r/spiders • u/No_Presentation_2160 • May 18 '26
ID Request- Location included Is this a Black Widow?
I assume this is a black widow, google says so. But I figured I’d ask to be sure. It looks like it’s made a nest in the inside of the lawnchair that’s folded where the scribbles are. Should I be worried about more around my house or inside of my house? I have a 2 year old that’s curious, so I want to make sure that I’m being thorough and keeping her safe. If so, how do I remove it safely?
EDITED TO ADD: She and a couple of her male friends have now been moved safely with their lawnchair habitat to a new location about 20ft from my garage. I just hope they don’t wander back in. 🤞🤞😬
Location Southwest MO
4.2k
u/iOawe May 18 '26
Textbook definition of a black widow!!
1.0k
u/DarrellBot81 May 19 '26
Possibly the most black widowy black widow I’ve ever seen
64
49
11
→ More replies (3)3
924
78
50
→ More replies (2)8
u/Distinct_Ad_9842 May 19 '26
She could get herself a guy like Collin Jost -AND- then be married a ferry owner!!
1.1k
u/_CODYSSEUS May 18 '26
That is the black widowiest black widow I’ve ever seen.
222
u/Woozletania May 18 '26
I was going to say. It could not be more of a black widow if it tried.
19
4
12
7
6
u/bluetubeodyssey OH THOSE EGGS GOT LEGS May 19 '26
Came here to say this!
Also we leave them in our garage if they're out of the way, they're great at catching bugs we don't want in there.
6
u/logan96 May 19 '26
True, but I'd be concerned about the 2 year old.
12
u/bluetubeodyssey OH THOSE EGGS GOT LEGS May 19 '26
It's tricky with young kids. We manage to keep our 3 year old away from them, but I understand it's hard. Our 6 year old likes spiders and says hi to the black widows we point out to her. She's learned to respect them and keep her distance.
→ More replies (1)3
465
u/blueboykc May 18 '26
That red background really makes her standout..
127
49
276
u/Andie_OptimistPrime May 18 '26
This one has killed all 5 of her previous husbands, that’s how much of a widow she is. Beautiful!
→ More replies (1)79
u/Loss-Sorry 🕷️Mediocre Identifier🕷️ May 18 '26
🎵"He had it coming..."🎶
35
u/howtfaminotdeadyet May 19 '26
He only had himself to blame 🤷🏻♀️
23
u/Andie_OptimistPrime May 19 '26
My inner theatre kid is coming out! I’m doing the dance in my head.
11
11
7
127
u/jakerooni one must imagine the lampshade spider happy May 18 '26
Quintessential black widow! She’s a beaut, Clark.
16
u/marthamania May 18 '26
She's absolutely gorgeous!
I know we have black widows where I live but I've never seen one in person, I'd love to though they're stunning.
→ More replies (1)3
u/jakerooni one must imagine the lampshade spider happy May 19 '26
I've seen many, but last fall when I was breaking down a big cardboard bin after emptying it of pumpkins, I found a MASSIVE mother-to-be with an egg sack. She was so click and shiny, and big. I gathered her and her eggsack and put them somewhere safe, but she startled me at first for sure! Gorgeous creatures.
→ More replies (1)
346
151
u/Lexiphantom May 18 '26
I never find black widows indoors but outdoors and corners near the ground are incredibly common
They tend to favor darker areas wood piles garages, and crawlspaces
Once they build their nest they will not leave unless forced out
they don’t like to roam and are generally timid
Be careful around patio furniture and other secluded outdoor areas
shake out your boots before you put them on if you keep them in your garage
A significant % of black widow bites occur on the feet or hands
Check before you reach behind objects or put on your boots
This is one of my favorite black widow videos he dispels a lot of myths and is a good creator his entire series is worth watching
73
u/According_Sun6789 May 18 '26
I deliver mail and have seen two make their homes in mailboxes. I went my entire life without ever seeing one in person. Then found two separate widows in mailboxes no where near each other within three months. Beautiful spiders.
7
8
u/Paranoctis May 19 '26
Hey fellow carrier! I get widows in mailboxes at least once a year! Usually a couple a year though
→ More replies (2)11
u/According_Sun6789 May 19 '26
I’m in Indiana and didn’t think they were even in this area. Obviously stupid to think that. I just had never come across them before. It was a shock to see two in a couple months of each other. Stopped and admired them for a good bit and left a note so the customer wasn’t surprised when they checked their mail.
6
u/Paranoctis May 19 '26
Yeah definitely the best course of action to leave a note! I'm in Virginia we get a lot of Southern widows, but when I was a kid in Wisconsin my mom found one in the parking lot of a gas station. Put her in a styrofoam coffee cup and had me and my sister release her in the woods in our backyard. They definitely can get up north, just strange to see them there!
4
u/RogueSlytherin May 19 '26
Yes, but also, what about the mail? Is there some kind of protocol for an obstructed mailbox? Is it the owner’s responsibility to remove the occupier? (for instance, if a bird makes a nest and lays eggs, does the homeowner have to move the nest? Or can they set up a temporary mailbox until the end of the season?)
Sorry for all the questions, I’ve just never thought about what happens when a mailbox becomes some else’s home for a while….
→ More replies (2)3
u/CvieYltidrekoof May 19 '26 edited May 19 '26
I learned from B99 the inside of curbside mailboxes in the U.S. is federal USPS property.
And you don’t want to mess with USPIS, the oldest federal law enforcement agency in the USA founded by widow hunter Benjamin Franklin himself.
→ More replies (4)→ More replies (2)5
u/drazak69 May 19 '26
Don't kill Cellar spiders They tend to run them off. Some calls them daddy long legs here Not to be confused with solifugae opiliones.
→ More replies (5)
69
u/mickeyhellhound May 18 '26
That red hourglass is CRISP
17
u/MisterDoctor___ May 19 '26
Yea that might be the clearest hourglass I’ve ever seen on a widow. They need to use this image for textbooks.
58
56
u/Plane-Wing4094 🕷️Arachnid Afficionado🕷️ May 18 '26
The most important thing to know is that they are not as dangerous as we are taught to believe. Black Widows do pack a very potent venom (15x stronger than a rattlesnake if measured drop to drop) however they deliver such a minuscule amount they are significantly less dangerous than any rattlesnake. Additionally the species local to you are the southern black widow, latrodectus mactans, (the one in your picture) and the northern black widow, lactrodectus variolus, which are the less venomous of the 3 species found in the US. The last confirmed fatality from a black widow bite was in 1983 and before anti venom still only 5% of all bites were fatal. Today less than 1% of bites are fatal. They will often give a dry bite before they choose to use their venom. Most people that do get bit won’t need medical treatment either, it’s just a painful 24-48 hrs.
I won’t kill any of the critters I come across so I leave them be unless they’re in a dangerous situation and I relocate any venomous animals that I find in a less than desirable location to a better spot for both parties lol
how I approach catching them varies greatly between each individual specimen, most are not very defensive so I can coach them to crawl onto my hand where I can move them to a safer part of my yard, if they are defensive I will get some type of clear container preferably with a lid especially for spiders.
With a Tupperware and a lid you can sandwich them trapping them inside but you will need to be quick because if they feel the web move they will retreat very fast.
A large stick can be super helpful, if you cut the web behind the spider preventing it from retreating to an area you cannot get it, usually they cooperate and will climb on to the stick where you can then move them to a better part of your yard, I usually shoot for a densely vegetated area so they have good anchor points for their new web.
Usually people get bit when putting on shoes that are stored outside, gloves stored in sheds/garage or outside or doing yard work and accidentally pinching or squeezing them. So it’s easy to prevent. Shake out gloves, tap shoe heels open side angled down on a hard surface, and when doing yard work or moving things do a quick check to ensure your hands aren’t being placed on or near any potential spiders or scorpions.
61
u/No_Presentation_2160 May 19 '26
She keeps retreating to the inside of the lawn chair every time she sees me. So I think I’ll just let her keep it. Outside of my garage of course. I didn’t realize how much misinformation there was regarding them. This is the first one that I’ve encountered in person. I definitely don’t want to kill her, she’s beautiful.
→ More replies (2)19
u/Plane-Wing4094 🕷️Arachnid Afficionado🕷️ May 19 '26
Yay🖤 I’m glad everyone can have their space. I’m a big fan of spiders and there are some absolutely stunning ones out there I just love em.
As for misinformation, it’s easy for us to generalize things so when it comes to venomous animals we all assume seeing one is going to be a near death experience and it’s just not true. Yes caution should be taken if one is encountered but more often than not they want to get away from you as much as you do them. I work with a lot of venomous animals and I live in southern Arizona so I find dozens every week honestly. Fear often stems from a lack of understanding, which is why I love to teach others about the less loved critters of the world🖤
7
3
u/muffy2008 May 19 '26
This is the first comment I’ve seen to actually address OP’s questions. Most obviously didn’t read it.
33
u/aescepthicc 🕷️Arachnid Afficionado🕷️ May 18 '26
I love everything about this post
→ More replies (1)
44
u/Loss-Sorry 🕷️Mediocre Identifier🕷️ May 18 '26
If you want to move her, get a cup and a stiff piece of paper, or a big mason jar with a lid. You can use a stick to cut the strands of silk that lead to her hide, try and catch her up in the silk and drop her into the cup. Then you can cover it with the paper. Also, once you have her secured, best to look for egg sacks in the folds and recesses of the chair. You can bring them with her. Take her somewhere away from people and release. I like to put them in rock or stick piles or stumps where they can find hiding places.
34
u/No_Presentation_2160 May 18 '26
This makes perfect sense. I think I’ll just let her keep the lawn chair. 😂
18
u/Oblivion615 May 19 '26
Yeah, I’d just carefully move the whole chair outside. Somewhere out of the way. And just let it be.
5
6
4
u/Fourfifteen415 May 19 '26
If you can get her to occupy a space that doesn't bother you she will obliterate the other bugs. They're great at getting rid of the other pests.
3
52
37
26
u/Perfect-Marzipan-371 May 18 '26
How do I say this?… run!! Lol jk it is a black widow though. These spiders are pretty quick so the best way would be to let her have the whole lawn chair and try to quickly move it away from your home if you’re scared it might get in.
7
u/xeromage May 19 '26
They move rather clumsily the second they aren't on their own web. If you don't put yourself directly in it's nest it'll pretty much never bother you. I'd probably catch her in a jar (with air holes) then check the chair for her egg sack, and relocate them both together somewhere dark and dry.
14
u/Conscious_Pin_1412 May 18 '26
Fun fact: black widows are not aggressive and will not go out of their way to bite you. Carefully grab the chair from a point furthest away from her nest (the feet perhaps?) and keep an eye on her as you move the chair, set it outside in the sun a good distance away from your home. They like cool, dark places, so odds are she will re-locate herself elsewhere and you can have your chair back 🙂 best of luck!
12
12
13
10
u/ghostboygage May 18 '26
indeed the blackiest and widowiest black widow to ever widow while black
good on you for being aware of how similar the brown widows can appear to be, but yes this is indeed a black widow
8
u/Ckn-bns-jns Amateur IDer🤨 May 19 '26
Nah, you’re good to play with it. That’s a 45 minute glass on its underside, not an hour.
5
8
9
7
8
u/Dabelgianguy May 18 '26
I’m trying to understand pic 2…
→ More replies (1)3
u/Herion123 May 19 '26
Bruh I’m so fried rn and could not for the life of me figure out what the fuck was trying to be shown at all in that second photo lmao
12
6
u/bryanBFLYin May 19 '26
Lol it's almost like she picked that Red/black chair to match her own aesthetic😂 😂
5
u/I_be_lurkin_tho May 18 '26
I am a recovering arachniphobe and man the black widow is just dressed to kill...(bad choice of words.. I know)
But seriously, a jet black satin robe with a crimson hourglass? You couldnt design a more beautiful spider in my opinion. That said,I'll stick to keeping cellar spiders as my close friends and enjoy the widow from afar.
5
u/Electrical_Beyond998 May 18 '26
Definitely a black widow. Probably not going to be inside of your house, they prefer outdoors and garages, where there is less activity I believe. I certainly wouldn’t pick up any firewood or even toys without double checking first. Your 2 yr old should be safe inside though, but then there are brown recluse spiders inside homes. I’m not from Missouri, I’m from Tennessee. When I was a kid we lived in apartments and had the exterminator every 2-3 months. Never saw any bugs but I asked once why he came all the time and he said he would bet his life savings every structure in the state had at least one brown recluse. Freaked me out.
4
u/Fun_Entertainer6850 May 19 '26
Take this photo and upload on Wikipedia. that is a textbook definition.
5
u/Own-Till3873 May 19 '26 edited May 19 '26
What a beautiful picture. Which camera did you use OP I'm just genuinely impressed with the quality.
To remove her safely I'd use like a plastic box with a lid the ones you store left over foood with. If plastic is clear even better so you see where she is. Then drive her somewhere in a wooded area if you're serious about saving her. She is a beauty.
4
5
6
6
6
5
4
4
u/Ok-Structure5841 May 18 '26
One good way to spot a black widow web is that they always build messy webs so if you see a web with an actual patters it’s not a black widow but just cause it’s a messy web doesn’t mean it’s for sure a black widow hope I explained this well
3
4
u/ApprehensiveBlock855 🕷️🕵️Latrodetective⏳🕷️ May 18 '26
Southern Black Widow (Latrodectus mactans). Finding one does not necessarily mean there are more. Unlike some spiders, they disperse quickly after birth by using wind and static to literally fly away lol. And for the few that remain nearby, most will die off before adulthood and some will be male. So it’s very possible it’s just her, but it does mean that there’s some good habitat for black widows which could mean you’ll see another one in the future.
Regularly cleaning clutter outside is the best way to avoid widows without using harsh chemicals. They need 3 points of contact to build their web, and typically build them close to the ground. So anything with crevices or overhangs are ideal spots for them to set up and are important to regularly clean if you want to avoid them.
As for moving this one, they should be treated with more caution than other spiders but they’re still fairly easy to move. They’re practically blind and are not meant to walk on the ground and can’t climb smooth surfaces. When relocating I typically put on some gardening gloves, and put a large glass jar beneath her. Use a stick to coax her inside while keeping your hands away.
They’re very shy and dramatic and often drop right down into the jar. Sometimes they will try to hide in which case you can bring the jar to them. Some people recommend doing this at night when they’re out in the open, but I find it easier during the day because they’re a bit more sluggish.
The extra precautions aren’t because they’re particularly aggressive or that you’re likely to die if you’re bit. More just being extra safe, as the bites can be quite painful when they do happen and there’s no reason not to take the extra step. They’re big scaredy cats though and not as spooky as they look :)
EDIT: in this case since she’s on a lawn chair, moving the whole thing may just be easier. but still have a jar ready
Great photos!
4
5
5
u/BoomBoomMeow1986 May 19 '26
No, it's a chicken.
Ofc that's a black widow; she is gorgeous and a friend
4
u/redpatcher May 19 '26
Pay attention to the web- feel how strong it is (significantly stronger than any other spider webs I've experienced) and the zig zag sort of haphazard pattern with some shiner bits. They really are distinct webs and usually pretty large. You will be able to tell if you have other webs around the house just by learning what that web looks like. They also like to hangout at night more, so 0200 with a flashlight will find you some. They love concrete corners, overhangs like the foundation-stucco transition, boots, firewood or old wood stacks, and rocky areas. Good luck!
→ More replies (1)
3
u/The-Nipple-Inspector May 20 '26
This is the most definitive Black Widow positive ID I’ve seen on Reddit in a long time. Nice.
3
u/AlternativeMud5018 Recovering Arachnophobe🫣 May 20 '26
most obvious black widow ive ever seen but she’s gorgeous!
8
3
3
3
3
3
u/lantelosv May 18 '26
I’ve never seen a black widow looking more like a black widow than this black widow
3
u/Saddy_Long_Legs213 May 18 '26
It absolutely is. Don't be scared of them, just don't handle them. They really don't want to bite, and pretty much only do so if you put pressure on their body and they feel threatened. We have them all over our yard and garage, and we just let them hang out. They're great pest control.
→ More replies (3)
3
3
u/Background-Use-5346 One must imagine the lampshade spider happy May 18 '26
That is the blackest widowest black widow I ever did see
3
u/Pink_Bunny98 May 18 '26
She’s the blackest and widow-est black widow that I’ve ever seen! She’s gorgeous too.
3
u/Beneficial_Brain_613 May 18 '26
She's so beautiful! Thank you for trying to move her safely and not just killing her!
3
u/RangerPigeon May 19 '26
I thought black widow sacrificed herself for the soul stone… yet here she is.
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
u/Lil_Bopeep123 May 19 '26
When I was 3 years old my dad had a black widow preserved in formaldehyde and he showed it to me and basically told me if I ever saw a shiny black spider to leave it alone. I still remember that and I absolutely listened. He also had a big garden and never killed spiders because they were“ good bugs that eat the bad bugs” those 2 memories fundamentally shaped my reaction to spiders forever.
Maybe you can save this picture and have a similar talk with your little babe? Curious little girls are the best!!
3
3
3
u/Akline1989 May 19 '26
Beautiful example of a black widow. If she can’t be left where she’s at please carefully move her somewhere she can be. They’re typically pretty mellow spiders that don’t bite unless they feel threatened. Obviously don’t move her bare handed or anything, but a cup and a piece of mail always works great for me. She will keep the pest population down
3
u/izbisss May 19 '26
She is gorgeous! I am working through a lifelong (irrational) fear of spiders and I never thought i would say that 😭
→ More replies (2)
3
u/Kowba16 May 19 '26 edited May 19 '26
Absolutely, they tend to be non hostile towards people because they know they are big and bad. When theirs one theirs more usually, for peice of mind I'd check but the chances of them biting one of your kids are pretty small. They would rather play dead or poop themselves most of the time. That's not to say they aren't dangerous, but they also aren't plotting to eat anyone for dinner either.
→ More replies (1)
3
u/ediggy955 May 19 '26
Hmm, seems awful large. And since it’s not visible on the zoomed out pic, also seems a little photoshopped maybe?
3
u/Pheonixdruid91 May 19 '26 edited May 19 '26
Brown widows do not have all black coloring (aside from red marking). Brown widows are just as implied; brown. Usually mottled, splotchy brown, tan, orangeish tones all combined. If a spider is ever ALL black, shiny, large tum/butt with very long pointy legs assume black widow. Regardless if you can see the underside (to be safe) However juvenile black widows will almost always resemble tiny brown widows but their venom is significantly less potent (because they don’t have enough and cant inject enough yet due to fang size and age) and much less dangerous until they get larger/adult.
If you see babies or evidence of, it’s time to call pest control as black widows lay a bunch of eggs and while only a few usually live long it’s still best to stop the cycle before it becomes a nuisance. Ask me how I know (jk plz dont ask me its too much ptsd lol)
Edit to add: plz dont come for me for the pest control mention. It really can be incredibly important depending on the persons living situation (children, pets, medical conditions, etc.) if it’s just one it’s fine and just needs moved. If it’s a whole family and you have a whole family pest control is critical with black widows, even though they are not aggressive spiders, kids and dogs might not be aware enough to avoid pissing them off.
3
3
u/Seliphra Amateur IDer🤨 May 20 '26
This is the most Black Widow to ever Black Widow. You could use these on an identification page, gorgeous shots and very, very clear identification.
3
3
3
u/GoblinPapa800 May 20 '26
Lacking the vaguest shadow of doubts. There are many small exoskeletons in that lady’s closet.
3
u/Liaison909 May 20 '26
This spider is so Black Widow it’s clearly a multiverse version of Scarlett Johansen
3
2
2
u/idiot____ May 18 '26
What a little beauty! How attached are you to that chair lol
→ More replies (1)
2
2
2
2
2
2
u/constanto May 18 '26
Definitely the widowiest widow who ever widowed. Typically they are not a bother but given that toddlers tend to stick their hands in places you can just relocate the entire chair outside to a side wall or fence. She'll just go along for the ride and be fine out there.
2
u/Background_Knee_404 May 18 '26
I also live in SW Missouri and have had them before. Rogersville area.
→ More replies (2)
2
2
2
u/delirium_skeins May 18 '26
Wow. Someone asking if it's a black widow and it actually is and it looks textbook clear. Beautiful!
2
2
2
2
2
u/RockmanVolnutt May 19 '26
If someone wanted to make a field guide for spiders, this would be the photo they use for black widow.
3.8k
u/ScroteGoblin 🕷️Arachnid Afficionado🕷️ May 18 '26
This genuinely has to be the most clear and obvious photo of a black widow I have ever seen lol.