black widow spider

Class: Arachnida (scorpions, whipscorpions, spiders, mites, etc.)
Order: Araneae (spiders)
Family: Theridiidae (cobweb weavers)
Species: Latrodectus sp.
Common Name: black widow (not species specific)
Date: 2001 August 12
Place: Guadalupe Mountains National Park
    Pine Springs Visitor Center

Black widows are usually out of sight during the daytime. These timid spiders build irregular tangled webs, called cobwebs, in which they normally hang upside down so the hourglass on the underside of the abdomen is apparent although not always this obvious (it may be shaped differently or be fragmented). Immatures have red and white flame-like racing stripes on the top and sides of their abdomens. Adults (males and some females) retain these markings. I think this is the Southern Black Widow but Jackman (see references) indicates that the Western Black Widow is more likely in this area.

black widow spider
Same individual as shown above but photographed from the side.

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Note: This is a personal web site and is not affiliated with the National Park Service or Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Contact information for the author, Ron Lyons, is accessible through the Index Page referenced below. Thank you.