Widow-spider
Guides
Latrodectus geometricus
Brown Widow, Brown Button Spider, Grey Widow, Brown Black Widow, House Button Spider, Geometric Button Spider
Latrodectus geometricus, commonly known as the brown widow, is a widow spider in the family Theridiidae native to Africa with a cosmopolitan distribution due to human-mediated introduction. It is smaller and lighter in color than black widow species, with distinctive black-and-white geometric patterns on the dorsal abdomen and an orange-yellow hourglass marking ventrally. The species is notable for its highly aggressive behavior toward native black widow spiders in invaded ranges, actively seeking out and killing them rather than competing for resources. While possessing neurotoxic venom, its bites are significantly less dangerous to humans than those of black widows due to lower venom delivery.
Philolema latrodecti
widow spider parasitoid wasp
Philolema latrodecti is a parasitoid wasp in the family Eurytomidae that specializes in attacking egg sacs of widow spiders in the genus Latrodectus. Originally described from Hawaii, it has been introduced to several regions as a biological control agent for invasive widow spiders. The wasp has been observed parasitizing brown widow spiders (Latrodectus geometricus) in French Polynesia and the Cook Islands, and the southern black widow (Latrodectus mactans) in Mexico. Infestation rates can be substantial, with one study finding the wasp in 31% of dissected brown widow egg sacs in Tahiti.