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Comments & ID Thoughts
This is a second picture of the white backed spider previously submitted. Could be a Latrodectus Hesperus.
- Submitted by:
- Submitted: Sep 8, 2018
- Photographed: Sep 8, 2018
- Spider: Unidentified
- Location: Las Cruces - Desert, New Mexico, United States
- Spotted Outdoors: Man-made structure (building wall, fences, etc.),Desert area
- Found in web?: Yes
- Attributes:
What I found interesting was that this white backed spider was building it’s web on the door, which we were continually opening and closing. I wonder if it could have been blind. I have never seen a Black Widow that does not scurry away as soon as it sees a human. This one was just placidly working away on it’s web. Perhaps it is not a Black Widow as I assume.
The widow spiders have poor vision. They operate mostly by sense of touch. They all prefer to avoid large animals such as humans. I’m guessing that they may be confused by the vibrations they pick up from our movements and don’t always know which way to run. The Theridiidae spiders I have interacted with have hidden if they are still near their dark hiding place and held still if they weren’t.
I went and looked at your other photo, too. She’s beautiful. I’m more inclined to think she’s a Lactrodectus geometricus (brown widow) rather than a juvenile Lactrodectus hesperus. If she lays eggs, note the texture of the egg sac. All North American black widow spiders have smooth egg sacs but brown widows (L. geometricus) make spiky egg sacs.
PS. Brown widows are generally a little bit safer than black widows, but I still recommend avoiding bites.