Spiders catch themselves

[TroyMcClureOG82]

Sucks for me then, because where I live (north orange county) or at least where i find my widows we only have hesperus. I haven't seen one widow with a solid hourglass yet. I still assume though that hesperus is more common.

 

[Malhavoc's]

I thought hesperus was the one with the solid hourglass?
Anyway I find both of them 50/50 usualy somedays more unbroken hourglass somedays more.

 

[TroyMcClureOG82]

Are you sure it's mactans you are finding and not just hesperus with different hourglass patterns. Mactans range doesn't really extend to here unless they were introduced to your area. I did some research and hesperus patterns can be broken or solid. Mactans has a very wide solid hourglass. It's a little hard to ID widows, but I suspect they are hesperus. All the widows I find have broken hourglasses though.

 

[Malhavoc's]

I printed out several lat Id pages so that I may prorperly Id them tonight.

 

[TroyMcClureOG82]

Can you link me the pages so that I can do the same

 

[Malhavoc's]

theres a good one on the lat sticky as for the others lat me redo my search using keyterms "Latrodectus Identification" "black widow markings" ect.

 

[MizM]

Our local university will attest to the fact that, yes, we DO have both here. However, I believe that hesperus is MUCH more prolific in our area.

 

[xanadu1015]

Mactans do have the wide solid hourglass shape. Where I lived in South Port, NC, they were everywhere. I ended up keeping one for a pet when I was little and she lived for 3 years.


Laura

 

[Malhavoc's]

Click Here for a good identification site.
Also click here

 

[Malhavoc's]

Also going from that sight Hesperus and mactans are extremely simmiliar boht with complete hourglass but with hesperus lacking the red dot above the spineretes [mactans] Which would make mactans non existant to what I've caught Have yet to catch one that had more then one spot of red on them.

IT also sas that this dot is generaly found.. mean not always correct which would make the ones that are present in california the colourphase without the dot? as I still do believe they are mactans.. And yet I've found ones with seperated hourglasses but lack the striping of the varioles???