THE INSECTLIBRARY FIELD GUIDES
Brown Widow SpiderIdentification, facts & practical guidance
The brown widow is Latrodectus geometricus. Its spiky egg sacs are a useful clue; a brown spider alone is not enough for identification.
Compiled by the InsectLibrary Team · Updated · Editorial policy
Identification and lookalikes
Look for a rounded abdomen, banded legs and an orange to reddish hourglass underneath. Color varies, and immature black widows can look similar. Photograph the spider and any egg sacs without disturbing the web; the bumpy, pointed egg-sac surface helps distinguish brown widows from black widows.
Where brown widows live
Brown widows build irregular webs in sheltered locations around structures, including outdoor furniture and recesses. A record of a different widow species does not establish the size or distribution of this species.
What to do next
Avoid putting bare hands into hidden webs. Reduce clutter and inspect outdoor seating before use. For a suspected widow bite, seek medical advice; do not use a skin mark to identify the spider.
Brown Widow Spider: species profile
Explore the species profile covered by this guide, with recorded names and available photos.
Sources and further reading
- ipm.ucanr.edu - widow spiders and their relativeshttps://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/widow-spiders-and-their-relatives/
- cdc.gov - venomous spidershttps://www.cdc.gov/niosh/outdoor-workers/about/venomous-spiders.html
- spiders.ucr.edu - brown widow spidershttps://spiders.ucr.edu/brown-widow-spiders
References support the subject discussed here; they do not certify every imported directory record. Regional sources describe their own locations. Read our source and correction policy.