latrodectus question.

[pandinus]

i happen to know that there are black widows around here as i sometimes find dead ones. where should i look for them?

 

[Venom]

If you have a crawl space or cellar, those would be likely places to find widows. Barns, old outhouses, rubble piles, wood piles, and other places where the spider can be in a sheltered, and often dark spot, especially if it's a place that draws insects ( i.e., outhouses, human homes etc. ). Happy hunting and be careful!

 

[pandinus]

when will they be easier to find out and about, night or day? are they on the webs only at night like orbweavers or do they stay there all day?

 

[Brian S]

Around here (which isn't very far from you) I look around rock outcroppings and rubble. Look for a tangled cob web around these places. Latrodectus silk is probably one of the strongest silk of any spider. Kick the rock or whatever over after you find a tangled web and you may find your widow.

 

[pandinus]

yes, but will they be any easier to find at night than in the day?

 

[carpe scorpio]

I used to hunt these in Grand Coulee WA, and I have seen them move very fast. I would suggest the day time for safety reasons.

 

[Brian S]

I always looked for them in the day. You won't see the spider out on the web but after you look at a couple of L webs you will be able to recognoze them. The spider will almost always be hid. Sometimes they will sit out on the web at night but will retreat at the first hint of danger.

 

[pandinus]

can you post some pics of webs? where will they hide?

 

[Brian S]

I used to hunt these in Grand Coulee WA, and I have seen them move very fast. I would suggest the day time for safety reasons.

Once you get them off of their web they are clumsy and you can catch them then.

 

[carpe scorpio]

Once you get them off of their web they are clumsy and you can catch them then.

True, most of the ones I found were in window-frames near ground level in the afternoon, just lurking in their webs.

 

[Brian S]

can you post some pics of webs? where will they hide?

I will try to find one and get pic. They hide under the rock or rubble that thier web is attached to.
You have probably seen the web of the common house spider. You know they make a tangled web in corners of houses and garages. A little brown spider. Well look at their web, the widows will look about the same. The House Spider and the Widow are known as Comb Footed Spiders therefore closely related.

 

[Stormcrow]

Very easy spider to catch once you have it removed from the cobweb. Their very easy to identify with the spindly hairless legs and black shiny bulbs of the abdomen. I suggest catching them at daytime. Sometime their cobwebs lead to a crevice or hole, that makes them especially difficult. If you want to make a catch during the day tempt them by using a prey item dropped gently into their web. Make sure the spiders have devoted their attention completely on killing and feeding off the cricket before pouncing on it or else if disturbed prematurely it may escape back into safety quite quickly. Otherwise such obstacles can be remedied with a flashlight at night because Widows, will often be sitting in the open at evening time moreso than the daytime. But this is where the risks increase noticably and great caution should be taken not to get oneself bit.

 

[Spider-man 2]

Hey Pandinus, you should PM JPD. He's the widow man and could tell you what you need to know. He's good friend of mine that lives neayby, so I see all his widows all the time. He has a lot, Like 5 species. He's close to getting white widows. He breeds them, hatches them, raises them, and holds them (crazy man he is). He justed hatched like 5 sacs of Brwon widows and a couple of black widows. Hit him up on AB or ST (latrodectusfan is his sn there) and I am sure he will help you.

 

[alex]

I was searching in the day. Only one of all widows I found was out in the net.

 

[Stormcrow]

Really matters where the Widow has spun it's web, does it offer an hideaway(s) or not? Sometimes Widows are forced to survive openly or near one of the surfaces their web is suspended from. Usually in such cases they will build a small silk retreat and hide behind that.

 

[JPD]

Hey Pandinus, you should PM JPD. He's the widow man and could tell you what you need to know. He's good friend of mine that lives neayby, so I see all his widows all the time. He has a lot, Like 5 species. He's close to getting white widows. He breeds them, hatches them, raises them, and holds them (crazy man he is). He justed hatched like 5 sacs of Brwon widows and a couple of black widows. Hit him up on AB or ST (latrodectusfan is his sn there) and I am sure he will help you.

No need for me Dwayne....Storm is on the case!
Quit calling me crazy man or I will put a widow in your Latte'
Dwayne, btw, is another Washington loco.
But he works at Starbucks so he can't be that Loco. Especially when he brings me free drink coupons.....plus, he has a knack for T breeding.
Did I mention the free drink coupons? That's a hint Dwayne!!!!!

Oh.....I would suggest looking in and around bushes surrounding your place. Any of the spots suggested are good ones though.......oh....also, try the electrical meters and cable boxes around your house.

 

[Stormcrow]

The cobweb of the Widow is very easy to spot, it has a certain sheen to it that you just can't miss. No other spider makes a web like it. And the silk's architecture is rather chaotic without any visible design or order.

 

[Tarangela]

I have a Northern Widow on my fence behind my house. I have been feeding her, and she had one sac at that time! Within a week of feeding her, she made another sac It was so cool! Monday her little babies were everywhere!! It was so cool!

Their webs are very distinguished. And she is very shy. They do not like to be disturbed. You should be able to find some pretty easy in corners, sheds, rotten wood, etc. Don't do what I did, and look "too" hard.

Good luck!

 

[Jeri]

When I was in Florida, I used to see them all the time. They liked the dark equipment rooms and the telephone terminal cans along the road.

Jeri

 

[SocialistDray]

i=widow masta

You can find widows from anywheres as in your bedroom. under your bed. under couches. the ones taht arent scared of you. hide very well. and soem are so sweet / bold as to be right in the open. they arent commonly aggressive. very sweet things.VERY. but instead of searching your house. you ahev more a better chance checking out in an area where there are a nice field. or trail. with large rocks/ or holes from larger animals. for widows are known for inhabiting unused holes.and when large enough to produce there own little holes. .and if theres one. ther are others. not once have i found only one widow in a 10 square foot radius.. they dont liek to be close. but somthing tells me thye like a neighbor. just like us.. also. you wont find them to high above sea level... they cant breathe... or anywhere to cold... {{ meaning on average temperature under 70 degrees f }} also. i live in california. and it is becoming apparant to me that the widows over evolution are losing the hourglasses. ... just as the rattlesnakes are losing theyre rattles. because knowing us HOMO sapiens. we will kill what is a threat. not me tho. support your widows. they are good pets. and you dont even need them to be ina cage. i let them in myhouse. they dont bother me.. and they keep all insects off your computer and tv screens at night 8)