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Comments & ID Thoughts
A lactodectrus of some type? If so, which one? It's hanging at eye level, from a corner of my hallway, after a week's absence on my part. I don't want to remove it outside unless really dangerous. It did not act aggressive when I almost touched it with the phone to take this picture. Only stretched the front legs but did not move otherwise. I gently blew air on it, hoping it would run up to the ceiling or to hide in a corner, but it only bent its legs and made itself smaller until I stopped blowing air on it. I will not harm it, but want to take her out asap if dangerous. Tha KS, spider lovers!
- Submitted by:
- Submitted: Apr 20, 2022
- Photographed: Apr 21, 2022
- Spider: Unidentified
- Location: Spandau, Berlin, Germany
- Spotted Indoors: Other
- Found in web?: Yes
- Attributes:
This is a False Widow (Steatoda triangulosa). Also known as the Triangulate Cobweb Weaver, amongst other names. False Widows are harmless and are very common throughout Europe.
Thanks! so now two people have ID it with the same label: Steatoda triangulosa. (I had suggested Steatoda Nobilis) However, at times I wonder whether it is an Steatoda at all, because the abdomen of Steatodas is usually rounder and this one seems more oblong? Projected like a drop to the end?
Yes the abdomen is downturned at the posterior. This is usually the appearance of a female who has oviposited her eggs into a egg sac. The eggs stretch the abdomen and it probably doesn’t return to the original shape after that.
Yes she’s a harmless False Widow. They’re very useful spiders to have indoors. They have big appetites for insects and avoid people. I let them live in my house too. I have one S. triangulosa that lives on an antique cast iron lion toy.
I didn’t know that about the abdomen shape. Good to know.