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BUGS » SPIDERS AND OTHER ARACHNIDS Co-authored by:

Elmer Bensinger
How to Identify a Black Widow Spider Pest Control Specialist

Co-authored by Elmer Bensinger and Hunter Rising Download Article Co-authors: 35

Last Updated: February 18, 2023 Approved 21 votes - 74% Updated: February 18,
Click a star to vote 2023
Black widows are spiders found across the world and are one of the most venomous Views: 609,445
species in the United States. Even though black widow bites are rarely fatal and only
happen when you provoke a spider, they can still cause a lot of pain and make you
Marley Ozyilmaz
extremely sick. If you’re worried about a spider you found near your home, there are Aug 16, 2017
many ways to tell if you’re dealing with this dangerous species. We’ll start with some "Thanks to this article, I was able to tell that
distinguishing physical features to look out for and move on to information about the the house that I have just moved into was
infested with about 20..." more
spiders’ webs and where to find them.
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1 Red hourglass marking Download Article

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Check for 1–2 red triangles on the bottom of the spider’s body. The triangles You Might Also Like
are on the bottom of the spider’s backside, also known as its abdomen, so they'll
be visible when the spider is hanging from a web but harder to see if it's crawling
around.[1] The triangles might connect to form an hourglass shape, or they
could be separated by a black stripe.[2]
How to
Black widows can have up to 4 red spots on the top of their abdomens. Kill Black Widow How to Get Rid of
Markings are usually red, but they could also look yellowish-orange. Spiders Black Widows
Use a magnifying glass or take a picture to get a better look without
moving closer.

How to How to
Identify a Brown Identify Spider Egg
2 Shiny black bodies for females Download Article
Widow Spider Sacs

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Females are seen most often and they have hairless, dark bodies. Female
black widows are dark-colored and have smooth, shiny bodies that grow up to
1⁄ in (13 mm) long, excluding the legs.[3] While the spiders are usually jet
2
black, they could also have a brown or purple tinge on their bodies.[4]
How to What’s the Most
Female black widows are more dangerous since they're more prevalent Make Yourself Common Zodiac
More Attractive Sign?
and more likely to bite than males.

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Look for white and tan patterns on these lesser-seen spiders. Young spiders
and males have reddish-brown legs and a splotchy white abdomen. Males retain
the same color as they mature, but they’re only half the size of females, or about How to
1⁄ in (6.4 mm) long.[5] What Does WSP Make Yourself
4 Mean? More Attractive
Males are much rarer to find since they have a shorter lifespan and are
smaller.
Male and juvenile female black widows don’t have large enough fangs to Featured Articles

bite humans.[6]

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The back half of the spider's body will look like a large ball. The abdomen is
the back half of the spider’s body and looks much larger than the head. Female
How to How to
black widows have bulbous abdomens that have the signature hourglass marking Fold T Shirts for Roast Baby
on the bottom. Males still have round abdomens, but they aren’t as large or Travel Potatoes

prominent as their female counterparts.

Some female black widows have abdomens that are larger than 1⁄2 in
(13 mm) in diameter.
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Walk on a Leash Make a Terrarium

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Black widows’ legs grow longer than their bodies. A female black widow can
grow to around 1 1⁄2 inches (3.8 cm) long when you include the legs. Check the
spider for long black legs if it’s a female or reddish-brown legs if it’s a male.
Typically, the front pair of legs are the longest.[7]

6 Bristles on back legs Download Article

Check for comb-like bristles on the rear set of legs. Use a magnifying glass
or zoom in on a picture of the spider to see if it has short hairs along its back
legs. A black widow uses these bristles to help wrap webs around its prey so it
can’t get away.[8]
Both males and females have bristles on their legs.
Be careful when you get close to a spider since it could bite if it feels
provoked.

7 Irregular tangled web near the ground Download Article

Search for messy cobwebs with vertical silk strands. Black widows don’t
weave large symmetrical webs that you’re used to seeing. Instead, they make
cobwebs that fit the space where they live and look erratically thrown together.[9]
Search the web for a few strands that go vertically since the spider uses these to
trap prey. You’ll usually find the webs within 3 feet (0.91 m) of the ground so they
can catch prey crawling on the ground.[10]
Some black widows build webs in eaves on your home, but it’s more likely
you’ll find them closer to the ground.
If you break apart a black widow web, you should hear an audible ripping
sound.

8 Webs in quiet, dark places Download Article

Holes, sheds, and cluttered basements are common spots for webs.
Outdoors, check between logs in woodpiles, near rock piles, or in holes between
bricks and pipes. Even though black widows don’t usually go inside since there
isn’t enough prey, they may come in during cold winter weather. Look through
cluttered areas of basements, attics, or closets.[11]
If you’re looking for black widows, wear gloves and long sleeves to protect
yourself from potential bites.

9 Active at night Download Article

You usually won’t see black widows out during the day. Black widow spiders
are nocturnal, so they come out to their webs at night and wait for prey. If you’re
concerned about a black widow, wait until the sun goes down and look near any
webs you’ve found to see if the black widow is there.[12]

10 Hanging upside-down Download Article

Look for the spider hanging in its web with its belly exposed. When you see
a spider on a web, check if the abdomen is pointing up. You should be able to
see any red hourglass markings on the bottom of the spider while it’s in this
position, so it’ll be easy to tell if you’re dealing with a black widow or not.[13]

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I get rid of black widow spiders naturally?

Elmer Bensinger
Pest Control Specialist
Expert Answer

If you can eliminate their food source, they won't stay there. Black widows usually
make their webs down low, so to cut off their food source, you want to trim back
vegetation and remove clutter.
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 3

Question

Can I use pesticides to get rid of black widows?

Elmer Bensinger
Pest Control Specialist
Expert Answer

Spraying pesticides around the outside of your house will help because it will
reduce their food source and deter them from staying there. If you're seeing a ton
of them, I would definitely get an expert out there to see what's going on though.
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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Tips

Black widows aren’t aggressive, so it’s not likely that you’ll be bitten by one unless
you provoke it.[14]

Wear gloves and long-sleeved shirts when you’re working somewhere where a
black widow may hide so you’re less likely to get bitten.[15]

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Warnings

Black widows are extremely venomous. If you get bitten by a black widow, seek
medical help right away.[16]

Black widow bites feel like a pinprick at first, but they can lead to swelling, pain,
difficulty breathing, nausea, and sweating within 1 hour.[17]

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References

1. ↑ https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/black_widow_spider.pdf
2. ↑ Elmer Bensinger. Pest Control Specialist. Expert Interview. 5 February 2021.
3. ↑ https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/black_widow_spider.pdf
4. ↑ http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74149.html
5. ↑ http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74149.html
6. ↑ https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/home/the-black-widow/
7. ↑ https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/invasive-wildlife-control/black-widow-and-recluses/
8. ↑ https://www.livescience.com/39919-black-widow-spiders.html
9. ↑ https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/home/the-black-widow/

More References (8)

About This Article

Co-authored by:
Elmer Bensinger
Pest Control Specialist

This article was co-authored by Elmer Bensinger and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising.
Elmer Bensinger is a Pest Control Specialist with Eden Advanced Pest Technologies in
Spokane, Washington. With over 20 years of experience, Elmer specializes in integrated pest
management and products such as insecticides and rodenticides. He studied business at South
Puget Sound Community College. This article has been viewed 609,445 times.

Co-authors: 35
21 votes - 74% Updated: February 18, 2023
Views: 609,445

Categories: Spiders and Other Arachnids

In other languages:
Español: identificar una araña viuda negra
Italiano: Riconoscere una Vedova Nera
Português: Identificar a Aranha Viúva Negra
Deutsch: Eine Schwarze Witwe identifizieren
Русский: распознать черную вдову
Français: reconnaitre une veuve noire
Bahasa Indonesia: Mengidentifikasi Laba
Laba Jenis Black Widow
Nederlands: Een zwarte weduwe identificeren
‫اﻟﺗﻌرف ﻋﻠﻰ ﻋﻧﺎﻛب اﻷرﻣﻠﺔ اﻟﺳوداء‬:‫اﻟﻌرﺑﯾﺔ‬
中文: 辨认黑寡妇蜘蛛
Tiếng Việt: Nhận diện nhện góa phụ đen

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