Unidentified

Picture ID 99662

Picture of unidentified spider

Comments & ID Thoughts

I'm guessing a false Black Widow? (Steatoda grossa). Found in my unfinished basement while vacuuming, (I might have gotten it's web- sorry...) near a light source by my overwintering plants, which makes sense. I have seen these here in TN under structures like an outdoor playset and under my basement worm bin. Wanted to double check that it wasn't some kind of unmarked Black Widow (looks just like one with a giant black shiny body and no visible hair.) That's my ring finger in the picture, for size.

  • Submitted by: 
    paige
  • Submitted: Feb 20, 2020
  • Photographed: Feb 20, 2020
  • Spider: Unidentified
  • Location: Brentwood, Tennessee, United States
  • Spotted Indoors: Basement or Cellar
  • Found in web?: No
  • Attributes:
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TangledWeb

Yes, this is a False Widow in genus Steatoda. A way to tell them from Widows in genus Latrodectus is the gold or silver markings that show in bright light. On yours there is a gold arc over the abdomen near the head. Steatoda grossa is a good possibility. Steatoda markings look shiny like reflectors, the Widows don’t have that, as far as I know. It’s okay to occasionally remove the dusty cobwebs, they’ll make more. I love talking about how deceptive cobwebs are – they look sloppy and random so they don’t look like spider webs to the prey.… Read more »

GreenGene

Yes at first looks like a Black Widow, but false widows have no red hourglass and are a more dark brown color not jet black like a real black widow. They have a very mild venom and are not inclined to bite. They actually hunt and kill Black Widows!