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Spider Photos - Steatoda or Steadota |
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.
The bite of the common comb footed
spider causes mild local pain unlike the redback/widow spiders whose
bites should be treated immediately with antivenom, especially in a
young child.
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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STEATODA
(Steatoda nobilis)(Steatoda Paykulliana)
(Steatoda grossa) (Steatoda triangulosa) |
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The false widow spiders belong to the
genus, or group, called
Steatoda . There
are six species of Steatoda
found in the UK including one introduced
species, Steatoda nobilis.This
group of spiders get their name because
they look similar to the true black
widow group of spiders, genus
Latrodectus. However Steatoda are significantly less harmful to humans.
Steatoda are shaped similarly to widow spiders, with round, bulbous abdomens. However, not all
Steatoda species resemble widows – many have distinct coloring, and are significantly smaller than Latrodectus specimens. Some species of
Steatoda actually will prey on widows, as well as other spiders which are considered hazardous to humans. In common with other members of the Theridiidae family, the
Steatoda spiders construct a cobweb, i.e., an irregular tangle of sticky silken
fibres. As with other web-weavers, these spiders have very poor eyesight and depend mostly on vibrations reaching them through their webs to orient themselves to prey or warn them of larger animals that could injure or kill them. They are not aggressive, and most injuries to humans are due to defensive bites delivered when a spider gets unintentionally squeezed or pinched somehow. It is possible that some bites may result when a spider mistakes a finger thrust into its web for its normal prey, but ordinarily intrusion by any large creature will cause these spiders to flee.
Some members of this genus do have bites
which are medically significant in
humans (such as S. grossa and
S. nobilis), however bites by
Steatoda species generally do not
have any long-lasting effects.
S. nobilis is native to the
Canary Islands but arrived in
England in around 1870 through bananas
sent to
Torquay. In England it has a reputation as one of
the few local spider species which is
capable of inflicting a painful bite to
humans - although this is a
comparatively rare occurrence.
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False Widow
Spider -
Steatoda Grossa |
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Reply: This is looks like a false widow spider
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glen
21 January, 2012:
Attached is an image of a spider, can you tell me what kind it is and if it's poisonous?
Thanks
Todd |
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Reply: This is a false widow -
glen
16 September, 2011:
Hey, saw this spider some time ago, and took some pictures, any idea what type it is?
Was quite pretty. |
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Reply: This is some sort of
steatoda but can't see the top of the abdomen to be sure which
one -
glen
7 August, 2011:
I found two spiders in the last week outside of my door. I live in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada and I sure am NOT used to seeing spiders bigger than my thumb. (it's body)
The first spider was dark-dark brown. I could have swore it was a tarantula in my shock. It also had 3-4 lighter brown bands around it's legs. And it's way bigger than I have seen outside of an terrarium.
The second spider was less impressive. It was still a bit larger than we are used to in this part of the world so I took a picture. When I saw the picture full size it also had light brown bands around parts of it's legs. It's shape didn't look like the first one I found. ( the tarantula guy ) but it looks more the SHAPE of a black widow. Very large and round abdomen. I only mention it because it kinda made me think it's a female version of the hairy one I found, or maybe it had a haircut. The second one also had spikey- things on it's legs.
Wondering if anyone could help out.
Thanks,
Logan.
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Reply: This is looks like a false widow spider -
glen
12 April, 2011:
Please could you identify the spider I found in my garden (UK).
Many Thanks
Sarah |
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Reply: This is looks like a false widow spider
too -
glen
6 April, 2011:
Hi Glen,
We have this spider in our window, between the glass and the screen. The body shape reminded me of the widows, but it's not black, and since we're in PA, I think we're too far north for the brown widow. It also doesn't seem to have a distinct hourglass shape. We've also seen some spiders inside that look similar to the widow males, but I haven't been able to get photos of them. Any thoughts? Thanks!
~jen |
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Reply: This is looks like a false widow spider
too -
glen
28 February, 2011:
She's been living in our orchid since we moved it in, back in November. The orchid is blooming now! Spider seems quite happy. Is this a Steadoda? If so, what's your guess on the sex and sub-species?
Thanks!
Sue in Michigan |
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Reply: This is looks like a false widow spider
too -
glen
25 December, 2010:
Attached is an image of a spider, can you tell me what kind it is and if it's poisonous?
Thanks
Todd |
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Reply: This is looks like a false widow spider
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glen
13 December, 2010:
Hello,
I'm not sure who could best help me to identify this spider but I just
found it in my house underneath a small bookcase. It initially looked
similiar to a black widow but I know it definitely does not have the
distinguishing hourglass marking and black color.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Dan,
Sacramento, Ca
95843 |
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Reply: This is looks like a false widow spider
but I'm not positive -
glen
7 December, 2010:
Hi! I have an interesting looking spider in my hallway that I haven't
been able to identify. I'm hoping you can help me identify it. I've
attached a picture of it.
Thanks! |
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Reply: This is a false widow spider
which looks like the other widows but has no red markings. -
glen
7 December, 2010:
need help identifying this spider. looks like a black or brown widow |
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Reply: This could be a false widow spider
too. -
glen
20 September, 2010:
Hi. Any idea what this is? It was found in Southeastern USA. |
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Reply: This is also probably one of the steatoda varieties, often called false widow spiders. -
glen 31 August, 2010:
Hello,
Which spider is this? I caught this on our front porch here in Gilbert, AZ.
Thank you!
Mark |
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Reply: It is probably one of the steatoda varieties, often called false widow spiders. -
glen 5 August, 2010:
Could you id these spiders?
Thanks,
John
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14 August, 2010:
Hi Glen.
I've been looking at your website and thought I would email you to see if you can help identify some spiders.
Spiders and I are not really friends. They're mostly friendly but like a lot of people, my initial instinct is extremely negative. I do know they're beneficial though so I'm trying to learn to tolerate them. They only really bother me when I find them in places where I am or my animals are a lot of the time. Spider2 and Spider3 were both found in our sunroom/patio where the dogs spend a lot of time, including nighttime.
I'm pretty sure Spider1 is a wolf spider. I stumbled upon tons of them in our backyard this week when I went out at night with a flashlight. I included a picture of the yard with their eyes reflecting back at me (difficult to catch a picture of with my camera). I'm tempted to say Spider2 is a wolf spider also, because of the reflective eyes, but this spider was up in a web on a string of lights in our sunroom. There is one picture where the flash washed the spider out but caught the web, so I'm including that one. When I blew on the spider to get it to move (to see if I could get a different angle picture) s/he scurried into the nearby light fixture it looks like it's been hiding in. Both Spider2 & Spider3 are small, definitely no bigger than a dime. My father-in-law says Spider3 is a brown widow. I looked at pictures of those on your site but can't say definitively that I agree with him. Just in case, we did remove it from the room. I got a stick and brought down the egg sac you see in one of the pictures of Spider3; it was not spiny/spiky like the brown widow egg sac is supposed to be, so I just don't know.
We live in a smaller town about 30 minutes east of San Antonio and an hour south of Austin in Texas. We live in our own house in a neighborhood, not in a condo/apartment and not in the country.
Thank you very much for any help you can provide!
Jessica |
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Reply: It is probably one of the steatoda varieties, often called false widow spiders. Their venom is similar to the widows but not nearly as strong, I'd keep an eye on the dog and if it shows any signs of paralysis or breathing problems, take it straight to the vet -
glen 5 August, 2010:
Dear Awesome Spider Website People!
My friend found this spider in her home and is wondering what it is. Her dog seemed to have been bitten tonight. They are not reacting horribly, just that they are biting at themselves. She searched around her home and found this spider indoors.
Could you please let me know if you can identify the spider below and its threat level? Many of us searched the internet and could not find it anywhere.
Thanks so much!
All my best,
Cynthia |
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Reply: This is a false widow spider -
glen 24 June, 2010:
Taken in California. Red Bluff, June 22, 2010.
What kind of spider is this?
In our back door's screen. I assume it's of the widow family.
Is it as dangerous as the typical black widow spider?
Thankyou in advance,
Renee |
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28 May, 2010:
Dear Spider enthusiasts,
I recently traveled to Iran and upon returning home in Toronto I found that a strange spider had found its way into my luggage.
At first glance I thought it was a black widow spider as it was black with a continuous band of reddish orange circling its abdomen. I've been feeding it regularly with insects in hopes to keep it alive so that I may be able identify the little fellow. I've attached a few photos to help.
Best,
Arman |
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24 May, 2010:
Hi I'm in New Jersey about an hour away from New York city...the other day I saw this black spider near the floor behind the bathroom door...I was paranoid it was a black widow but couldn't get a view of it's under belly where the hour glass is suppose to be...tonight I was getting ready for bed and again near the floor in the corner on the other side of the door was what looks like the same kind of spider....my camcorder has a picture feature but I had to get a flashlight to light it up a bit....but then zooming is causes the camera to be shaky...can you by any chance identify the spider in these pictures? Scared to death that it's a black widow. Will anything like raid kill these? There was one like this in the shower once and my husband used a sheet of paper and a plastic dome to trap it...that one is in the fourth pic..."IMG_0155.jpg". I keep getting told these are just ...black spiders but they look kinda like black widows to me..just cant see the underbelly... Please get back to me on this as we're not sure what to do when we see it...and if the one that was caught under the dome is a black widow I'll have to get angry at my hubby for going near it lol.
Thanks!
Krista |
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3 May, 2010:
Frederick, MD
Found in on the outside of house window
4/30/2010 |
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21 August, 2009:
Hi, we stayed in a cabin in Utah, and these spiders were everywhere... the body type seemed similar to that of a black widow, but the abdomen is different. Do you have any idea? Thanks
-Stacy |
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Reply: Looks like one of the steatoda family.
28 June, 2009:
Hey there,
Found her? crawling out of a cardboard box of wood we had brought into the house
Wood was small branches cut from a tree a year ago and had been sitting outside in the carport
We're in Auckland, New Zealand
Most I can find is it looks like it could be a brown house, false katipo or false black widow, all which appear about the same thing but can be anything from black to all weird markings but look the same.
Any ideas?
Not sure if it is dangerous etc and if I should be contacting any sort of government agency if it shouldn't be here (though I'm guessing its fine)
Philip |
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Reply: Looks like one of the steatoda family
3 June, 2009:
Hi. I live in Connecticut, USA. We found this spider the other day in our house. We have no clue what it is, but it is definitely something we haven't seen before.
It is brown/black in color. The head & body together measure about 1/4" with a total overall length of 3/4".
I came across your great website in trying to find out what kind of spider it is.
Can you help with identifying what it is? Thank you.
Regina L. |
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Reply: Looks like one of the steadota family -
steadota nobilis which is common in UK.
2 December, 2008:
Hi Glen,
I found this spider in my garden and its a bit strange (well for me anyway), I have never seen a spider like this before.
the pictures aren't very good as im not brave enough to get closer of catch it.
I have been watching it grow over the last few months, it started a shiny purple, and has now grown to shiny brown with a beige design on its back.
Cheers
Lianda |
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Reply: This is steadota grossa, the false
widow spider.
30 September, 2008:
Hi Glen...
I'm a big fan of the site, and have been keeping an eye out for my local spiders, and have been carrying a camera round with me to get pictures where possible. I've attached a few pictures that you can use, but there is one spider in there that i dont recognise... The Steatoda Grossa, and the Orb Weaver I know, but the last one is a mystery to me. It has a body length of about 18mm, the cephalothorax is shiny like black armour, and the abdomen was like the texture of brushed velvet. I live on the South Coast of the UK, so i fear it may be a European species that you might not know, but I hope you might have some idea, even if it's just an idea of what family it's from.
Anyway, thank you for looking, and keep up the great work.
Glen |
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4 February,
2008:
Two photos of probably a common House Spider that was
on a gallon jar.
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2 March, 2008:
Hi Glen, Here are some assorted Steadota pictures I've
recently taken. There seems to be a good variety of them around
here. Feel free to use my pictures if you want. Damy
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28 November, 2006:
I can't seem to identify it. I found it in my bathtub after being
out of town for a week. I'm in Kalispell, MT. Any ideas?
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Reply: This is a false widow spider
- glen 17 November, 2006:
Sir,
Found this in my home this morning.
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