Northern Black Widow

Order/family: Araneae/Theridiidae

Scientific Name: Latrodectus spp. 

Description: The body of the female black widow spider is about 1/2” long and glossy black with a nearly globe-like abdomen. The abdomen has two triangular red spots on its underside arranged in such a way that the spots look like an hourglass. Males are much smaller than females, 1/4” long with a longer, narrower abdomen and somewhat longer legs. Spiderlings are mostly orange and white but become increasingly black as the mature and grow.