Changing distributions in spider populations in my location subj. Steatoda Grossa

Darren K

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Greetings all. In the last couple of years I have noticed that False Black Widows have become the dominant spider inhabiting my house and outbuildings. But which spider have they replaced? Is it the cardinal spider? Also is this change in population widely observed in southern England and is it of concern ecologically? Value your thoughts, people.
 

The Snark

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S Grossa are from Europe originally and being very cosmopolitan are taking full advantage of globalization, turning up all over the US, Japan, and moving in to Indochina.

They may not be replacing or displacing other species but just being opportunists.
 

Stugy

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S Grossa are from Europe originally and being very cosmopolitan are taking full advantage of globalization, turning up all over the US, Japan, and moving in to Indochina.

They may not be replacing or displacing other species but just being opportunists.
HAH I KNEW THAT ONE KID WAS WRONG ABOUT THE BLACK WIDOW... oh sorry.. xD. To be serious though I know a similar thing happening at my school where there are almost only Brown Widows now when there was a much larger population on my freshman year. Now as junior I've only seen one Black Widow. I hear that Brown Widows attack Black Widows so this might be the same case in your area with your local spiders Darren. That's my say.
 

The Snark

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Yes, Geometricus are displacing other widows. Seem to be able to out maneuver and fight Hesperus on it's own turf, in it's own web. No telling what will come of this but it's nothing new. Probably has happened millions of times over the course of earths history.
 

Stugy

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Yes, Geometricus are displacing other widows. Seem to be able to out maneuver and fight Hesperus on it's own turf, in it's own web. No telling what will come of this but it's nothing new. Probably has happened millions of times over the course of earths history.
Yeah. Luckily I saved the black widow and it now happily (or hatefully) lives in a pickle jar and is well fed. The day after I saved her, I found a huge Geo where her web used to be.
 

The Snark

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Yeah. Luckily I saved the black widow and it now happily (or hatefully) lives in a pickle jar and is well fed. The day after I saved her, I found a huge Geo where her web used to be.
That's impressive. If you are in the Chula Vista area, I recall my aunt's place, wall to wall Hesperus. Out visiting friends in Alpine, every nook and cranny had a web, all Hesperus. El Cajon, same, Encinitas, Pasadena, Monrovia, Arcadia, all the way up and out to Needles, to Death Valley junction, out to Paso Robles and Morrow Bay same. Hesperus ruled and never saw a single Geo.

I'm wondering. The area around Darwin is, or was 20 years ago, just like So Cal. Red Backs instead of Hesperus. Will Geo make it up there and do the same thing? Admittedly Darwin is far far removed from globalization and the international shipping spreading the critters but that sort of seems inevitable eventually.
 
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