Latrodectus mactans (Southern Black Widow) and Latrodectus geometricus (Brown Widow)

[satanslilhelper]

My girl didn't do that?!?! I'm guessing the coloring has something to do with what size they grow to. Mine has a red stripe at this point. Before the molt it had orange, white and black circles.

 

[Widowman10]

markings are so HIGHLY variable it's not even funny. i could go out and find 20 differently marked variolus (or others) in the same locale.

 

[davisfam]

New Pictures (L. mactan POST-molt)

Our female L. mactan has molted once again and I thought we would share some pictures along with more recent pictures of the L. geometricus.. Enjoy!

 

[Kathy]

I am looking at all the beautiful pictures of the black widows, and thinking to myself - why am I so afraid of them? I have my tarantulas, I have an h.mac, they don't scare me. Yet living in Phoenix we have black widows around all the time and if I see one I freak out. Can't figure it out. It is a spider, after all. I love wolf spiders.....what is it about a black widow......I wish I could get over this fear of them. Off topic, but I wanted to say I loved the pictures and the different colorings.

 

[AmysAnimals]

I am looking at all the beautiful pictures of the black widows, and thinking to myself - why am I so afraid of them? I have my tarantulas, I have an h.mac, they don't scare me. Yet living in Phoenix we have black widows around all the time and if I see one I freak out. Can't figure it out. It is a spider, after all. I love wolf spiders.....what is it about a black widow......I wish I could get over this fear of them. Off topic, but I wanted to say I loved the pictures and the different colorings.

I know what you mean. I love all other spiders, except black widows. They scare the living you know what out of me! Seeing them through this thread gives a total different respect for them though. I would love to keep one and observe it but I just can't see myself catching one! Too afraid. lol