Western black widow

KevinsWither

Arachnodemon
Joined
Jul 11, 2014
Messages
671
image.jpeg I found an adult female near the garage door and I captured it. I have belief that it's gravid.
 

Python

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Messages
631
Nice catch. If it's a widow, you'll know soon enough if she's gravid or not. They seem to drop sacks every 2 weeks or so, regular as clockwork. If you don't have a sack in a couple of weeks, she's likely not bred. She's a looker though. Great species to keep. they are very good eaters and extremely good at what they do.
 

KevinsWither

Arachnodemon
Joined
Jul 11, 2014
Messages
671
I believe that there were spiders near her web and on it, but it was almost dark outside.
 

Python

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Messages
631
If there were spiders in her web, it was either a male or a meal or both. Widows aren't known for having guests over. As far as babies go, they are usually about the size of a period on a page when they emerge from the sack but they leave the web soon after. Does she have the hourglass on her abdomen? If not she may be a steatoda which is still a cool spider.
 

KevinsWither

Arachnodemon
Joined
Jul 11, 2014
Messages
671
Yeah she has an hourglass on her abdomen. At first she was scared and shocked but then she adjusted and started to build a web.
 

pannaking22

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 25, 2011
Messages
4,226
It's nice that widows adjust quickly to a new environment and settle in. Hope you enjoy her! Widows are a great group to keep.
 

Python

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Messages
631
Sure. Have they built a web yet? Did you get them all out of the same web as the adult?
 

KevinsWither

Arachnodemon
Joined
Jul 11, 2014
Messages
671
I did manage to feed the babies with fruit flies and they eagerly went after them.
 
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