Help ID

[Ms. Peaches]

I cuaght this spider while I was moving. I found her/him under my hutch. I was originally just going to keep it until my son got home from school..but decided to keep her/him a bit longer till I could find out what she/he was. So I was finally able to get a decent picture of her/him. She/he is doing well and eating crickets. I live in Northern California if that helps. I did a search for native spider but none seem to fit.

 

[cacoseraph]

Theridiidae?

 

[Venom]

Looks like a Steatoda borealis "false widow." They're pretty much harmless widow look-alikes.

 

[Ms. Peaches]

Thanks for your replies. Do you think she will do ok or should I release her?

 

[Venom]

Well, Steatoda sp. do pretty well as captives. Just give it a jar with some twigs and it will build a web. Plus, yours looks like it is pretty mature and good-sized, so finding prey it will take shouldn't be a big problem. Flies and small crickets it will eat.

 

[Ms. Peaches]

Thanks, thats just how I have it set up. She does eat for me so that is a good sign.

 

[NRF]

Hi,

Steatoda borealis is a northern and north-easterns species in NAm, and it has not been found in California. Steatoda hespera is a similar species and occurs in California. The European Steatoda bipunctata is also very similar and introduced and widely spread in the US. Anyway, I´m interested in Nearctic Steatoda so let me know if it will lay eggs. I'd be happy to exchange some specimens with you!