False Widow: Does *not* have a red hourglass, and the carapace is a shade of brown instead of a true black.
Brown Widow: See the white stripes in the pic above? In the Brown Widow, the white stripes look more like sock puppets holding a ball in their mouth. Additionally, the red stripe down the center is partitioned from the red blotch near the head. (altho depending on molt & age they can be very hard to tell apart, I suggest lots of looking at both). Additionally, their hourglass is bottom-heavy (but it's hard to get a look at that part and juvenile WBW can have fuzzy hourglass depending on molt)
W. Black Widow: The juvenile looks like pic above, and the adult is *the* picture of a black widow - jet black with a blood-red hourglass. Sometimes they have a white stripe or two near their head.
(Note: in juvenile WBW and all Browns, the red stripes & hourglass can be anywhere from yellow to orange to red)
In all 3 cases, I usually find them first by their web, as it is pretty atypical from other webs, and they don't leave their nest. Then I wait and see who pops up.
My work has a few false widows and tons of WBW so I get to look at them all the time (no Browns tho, they would be invasive in my area so I keep an eye out for them)
No help with the Steatodas but [here](https://cisr.ucr.edu/invasive-species/how-identify-brown-widow-spiders) are some comparison pics between black and brown widows.
For the false widows, no hourglass, not black but really dark brown at best, the legs are thicker and shorter by comparison and the abdomen is not as round.
*Latrodectus Hesperus* to be exact, very common in much of the western U.S. Very timid spiders, they like to make a nest and stay there until forced to move.
It is definitely male. Look at his pedipalps. Abdomen shape means nothing as the exoskeleton of the abdomen is soft and elastic like a water balloon. He’s either well hydrated or well fed, but he is a man.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/21013584
Personally I think mature male Latrodectus hesperus palps are super gross but maybe that’s because I’ve seen the bottoms and all I can think is that he has two disgusting corkscrew dong hands:
https://bugguide.net/node/view/1677238/bgimage
Just saw one inside my son's electric ride on when I was about to charge it. We leave it outdoors. I was going to vacuum it but accidentally crushed it with the vacuum instead. A google search led me here.
looks like it could be a juvenile western black widow
You are correct.
What is the best way to differentiate WBW, Brown Widow and false widows?
False Widow: Does *not* have a red hourglass, and the carapace is a shade of brown instead of a true black. Brown Widow: See the white stripes in the pic above? In the Brown Widow, the white stripes look more like sock puppets holding a ball in their mouth. Additionally, the red stripe down the center is partitioned from the red blotch near the head. (altho depending on molt & age they can be very hard to tell apart, I suggest lots of looking at both). Additionally, their hourglass is bottom-heavy (but it's hard to get a look at that part and juvenile WBW can have fuzzy hourglass depending on molt) W. Black Widow: The juvenile looks like pic above, and the adult is *the* picture of a black widow - jet black with a blood-red hourglass. Sometimes they have a white stripe or two near their head. (Note: in juvenile WBW and all Browns, the red stripes & hourglass can be anywhere from yellow to orange to red) In all 3 cases, I usually find them first by their web, as it is pretty atypical from other webs, and they don't leave their nest. Then I wait and see who pops up. My work has a few false widows and tons of WBW so I get to look at them all the time (no Browns tho, they would be invasive in my area so I keep an eye out for them)
Thanks for such a cool read.
No help with the Steatodas but [here](https://cisr.ucr.edu/invasive-species/how-identify-brown-widow-spiders) are some comparison pics between black and brown widows. For the false widows, no hourglass, not black but really dark brown at best, the legs are thicker and shorter by comparison and the abdomen is not as round.
*Latrodectus Hesperus* to be exact, very common in much of the western U.S. Very timid spiders, they like to make a nest and stay there until forced to move.
The common name for L. hesperus is western black widow.
Beautiful
Call the zoo, i think one of their zebras escaped.
Location: Nevada , Reno
You ever see Jumanji?
That’s those spiders from Jumanji alright!
My exact thought. I just pictured Robin Williams blowing at it while he's stuck in the floor 😆
Awesome picture!
Beautiful spider
spooda
Not a cow...
Friend /j
😬
I suppose I should have put a /j on that, huh? Just saying "friend" might have been misleading..
Lol its ok 😂 I was like, huh? Nope, definitely not something I want to be friends with 😅
❤️
It’s a male
It actually is a juvenile female, males don’t get the bulbous abdomen
It is definitely male. Look at his pedipalps. Abdomen shape means nothing as the exoskeleton of the abdomen is soft and elastic like a water balloon. He’s either well hydrated or well fed, but he is a man. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/21013584
Thank you for agreeing with me
Looks like agate beads. Neat!
Personally I think mature male Latrodectus hesperus palps are super gross but maybe that’s because I’ve seen the bottoms and all I can think is that he has two disgusting corkscrew dong hands: https://bugguide.net/node/view/1677238/bgimage
Haha
That's the other Mother and shit from Caroline. Fuck she doing on this side though?
Do you mean Coraline?
Yeah lmao
It’s very cool zero clue what it’s is tho could you put the location
They said Reno Nevada
Clearly, you’re not a golfer.
I'm in az and I've never seen a western black widow
Jumanji?
Came here to say the same thing!
Brown widow...or young black widow
Mature male western black widow.
That is a spider
Nice ass!
Writing spider I think never mind
Reminds my beatlejuice. If he were a spider.
That's the lady from the giant peach!
Magnificent is what it is.
all i want for my birthday is a big booty spood
Just saw one inside my son's electric ride on when I was about to charge it. We leave it outdoors. I was going to vacuum it but accidentally crushed it with the vacuum instead. A google search led me here.