# False Black Widow (*steatoda grossa*) The False Black Widow spider is a small, shiny spider that can be found in many places around your home! They are often mistaken for their more dangerous cousins, but they are generally harmless to humans. - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** They prefer dark, sheltered areas like basements, garages, and under furniture. - **Also known as:** Common Widow Spider, Dark Widow ![False Black Widow](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Kaldari_Steatoda_grossa_female_01.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ryan Kaldari, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kaldari_Steatoda_grossa_female_01.jpg) ## Appearance The False Black Widow is a glossy, dark brown to black spider, often with a subtle purple sheen. Females have a pale crescent or triangle on their abdomen, sometimes with lighter spots. It distinctly lacks the bright red hourglass mark seen on true black widows. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Arachnida - **Order:** Araneae - **Family:** Theridiidae - **Genus:** Steatoda ## Interesting facts - Female False Black Widows can live surprisingly long, up to six years, laying many egg sacs in their lifetime! - Their smooth, glossy body can be mistaken for a shiny bead or a droplet of oil by accident! - These spiders can go for months without food, patiently waiting for their next meal to come along! - They sometimes eat other venomous spiders, like actual black widows, showing how tough they are! ## Special abilities - **Super Sticky Trapper:** False Black Widows spin messy, tangled webs of strong silk that helps them trap unsuspecting insects and other spiders. - **Venomous Bite:** False Black Widows have a venomous bite that helps them quickly subdue their prey for an easy meal. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 0.8 cm - **Size:** 25 cm - **Weight:** 0.05 g - **Lifespan:** 6 years ## Diet & Feeding These tiny hunters mostly eat other insects and spiders by trapping them in their messy webs! - **Primary Foods:** Flies, Cockroaches, Woodlice, Other spiders - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** House fly (*Musca domestica*) — A common insect prey caught in their webs. - **Hunts:** German cockroach (*Blattella germanica*) — Known to prey on cockroaches found indoors. - **Hunts:** Southern black widow (*Latrodectus mactans*) — Can sometimes overpower and eat other spiders, including black widows. - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian nuthatch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-nuthatch) (*Sitta europaea*) — Spiders, including False Black Widows, are part of their diet. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. - [Venomous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/venomous): Venomous organisms produce toxins that are injected into another animal, typically through a bite or sting. ## Collections - [Invertebrates](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/invertebrates) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always avoid touching spiders and observe them from a safe distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify False Black Widow? Compare body proportions, leg shape, abdomen markings and the web, if there is one. Eye arrangement can be decisive but rarely shows up in a casual phone photo. A web is a supporting clue, not proof of who built it. Spider Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is False Black Widow? 0.8 cm ### How big is False Black Widow? 25 cm ### How much does False Black Widow weigh? 0.05 g ### How long does False Black Widow live? 6 years ### What does False Black Widow eat? These tiny hunters mostly eat other insects and spiders by trapping them in their messy webs! ### Where is False Black Widow usually found? They prefer dark, sheltered areas like basements, garages, and under furniture. ### How does False Black Widow hunt? Ambush ## Where to spot - [Aquatic Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/aquatic-park-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Conservatory of Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/conservatory-of-flowers) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Palace of Fine Arts](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/palace-of-fine-arts) — California, US · Historic District - [Aquarium of the Bay](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/aquarium-of-the-bay-california) — California, US · Zoo - [Woodward's Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/woodwards-gardens) — California, US · Zoo - [Aquarium of the Bay](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/aquarium-of-the-bay) — California, US · Aquarium [View all places to see False Black Widow](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/false-black-widow) ## More Invertebrate - [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral) - [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*) - [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) - [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*) --- Source: [False Black Widow: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/false-black-widow)