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Comments & ID Thoughts
Photographed at 2am alongside my superhot chilli growing area in the SE of the UK. We have false widows here nowadays but this is far larger than I am familiar with (40mm plus) and looks different with a noticeable reddish brown colouration particularly on the under abdomen. She eats all my ladybirds!
- Submitted by:
- Submitted: May 9, 2019
- Photographed: May 9, 2019
- Spider: Steatoda (False Widows)
- Location: London , United Kingdom
- Spotted Indoors: Other
- Found in web?: Yes
- Attributes: Lateral
Help identify this spider
Feb 26, 2020
Feb 26, 2020
San Mateo, 
Also to add the spider is indoors in a heated building for chillies which also houses my reptiles so it is very warm. I was only able to get a couple of photo’s as this spider didn’t seem to like the lights being on. Not sure if that’s relevant at all.
Hi, we mostly tell the cobweavers apart by the dorsal markings. No, they don’t like being in the light. They’ll either hold still or try to escape to a dark place. They don’t see well, they use sense of touch more and it doesn’t benefit them to be seen. That’s interesting that she’s eating beetles. The ones that live with me mostly eat other spiders and moths. We’ll try to match her to your new false widow population.
Thank you kindly. I couldn’t see her last night at all as I would have tried for a photo of her back if possible. She leaves the dead ladybird shells on the ground around all the strands of her web. The web is mostly horizontal with lots of singular vertical strands to the floor. Never seen one quite like it before if i’m honest and very distinctive if somewhat messy.
You’re welcome. This family of spiders make the true “cobwebs.” The webs get really dusty and are deceivingly messy to trick insects into not recognizing them as spider webs.
I managed to spot her again last night. Watched her for ages.Unfortunately I cannot upload the pics here as no additional photo option I can see. I also took a photo of the more commonly seen noble false widow which I have lots of here for comparison. She is twice the size with no markings on her back unlike those. Possibly 3 feint lighter patches like circles running lengthways but very faded on her back. She seems to somehow catch the ladybirds and lift them up into the web off the ground. Then she eats them and then cuts the… Read more »