Spider with what looks like an X on it's back?

Question

Hi,

I killed a spider and I was wondering what kind it might be. It is very very small though. It looks like it has an X on the back. It crossed my mind that maybe it was just to small but it might be the hourglass thing, but it isn't red. It is a tan colored X. Again this spider is tiny. Does anyone know, or could it be possible that it is a black widow, or what. Thanks

Answer 1

This might help: http://www.usq.edu.au/spider/find/Spider... though it's Australian, but they have tons of spiders there.

This woman's got a good grasp of what dangerous spiders look like (black widows etc), with links to pictures and good detail, so you'll find it here probably: http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Glade

Answer 2

Hmmm...sorry to chastise, but there's no need to be killing spiders. You could put it outside. Spiders are not evil.

Answer 3

Learn to ID venomous-spiders with the help of this site -

http://venomous-spiders.nanders.dk/spide...

And don't kill spiders instead -

Use this a useful tool to catch spiders -

Spider and Insect Catch and Release Tool

http://www.smarthome.com/61181.html

You can remove a spider from inside your house by putting a jar over it. Then slip a piece of paper under the jar so that the opening is sealed, pick up the jar, and take the spider outside.

A broom is also a useful tool for moving a spider outside.

Chemicals Are Ineffective

Using a pesticide is not a good solution to spider problems. "Insecticides will not provide long-term control" of spiders, according to the University of California, "and should not generally be used against spiders outdoors." Inside, "control by spraying is only temporary unless accompanied by housekeeping."

Washington State University Extension has a similar perspective: "Most spider problems can be solved without the use of chemicals." -

Preventing Spider Problems

There are many ways to make your home less appealing to spiders. If there are cracks in your foundation or around windows and doors, seal them up.

Check places where water pipes and electrical lines enter your house, and caulk any openings.

Keep woodpiles and debris away from your house.

In storage areas, put boxes up off the floor and away from walls.

Seal boxes with tape to keep spiders from living inside them. In general, cleaning up clutter will mean you have fewer spiders.

Pruning vegetation away from your house and keeping the area next to the foundation clear will also make your house less attractive to spiders.

Outdoor lighting sometimes attracts insects, which in turn attracts spiders. You can move outdoor lighting away from windows and doors if this is a problem around your home. - http://www.pesticide.org/spiders.html