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Photo#852610
Black Widow - Latrodectus variolus

Black Widow - Latrodectus variolus
Camden, Kent County, Delaware, USA
October 7, 2013
Size: 1/4 of an inch (body)
I found this small black widow in the yard, but am confused by the 4 red spots on it's back as well as the redhour glass on the abdomin. The legs are about an inch long. I'm wondering if it's a false Black Widow and if so, is a bite venomous.

Images of this individual: tag all
Black widow - Latrodectus variolus Black Widow - Latrodectus variolus

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

There are five types of widow spiders in the US which all look different and all have a variety of patterns as they mature. Also the males look different than the females. You can see some of the variety I'm talking about by looking at the images on the genus info page here.

Black Widow
As the Black Widow matures the spots fade. The red hour glass will stay, it is the mark of a true Widow spider.

Nope
Appears to be the real black widow. The spots are just there as coloration. Some individuals may not even have the hourglass. And yes, the bite of the black widow can potentially be life threatening.

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