# Noble False Widow (*steatoda nobilis*) The Noble False Widow is a fascinating spider known for its shiny, dark body and unique web designs! Kids can learn about how it helps keep gardens healthy by catching pests. - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 8 - **Habitat:** They live in gardens, homes, and wooded areas across Europe. - **Also known as:** False Widow Spider, Noble Widow, Steatoda Spider ![Noble False Widow](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Steatoda_nobilis_France.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alexis Lours, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Steatoda_nobilis_France.jpg) ## Appearance The Noble False Widow has a shiny black or dark brown body with distinct cream or white markings on its round abdomen, often resembling a skull or anchor shape. Its legs are dark brown, making it visually different from many other common house spiders. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Arachnida - **Order:** Araneae - **Family:** Theridiidae - **Genus:** Steatoda ## Interesting facts - Its bite is rarely worse than a bee or wasp sting for most people! - Its spooky 'skull' pattern on its back makes it look extra mysterious! - These spiders can live for several years, super long for a house spider! - They are amazing travellers, from islands near Africa, now found worldwide! ## Special abilities - **Silk Weaver:** Noble False Widow can spin messy, tangled webs because of specialized silk glands that help them trap unsuspecting prey. - **Venomous Bite:** Noble False Widow has a mild venom that helps them quickly subdue their insect meals before they can escape. - **Egg Protector:** Noble False Widow can guard its spherical egg sacs, helping to keep its babies safe from danger. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 1 cm - **Size:** 2.5 cm - **Weight:** 0.1 g - **Lifespan:** 3 years - **Clutch Size:** 100 - **Venom Potency Rank:** 2 ## Diet & Feeding These fierce hunters mostly eat other insects and spiders they catch in their sticky webs. - **Primary Foods:** Flies, Beetles, Moths, Woodlice, Other Spiders - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** House Fly (*Musca domestica*) — traps this common pest in its sticky web. - **Hunts:** Common House Spider (*Parasteatoda tepidariorum*) — preys on other spiders, even similar-sized ones. - **Eaten by:** [House Sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-sparrow) (*Passer domesticus*) — can become a meal for hungry birds. ## 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. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [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 Do not touch or disturb any spider; admire them from a distance! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Noble False 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 Noble False Widow? 1 cm ### How big is Noble False Widow? 2.5 cm ### How much does Noble False Widow weigh? 0.1 g ### How long does Noble False Widow live? 3 years ### What does Noble False Widow eat? These fierce hunters mostly eat other insects and spiders they catch in their sticky webs. ### Where is Noble False Widow usually found? They live in gardens, homes, and wooded areas across Europe. ### How does Noble False Widow hunt? Ambush ## Where to spot - [Desert Garden Conservatory](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/desert-garden-conservatory) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Selig Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/selig-zoo) — California, US · Zoo - [Alta Vista Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alta-vista-gardens) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle Village](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grandma-prisbreys-bottle-village) — California, US · Historic District - [Huntington Desert Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/huntington-desert-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Noble False Widow](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/noble-false-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: [Noble False Widow: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/noble-false-widow)