Is this a black widow? Should I worry?

Question

I found a strange spider hanging around near the bottom of my backdoor today. It was shaped like a black widow, but it seemed to have white spots or dots on the upper part of its bulbous section (on the opposite side of where you'd expect the hourglass to be).

I sucked it up in my vacuum cleaner, but I'm understandly nervous. Just yesterday, I heard that there was another black widow not two feet from that spot, but outside.

How many more black widows might there be and should I worry? I assume these are black widows and I'm also assuming there are many more I'm NOT aware of. Will they climb into my bed or farther into the house?

Answer 1

I have never heard of an infestation of black widows. I don't believe they are(not trying to be funny) pack hunters. I thought black widows have red on their abdomen. call pest control. see what they say.

Answer 2

Unless you have absolute confirmation of the species, then you maybe concerned.  So get a positive id.  I personally doubt it is a black widow.  Your description and where you found it are both inconsistent with the species.

I have black widows.  I found one in the outside ac unit.  I have found many in the wood pile.  They prefer dark quite places that are unaffected by wind and rain.  Once you see one you will remember it.  They are very different looking from most the spiders you see around the house.

http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/sp...

Lizzy?  Can you prove you are a zoologist?  Cause what you should have said is "subspecies of black widow" or perhaps a color phase.

Answer 3

Worrying accomplishes NOTHING.  And, it causes you stress and anxiety.  So why do it?

There are no Black Widow Spiders with white spots on the ventral (top) surface of their abdomen.

The chance of you being bitten by a Black Widow is extremely slim.  You would have to grab it or step on it with your bare feet, or something like that.  They are NOT aggressive, and they do not seek out people to bite them.

This species of spider likes dark, damp places like under your house.  Rarely, if ever, do you find one out in the light.

Please understand, 99.9% of all spiders are harmless to humans, and they do a great deal of good helping to keep our planet healthy and strong.  If it were not for spiders we would be overrun by insects, like Flys, Termites, Gnats, Mosquitoes, Cockroaches, Crickets, Aphids, etc, etc..  Would you rather have "one" little spider in your house, or "100" Cockroaches.  Actually, even a Black Widow Spider will help your home by killing any pesky insect that ventures near.

Answer 4

I am a professional zoologist and you definitely should worry. Black widows with white spots or dots are a very dangerous species of black widows.

Answer 5

I wouldn't worry about them. We used to have Redback Spiders (the Aussie relative of the Black Widow) in our house when I was a kid. They really don't get in your way at all. They just hang out in dark corners. I think they would be one of the least likely spiders to bite you, because they just hide and don't move around much at all.

Hope that helps.