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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynes » Cobweb Spiders (Theridiidae) » Widow Spiders (Latrodectus) » Southern Black Widow (Latrodectus mactans)
Photo#255754
Widow Spiders in North Carolina - Latrodectus mactans
Copyright © 2009 Phillip

Widow Spiders in North Carolina - Latrodectus mactans
an 8th of an inch maybe, Polk County, North Carolina, USA
February 27, 2009
I have seen many widow spiders here in NC, but I've never seen any this small with these markings. Every single one I've found has been completely black except for the classic red hourglass on the underside. I found these two together and I'm not sure if they are males or females but I'm quite sure they are immature spiders.

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Widow Spiders in North Carolina - Latrodectus mactans Widow Spiders in North Carolina - Latrodectus mactans
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Contributed by Phillip on 28 February, 2009 - 1:37pm
Last updated 1 March, 2009 - 7:56am

Thanks, I thought they must b
Thanks, I thought they must be males of the southern variety but I was not sure.
… Phillip, 1 March, 2009 - 4:30am login or register to post comments

Both have the reproductive
palps of a male. Someone may be able to tell you if they are immature males or not, but with those large palps, they must be at least pretty close to mature.
… john and jane balaban, 28 February, 2009 - 3:58pm login or register to post comments

 
Yes
both have one molt left.
They're L. mactans.
… Jeff Hollenbeck, 1 March, 2009 - 12:35am login or register to post comments

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