Black widow spiders are terrifying, and seeing one in your home should always raise the alarm. However, there is a group of spiders that are known as false black widows. These spiders resemble black widows, but in fact they are different, much less dangerous species. Let’s find out what sets these spiders apart from real black widows.
When Black Widows Do Not Look Like Black Widows
Not all black widows have that iconic look, with the shiny black body and the red hourglass, only mature females do. Males are smaller, they do not have the hourglass, and they might not even be black. Even female black widows may deviate from the norm, having an orange hourglass instead of a red one. On top of that, the distinctive look is only achieved in adulthood for females. While they are spiderlings, they can be dark brown and without the markings.
The Species That Resemble Black Widows but Are Not
There are plenty of spider species out there that are not true black widows, but which will resemble them. To start, you have other widow species, such as the brown widow and the red widow. These widows have the same shape as the black widow, but their markings will be less visible and duller, and they may not have hourglass marking. They will also be a different, but similar color, with the red widow having reddish legs and black or dark abdomens.
False black widows are a specific species group that have the same shape as a black widow, but do not have the markings on the abdomen. They also tend to have a glossy chocolate brown color.
Finally, there are the domestic house spider and the black house spider which can also be confused with the black widow, but they do not resemble the widow as closely as some of the other species mentioned previously.
How False and Real Black Widows Are Controlled
The spider control process shares several similarities across species, but there are specific measures that have to be taken when dealing with real black widows because of the threat that they pose. For more information about how this control process plays out, or if you have widow spider infestation in your home, contact us today and we can set an appointment for a spider control procedure as soon as possible.