Pest Library

Characteristics

False black widows are not as dangerous as the black widow, but they can still be lethal and can pose danger to those they have bitten. They have the same characteristics as the widow spiders. They are small spiders with the female body length ranging from 2/5 to about 3/5 inch while the male is only 3/25 to 1/4 inch in length. They are shiny black or brown and rounded just like the black widow. Their difference with the black widow is that they do not have the hourglass marking. They have a total of eight eyes that are arranged in two horizontal rows.

Habitat

This spider is mostly endemic in Europe, but are also found in the U.S. and Canada. They like to create webs near the ground, but they can create webs up in the ceilings as well. They prefer to live near human habitations, but can also live outdoors.

Behavior

The false black widow is not actually aggressive. Like most spiders, they will just bite in self-defense. For instance, if you mistakenly step on them or sit on them.

This spider can create cobwebs that are three-dimensional. Although the webs that they create are not sticky, their prey can easily get trapped inside their web, which will alert the spider. Once their prey is captured, the spider will throw silk to its prey until it cannot move or escape anymore, then it will put its venom to immobilize or kill the prey.

Food

This spider eats a variety of insects that gets tangled in its web. They can also eat other spiders and insects that are larger than them.

Life Cycle

The female false black widow can live up to six years. The male, however, will just live 12 to 18 months. His main purpose in life is to mate and will die after a year of service. Once the female creates mature eggs, she will place them in an egg sac. She can produce 2 to 3 egg sacs every few months since she can store the sperm of the male inside her. After the eggs are hatched, they will still stay with their mother or near their egg sac to avoid predators. They will require a couple of weeks and two molts before they are able to disperse.

Other Information and Tips

The false widow spider is mostly regarded as a dangerous spider and reports have even claimed that they are responsible for seriously injuring their victims. However, no deaths from bites of the false black widow spider have ever been recorded and their bites are rare. They still bite when they are not handled with care. The females are the ones that commonly bite and the males do not.

While the false black widow may not be as dangerous as the black widow, it is still essential to avoid them if possible. Since they usually create webs near the ground, bites may also occur on the leg. Make sure that your garden or your yard does not have this species of spider. If you suspect that you have a false black widow infestation, call a professional pest control to solve the problem for you.

Photo by Ryan Kaldari (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons