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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Cobweb Spiders (Theridiidae) » Widow Spiders (Latrodectus) » Northern Black Widow (Latrodectus variolus)
Photo#48090
Northern Black Widow - Latrodectus variolus - male
Copyright © 2006 tom murray

Northern Black Widow - Latrodectus variolus - Male
Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, USA
April 15, 2006
Size: 7mm
The palps look pretty big, so is this an adult male?

Images of this individual: tag all
Northern Black Widow - Latrodectus variolus - male Northern Black Widow - Latrodectus variolus - male Northern Black Widow - Latrodectus variolus - male
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Contributed by tom murray on 15 April, 2006 - 10:34pm

Yes
but don't forget subadult (or penultimate) males have large, bulbous palps as well.
… Jeff Hollenbeck, 16 April, 2006 - 8:45am login or register to post comments

 
Do these widows overwinter as adults?
It seems early in the year for one to have grown so fast.
… tom murray, 16 April, 2006 - 10:02am login or register to post comments

 
Very
likely. I believe many spider species overwinter as subadults and immatures, and a few species as adults.
… Jeff Hollenbeck, 21 April, 2006 - 8:20pm login or register to post comments

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