The web of the false widow can be best described as an irregular tangle of silken fibres. This is true of most members of the Theridiidae family, which are know as ‘Button Spiders’. The false widows belong to a larger group of spiders known as the tangle web spiders although the web of the false widow is also described as a scaffold web. The most common of the false widows in the UK, Steatoda nobilis makes its web from particularly strong silk.
The web will also usually have a tubular section extending into a crack or hole where the spider can hide during the day – this is referred to as a retreat.
This irregular cobweb is usually found at some height off the ground. In the case of the photo above it was over a skylight in an outbuilding.
In common with some other genera of spider the false widows have a comb-like set of serrated bristles on their hind legs which they use to pull silk bands from the spinnerets.
I have a group of false widow spiders living around my house. Some like to live in ready made holes in the double glazed windows. One had made a large sheet web on the inside of the window draped over a wooden slat blind (not encouraged). Others are around the outside of the house, one particularly large one over the back door! One has a tubular entrance to its lair but they seem to take advantage of places they find. They are nocternal and sedentry, the smaller ones live in crevices around the shed. There is a community of thwm here.
In England the false widos appeared quite a few years ago, and I also discovered one with a large triangular web on a sloping attic window, When it finally disappeared I decided to take the web down, and it was not easy because the web was as tough as string. I contacted English Nature initially, and was told not to release a foreign spider into the environment, and just let it exist because they are not life threatening. Their bite is like a bee sting. At the moment it is the house spider season here in England, when the large male house spiders come out to seek a mate. I have learned just to let them get on with it, but I always wear slippers at this time of year. I would never kill a spider because they are as fascinating as they are scary, especially when they race in your direction at high speed!
I got one in my garage its web is amazing
we currently have one living in our bedroom window! I’m not a big fan of spiders but it’s happily settled so I’ll leave it where it is.
There is 2 in the garage i work at in Radcliffe there probably males going off the pictures but there was definatley a female last year
I have one and a little male at work living in the top of a nitrogen gas bank which was delivered a few days ago for my machine. The web is unmistakable and I baited it with a woodlouse and she came out from her hiding spot. I’m glad to meet one after all the years of hype about their global domination. Drew. Blackburn Lancashire
We’ve got one in our bathroom window/net curtain. S/he’s been here since autumn 2023. My other half is horrified that I’ve named her/him. Octavia in case you’re wondering, due to the eight legs.