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Northern Black Widow (Latrodectus variolus)
Photo#30169
Copyright © 2005
tom murray
Immature Northern Black Widow -
Latrodectus variolus
Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, USA
August 31, 2005
Size: 3mm
Found on the underside of a rock.
Contributed by
tom murray
on 1 September, 2005 - 9:06pm
Last updated 2 September, 2005 - 6:00pm
Yikes
this one looks like an immature widow to me.
…
Lynette Elliott
, 2 September, 2005 - 5:48am
You're right!!
It matches up nicely with another picture in the guide.
I had no idea these were in Massachusetts, but the National Audubon Insects and Spiders book says their range is from Massachusetts to Florida and west. I guess I'll be careful with the spiders even up here, not that I'm not already. Thanks for the ID Lynette.
…
tom murray
, 2 September, 2005 - 7:29am
Northern Black Widow?
I would also suggest that if it is a juvenile widow (which I agree it definitely might be...), that it is a Northern Black Widow (
Latrodectus variolus
) based on the fact it was found in MA.
The resources I checked indicate that the upper range of the Southern widow (
L. mactans
) stops around New York / Northern PA, but the Northern widow ranges from central Maine to farther south (S. Carolina'ish?).
BTW: Nice image!
…
Christopher Hunt
, 2 September, 2005 - 9:07am
Latrodectus variolus
Thanks Christopher, for the species ID. It sure would make sense that it's a "Northern" up here in Massachusetts.
…
tom murray
, 2 September, 2005 - 6:02pm