Latrodectus geometricus Questions

[Kyle Stoddard]

I am in la at the moment and caught 4 wild geos and one of them is very dark without orange markings on it's back I was wondering if it's sick or if it's just a different color form

 

[Ungoliant]

I am in la at the moment and caught 4 wild geos and one of them is very dark without orange markings on it's back I was wondering if it's sick or if it's just a different color form

Latrodectus geometricus is somewhat variable in coloring, including dark color forms.

Do you have any photos?

 

[Kyle Stoddard]

Hopefully this will do

 

[chanda]

I sometimes keep L. geometricus, and can personally attest to the high degree of variability in their coloration, from nearly white to so dark they could easily be mistaken for L. hesperus or another of the black widows. They are pretty common at my kids' school, particularly in the fences and hand-rails. Most of the ones I see are the lighter morphs, but I've found the darker ones as well. I've also raised light-colored juveniles that matured dark.

 

[The Snark]

Latrodectus geometricus is somewhat variable in coloring,

Up in Northern California on the coast there are a lot of them that are a single uniform color ranging from from brown through brick red-females. Males are usually the generic color. They are known locally as 'Brown Wood(s) Spider', a serious misnomer.

 

[pannaking22]

They are known locally as 'Brown Wood(s) Spider', a serious misnomer.

Damn common names.....be neat to see one of those brick red females though.

 

[Ungoliant]

Hopefully this will do

The one on the left looks fine.

The dark one on the right looks skinny. Maybe she has recently made an egg sac or is very dehydrated?

 

[Kyle Stoddard]

Well hopefully it's just a color variation, also I did not collect any males but I'm pretty sure they're all fertile being in a open park under bbqs.