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Spider Photos - Steadota or Steatoda

There seems to be some question as to which version - Steadota or Steatoda is correct. I have found it both ways so will make mention here of this anomaly so that my viewers are aware that they may see it either way. Spiders of the genus Steadota/Steatoda belong to the spider family Theridiidae, or the cobweb weavers. Also known as Combfooted Spiders, this family includes a number of well known arachnids, including the American house spider, Achaearanea tepidariorum, and the redback and widow spiders, Latrodectus spp.. Steatoda spiders are found throughout the world, in both temperate and tropical climates. They are small to moderately small (3-9 mm) spiders with oval abdomens; they may be reddish, brownish or black, with most species exhibiting a white band at the front of the dorsal abdomen which may resemble a collar. These spiders construct a strong, irregular web, somewhat resembling the webs of widow spiders; this web is very sticky, making it a highly effective snare for hobo spiders which they are very good at catching. Steadota/Steatoda grossa, the false black widow spider  is the most well known of the Steadota.Steatoda spiders. Found in cosmopolitan areas around the world, and on both coasts of the United States, grossa is a larger (9 mm) Steadota/Steatoda which, as its common name suggests, may resemble a black widow spider (with no hourglass). Specimens can be reddish to purplish brown in colour, with pale yellow markings on the dorsal abdomen, but many specimens are so dark that these pale markings cannot be distinguished. Steadota/Steatoda grossa is a common and well known "house spider" in many areas, constructing its webs in and around buildings, rock walls, and other structures. It has long been known that the "false black widow" will ensnare, kill and prey upon actual black widow spiders in its natural habitat.
Info  - www.hobospider.org. Many thanks for allowing us to use the photos sent in. All photos are copyright to their owners and may not be reproduced without permission. Please choose a section.

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COMB FOOTED SPIDERS - Steadota/Steatoda

28 March, 2008:

16 March, 2008:
Hi I'm Kara from Ma and I have a bad spider bite on my back and I was wondering if you could tell me what kind of spider this is. I'm not sure if this is the spider that bit me or not. I've had the bite for over a week and it's swelled, it had a green head like a pimple but much larger. It looked like there was a large pea under my skin. My boyfriend popped it and the green head came out but it was a hard puss. Now there's a whole in my back that goes through every layer of skin and opens into a cavern like thing. It's starting to form a green head again and I'm not really to sure what to do. We also have spiders that are slightly larger than this one with a blonde color. If you could get back to me as soon as possible I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

8 February, 2008:
Hi Glen, I know you already have lots of Steadota pictures, but I thought I might send you these. This one kind of stood out among the dull brown ones in my kitchen. Feel free to use the them if you want. Damy

13 September, 2007:
I send you too the spider that I told you that my house is full of it!!!!!! They are everywhere!!!!! Kitchen, bathroom, close to the dog food plate and they're very funny! It doesn't bother me, but is fun that I found they all over my house!! Note that they are very tiny but with a big But!!!  I’m sending you 2 different shoots of the same kind (I THINK) of this little spider!!! Note that one have more darker the but than the other!! Ae they the same family or specie?? I know that for the size they cant be and maybe is IMPOSSIBLE that they could be venomous to human, but what do you think?? They are a common specie?? In their size are they venom to small bugs??? Take a look and maybe you can know this specie!!! Gustavo

17 June, 2007::

13 June, 2007::
Glen, I just finished browsing your website, and I could not find any photos that help me identify this spider... I live in New Jersey, and this spider is living in my storage shed, about 12 inches off the ground. It's web is disorganized - but stretches from the door-frame to some old paint cans. It is about the size of my thumbnail (with legs tucked in). I took a few pictures, and I even took a picture of the eggs (if that helps you). Please help me identify this spider, and feel free to put the pictures up on your website. Thanks. -Scott

8 June, 2007:
I have been having trouble identifying these spiders. I live in St. Augustine, FL and my house is crawling with these spiders. They started showing up everywhere this spring. I'm finding their webs under the furniture, in hidden corners, and I even found them under my 3 year olds bed. I believe they are common house spiders after seeing the pictures on your site, but would like to make sure. The two pics with the blue background are the ones in my home. The third picture is a spider I have discovered living in the corner of my outside canopy, I fear it is a brown widow ( from other pictures I have seen) but have seen no egg sacks around it to help me identify it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Fanny

12 March, 2007:
I found this spider in my kitchen, and i cannot find a spider that resembles it, i think it may resemble the brown widow... but i am not sure. i have 2 very small children that currently like spiders (charlettes web) and it scares me that i dont know what it is or if it is a threat to my children. please help.

8 January, 2007:
Hi Glen, I recently found this thing in my bathroom at 1am, when it noticed that I saw it, it curled up and didn't move as if I didn't see it. I took a good pic of it's back markings, what do you think it is? I also attached a photo of its eyes, looks like it has 5? Is it dangerous for people or dogs? Thanks

8 January, 2007:
hey, i found this spider in my bathroom in wenatchee washington. it looks like a blackwidow spider to me. can you tell me what it is. thanks jana.

Reply: The specimen is probably some type of theriid ("comb-footed") spider, possibly
one of the /Steadota/Steatoda species. It's not a brown widow.

21 August, 2006:

Reply: These could be Steadota/Steatoda, false widows that are easily mistaken for brown widows.

10 July, 2006:
Found these in my garage in San Antonio – they are a little unusual and different than the “normal” Black Widows that I find, although I am pretty sure they are widows, as – well….apparently while I was cleaning the garage, I got bit. Pretty classic widow envenomation symptoms. I found 38 (not including…ummm…probably thousands of spiderlings) before I had to quit cleaning due to symptoms. I’ll try to get a better picture when I’m feeling better. The stripes actually look silverish and I didn’t notice an hourglass – maybe a light brown one? I’ll check and get some better photos as I know there are more left. Any idea what this is? Dave B. San Antonio , Texas
More from Dave: Upon further review – even though it made me fairly sick – the spider IS Steatoda triangulosa (triangulate cobweb spider) According to my research, it can make you sick (but not like the widows) and, it would also explain the lack of REAL widows (had them last year – not this year) as they are a predator of widows. I have TONS of these spiders – but NO black widows now. Live and learn.

Reply: These could be easily mistaken for brown widows as I did until I got Cathy's reply from Dr. John A. Jackman, Professor and Extension Entomologist, Department of Entomology: "That is a cobweb spider in the family Theridiidae. The genus on that  one is probably Steatoda. They are common in homes and are considered harmless to humans. See: http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/l-1787.html "

8 June, 2006:
I know you don't id spiders, but any idea where I could send these to find out what this is? and of course, if you'd like these on the site, you are more than welcome to them. Cathy Webb Garland, TX

1 February, 2006:
Hi Glen, here's a couple of pictures of the black spider, it had died overnight by the time these pics were taken so i tried to carefully place it in a respectable pose with tweezers, it lost 3 legs in my frantic attempt to capture it alive, I was a bit nervous when i was trying to catch it but I'd rather it died than me! my camera work isn't brilliant but if any of these pics are of interest to you for your website you can freely copy and use any of them at will. When we crushed the egg sacks we missed two, one hatched hundreds of the little beggars of which i crushed about a hundred then they scattered all over the place ) and the other we put in a jar. Since i last emailed you I've caught 5 more brown widows and what looks like it may become a black widow. We have since lifted up a grate next to where i caught this black spider in the photo and we found a single egg sack of a smooth nature (not the spiky one) right where the spider was hiding and have put that in another jar for surveillance (almost round but ever so slightly egg shaped an cream in colour). I am very surprised to see widow spiders in Cyprus...no one else believed me when i said i had some round my house and garden, they said they don't come from this part of the world it can't be them, and then i checked the net for photos and found your site which enlightened me to what i was dealing with, so thank you! you have probably saved me from getting bitten by alerting me to how venomous they are. I am now treating them with upmost respect. I guess they are cannabalistic too because one has attacked another and spun a web round it now and it looked like it was giving it a good bite too. I've thrown a few live beetles in the tub to keep them occupied too and it seems to be doing the trick. Two pics one of side view, one of underside view. Look forward to hearing your verdict! thanks Glen,  Paul

Reply: The specimen was some type of theriid ("comb-footed") spider, possibly
one of the /Steadota/Steatoda species (we can't be positive without seeing an actual specimen). It derives its name from a set of bristles which are found on  the hind pair of legs. These bristles are used to wrap the spider's prey in silk. This group of spiders includes the black widow spider but the specimen in your picture is not that species. In general, this particular species does not pose a health threat to people or pets. However, just as with bee or wasp stings (which have a very different venom), people will exhibit varying degrees of  sensitivity to a bite. I don't consider the use of pesticides as necessary. Preventive  spraying for spiders if difficult because they move around and finding a "target  site" to treat is difficult. Plus, longevity of the chemical in being effective against spiders depends on many factors. Simply removing the spider is a simple and effective control. (Entomologist - State Centre)

11 June, 2006:
Hi, great website. Any idea on what kind of spider this is?  She's got red diamonds down the back in a patter with black..found her underneath my pool skimmer. never seen this before. In sunny Phx, AZ Any help would be great!!! Thanks, Chea