Description Like black widows, the female S. grossa is 6-10.5 mm in length and dark colored with a round, bulbous abdomen. Typical coloration ranges from purplish brown to black, with light-colored markings. Size The female false black widow normally has a body size of 0.25-0.40 inches (6-10 mm). Their total leg span is about 1 inch (25 mm). The male is slightly smaller and has an oblong abdomen. The male false widow spider looks very different from the female and has a long abdomen. Photo: Flickr Web
Male Steatoda grossa (False Black Widow) in Aberdeen, Washington United
Size and appearance Female 8.5-14 mm Male: 7-10 mm Always larger than S. bipunctata and usually larger than S. grossa. Their abdomen pattern is often described as 'skull-shaped' but is more like a pentagon - it is clearer in males and dimmer or sometimes absent in females. Their legs are uniformly red to brown. It is the largest of the UK's three most common false widow species, reaching a body length of between seven and 14 millimetres, with the females typically larger than the males. The noble false widow was first recorded in the UK in the 1870s - likely a stowaway on cargo ships from its native Madeira and Canary Islands. Eye arrangement (male): Range Imported from Europe; In North America it has now been found in states along the east and west coasts as well as those bordering the Great Lakes. Specimens have also been collected in Colorado. It's also considered a cosmopolitan species and is found in other countries all over the world. Habitat Pictures (157) Taxonomic Hierarchy Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Arachnida Order: Araneae Suborder: Araneomorphae Family: Theridiidae Genus: Steatoda Species: Steatoda grossa Common Name (AAS) False Black Widow Other Common Names
Male Steatoda grossa (False Black Widow) in Lauceston, Tasmania, Australia
Life History These spiders mate in the spring, and the females can produce three or more egg sacs, or cocoons, from May through July. Each sac can contain 200 or more cream-colored eggs. Although the males can live for up to 18 months, they die shortly after mating. Quick Facts Did You Know Scientific Classification Family: Theridiidae Genus: Steatoda Scientific name: Steatoda grossa Physical Description and Identification Adults Size: Females are typically larger than males, measuring up to 15 mm, while the males usually do not exceed 10 mm. Scientific name: Steatoda nobilis False widow spiders are often the subject of unflattering headlines, but in reality they're unlikely to bite humans. Species information Category Spiders Statistics Size: usually up to 14mm (10mm in males) body length, with a leg span that covers a fifty pence piece. When to see The false widow shares the black widow's rounded, bulbous abdomen. The false widow is also noticeably smaller than the mature Western black widow. The female spider has an average length between 0.27 and 0.59 inches. The males are typically in the vicinity of 0.16 to 0.27 inches in length.
Male Steatoda grossa (False Black Widow) in Santee , California United
1 Summary 2 Steatoda grossa, commonly known as the cupboard spider, the dark comb-footed spider, the brown house spider (in Australia), or the false black widow (though several other species are known by these names), is a common species of spider in the genus Steatoda . Description 3 Classification. Class Arachnida. Order Araneae. Family Theridiidae. The False widow spiders (Steatoda spp.) form a group of species that, because of their general resemblance to the much more notorious Black widow spiders (Latrodectus spp.), can cause concern when found in Britain.In fact, these False widow spiders and the true Black widow spiders belong to the same family, the Theridiidae.
Physical Description and Identification Are Steatoda Spiders Venomous? Can Steatoda Spiders Bite? Ecological Importance and Behavior of Steatoda Spider Quick Facts Did You Know Scientific Classification Family: Theridiidae Genus: Steatoda Spiders Belonging to this Genus Steatoda adumbrata Steatoda aethiopica Steatoda alamosa Steatoda alboclathrata The image on the left is S. grossa (in my opinion) with a highly developed pattern. The image on the right is what it is. Note the difference in the palps, along with the coloration and pattern. The funny thing is the misplaced image (of the adult male grossa) has an image of an adult male triangulosa on each side of it (see triangulosa images).
Male Steatoda grossa (False Black Widow) in Hollywood , California
a male Steatoda (probably grossa), not even close to bad. How far are you from a Brown Recluse?. John R. Maxwell, 21 November, 2009 - 6:28pm : login or register to post comments : Yep, this is a male Steatoda grossa. These are wonderful spiders to have in your home (they live outdoors as well). They prey on other bigger spiders and annoying. Steatoda grossa. Araneae: Theridiidae. Back to Spider index page Back to Arthropods of Orange County, California Back to Natural History of Orange County, California. Male. Laguna Beach, Orange County, CA.
