you do see a noble false widow spider, you can remove it by placing a glass or other receptacle over the top of them, and then sliding a piece of card under the container. Pick it up carefully and release it outside, preferably a little way away from the property if possible.

How many different species of black widows are there?

How many black widow species are there? There are 31 species of so-called widow spiders in the Latrodectus genus; of those, five species are black widows, the St. Louis Zoo says.

How do I identify a black widow spider?

Appearance

1. Hourglass marking: Black widows are identified by red hourglass marking on the underside of their abdomens. This marking is bright red and signals danger to predators and attackers.
2. Color: Black widows are shiny black in color.
3. Size: Most black widow spiders’ bodies are 3 to 10 mm in size.

Do false widows live in houses?

False widow spiders do not build nests like other species. Inhabiting houses and buildings, false widows prefer elevated places such as the highest walls, where they hunt flying insects. In other words, they are not interested in humans at all. Noble false widow spiders are not native to the UK.

Do all black widows have red on them?

About Black Widow Spiders Not all adult female black widows exhibit the red hourglass on their abdomen—some may have a pair of red spots or have no marking at all, but any markings that are present are bright red.

Are there Black Widow look alikes?

False Black Widows (Steatoda grossa) This spider does not have the red hourglass marking and is a glossy chocolate brown colored spider. It shares the same rounded-abdomen body form and web-making traits as the true black widow spiders.

Do I need an exterminator for black widows?

If you suspect a spider infestation, contact a black widow control and extermination specialist immediately. This is the safest way to get rid of black widow spiders in the home. Black widow spider bites are less common and more severe than other spider bites.

Are there black widow look alikes?

Can a black widow be all black?

Adult male black widows are half the size of the females, and are usually gray or brown rather than black and red; while they may sometimes have an hourglass marking on their ventral abdomen, it is usually yellow or white, not red. That there is definitely a female black widow.

How many different types of Black Widow spiders are there?

The taxonomy of these spiders is challenging and as few as six to as many as twenty-eight species are recognized. In the United States, there are probably five species: the southern black widow, L. mactans; northern black widow, L. variolus; western black widow, L. hesperus; brown widow, L. geometricus; and the red widow, L. bishopi.

Where do false black widows live?

The false black widow is found in the coastal states of the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific regions. It is a common spider in homes and other structures. Steatoda grossa female. Photo by Steven Jacobs, Penn State Extension

Are there Black Widows in Pennsylvania?

The southern black widow, L. mactans, is found in Pennsylvania. It is probable that the northern black widow, L. variolus, is also present. Occasionally, the brown and the red widow spiders are introduced on potted plants from southern Florida. The female southern black widow is shiny and jet black.

Are there any false widow spiders in the UK?

(See our article How dangerous are false widow spiders?) There are six species of false widow spiders that live in the UK ( Steatoda nobilis, Steatoda grossa, Steatoda bipunctata, Steatoda albomaculata, Steatoda. triangulosa and Asagena phalerata ). They are all black or brown, rotund species up to about the size of a small finger-nail.