Steatoda
(False Widows)

Steatoda, commonly known as False Widows, is a genus of spiders in the family Theridiidae. Steatoda spiders have been sighted 747 times by contributing members. Based on collected data, the geographic range for Steatoda includes 30 countries and 46 states in the United States. Steatoda is most often sighted indoors, and during the month of April.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Class: Arachnida
  • Order: Araneae
  • Suborder: Araneomorphae
  • Family: Theridiidae
  • Genus: Steatoda

Other Common Names

False Black Widows, Cupboard Spiders, Cobweb Weavers, Cobweb Spiders, Cob Web Spiders, Comb-footed Spiders, Tangle-web Spiders, Gumfoot-web Spiders

Author

Carl Jakob Sundevall, 1833

Sightings Overview

There have been 747 confirmed sightings of Steatoda (False Widows), with the most recent sighting submitted on November 28, 2023 by Spider ID member elliezaza. The detailed statistics below may not utilize the complete dataset of 747 sightings because of certain Steatoda sightings reporting incomplete data.

  • Web: 31% of the time, Steatoda spiders are sighted in a spider web (Sample size: 747)
  • Sex: 37 female and 120 male.
  • Environment: Steatoda has been sighted 219 times outdoors, and 555 times indoors.
  • Outdoors: Man-made structure (147). Low foliage (13). High foliage (4). Ground layer (17). Under rock or debris (30). Freshwater river, lake, stream (1). Open field, pasture, grassland (5). Forest (1). Desert area (1).

Location and Range

Steatoda (False Widows) has been sighted in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam.

Steatoda has also been sighted in the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Seasonality

Steatoda has been primarily sighted during the month of April.

  • January: 44
  • February: 65
  • March: 119
  • April: 164
  • May: 140
  • June: 35
  • July: 15
  • August: 15
  • September: 11
  • October: 66
  • November: 25
  • December: 48

Steatoda Species


Featured Pictures

Picture of Steatoda spp. (False Widows) - Lateral Enlarge Picture
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Picture of Steatoda spp. (False Widows) Enlarge Picture
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Picture of Steatoda spp. (False Widows) - Male - Dorsal Enlarge Picture
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Picture of Steatoda spp. (False Widows) - Lateral Enlarge Picture
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Picture of Steatoda spp. (False Widows) - Ventral Enlarge Picture
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Picture of Steatoda spp. (False Widows) - Dorsal Enlarge Picture
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Picture of Steatoda spp. (False Widows) - Female - Ventral Enlarge Picture
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Picture of Steatoda spp. (False Widows) - Female - Ventral Enlarge Picture
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