False-widow
Guides
Steatoda albomaculata
white-spotted false widow, white-spotted false widow spider
Steatoda albomaculata is a small cobweb spider in the family Theridiidae, commonly known as the white-spotted false widow. It is widely distributed across North America, Europe, Russia, North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and East Asia. The species has been studied for its predation efficiency on various prey types and is recognized as a generalist predator. It was formerly considered to have two subspecies, but Steatoda albomaculata infuscata was synonymized with the nominate form in 2024, leaving no valid subspecies.
Steatoda bipunctata
Rabbit Hutch Spider
Steatoda bipunctata is a small cobweb spider in the family Theridiidae, commonly known as the Rabbit Hutch Spider due to its frequent association with human structures. Native to Europe, it has been introduced to North America and is now established across the Atlantic provinces, northern New England, and southern Québec and Ontario. It closely resembles the native North American species Steatoda borealis and has been documented to competitively displace it in disturbed habitats. The species poses minimal medical risk to humans.
Steatoda castanea
Steatoda castanea is a cobweb spider in the family Theridiidae, closely related to black widows and other Steatoda species. It is native to the Palearctic region, with distribution records from Europe through Russia, the Caucasus, Iran, Central Asia, and China. The species has been introduced to North America, including Canada. As a member of the cobweb weaver family, it constructs irregular tangled webs and shares the general morphology and habits typical of the genus Steatoda, though specific behavioral and ecological details for this species remain poorly documented in available literature.
Steatoda hespera
Steatoda hespera is a species of cobweb spider in the family Theridiidae. It is native to North America and has been documented in the United States and Canada. As a member of the genus Steatoda, it belongs to a group commonly known as false widow spiders, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain limited in the available literature.
Steatoda washona
Steatoda washona is a cobweb spider in the family Theridiidae, described by Gertsch in 1960. It belongs to a genus that includes several species commonly known as false widows due to their resemblance to black widows (Latrodectus). The species occurs in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like other Steatoda species, it constructs irregular tangled webs and is typically found in sheltered microhabitats.