Theridiidae
(Cobweb Weavers)

Picture ID 8084

Comments & ID Thoughts

Is this a black widow?

Submitted by:
alexdi
Submitted: Mar 29, 2018
Photographed: Mar 29, 2018
Spider: Theridiidae (Cobweb Weavers)
Location: Georgia, United States
Spotted Indoors: Garage or shed
Found in web?: No
Attributes: Dorsal

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ItsyBitsy

Moderator

March 29, 2018 1:27 pm

Hi, welcome to Spider ID. 🙂 This looks like a False Widow (Steatoda grossa) to me. It’s kind of a brown-black, the legs aren’t as robust and the abdomen isn’t as high and rounded … but it’s best to give it the same respect when they appear all black like this just to be on the safe side.

False Widow: https://bugguide.net/node/view/580794/bgimage
Black Widow: https://bugguide.net/node/view/1241549/bgimage

alexdi

Photo Owner

Reply to ItsyBitsy

March 29, 2018 1:29 pm

Thanks, I hope you’re right. It may have bitten me. Unfortunately, I stepped on it before I examined the underside. It was walking very slowly.

ItsyBitsy

Moderator

Reply to alexdi

March 29, 2018 1:47 pm

Yeah, the underside would have cleared up any doubt. They can vary, so although they may tend to look a certain way, there are exceptions and with an all black individual without seeing the underside it’s hard to be sure. False Widows (Steatoda) have venom similar to Black Widows (Latrodectus), it’s just not as potent. I hope your weren’t bit and if you were that you have a quick and uneventful recovery.