LATE SUMMER SPIDERS--Updated

Recently I was able to find some species of spiders I have truly never seen before. This has been an awesome experience for me as this does not happen very often here where I live. I have yet to identify two of the spiders. This one clearly looks like a black widow, it's even the same size as the black widow. It also has a very similar web structure. But then so does the closely related
(Achaearanea tepidariorum). A species which is commonly called the American house spider and is entirely harmless. (UPDATE: This spider is most likely a Steatoda sp.. Colors match the S grossa. A species able to reach this size.)

This species may look like a black widow but it is not. It is almost certainly not closely related and the same goes for how toxic its venom is. There are many species of spiders that try to take advantage of coloration and other factors to appear more dangerous than they are. Although the spider looks a lot like a black widow, I think it is extremely unlikely that its some kind of rogue species or genetic mutation. It's coloration on closer examination resembles that of the Steatoda sp. Although most of these spiders are very small, some are known to get up to 8mm, so this very well could be a Steatoda borealis or S. grossa.


I have since looked up this species and become convinced that it is in the Steatoda family of spiders. Related to Achaeranea, they get near to this size and colorations as I noted above.
Some people tell me "well maybe you found a new species!", and then when I tell them how unlikely that is they act like I'm a quitter! (ouch!) I wish! There is almost no chance of that unless you're in some of the most remote places in the world. Most people would be surprised how many people have taken an interest in spiders and are describing and photographing them. Every now and then they even make the newspapers, such as when a species that is little known, is first photographed mating. I wish I could be on the front lines but with my life challenge, I am currently not able to get the access or the money to do so. At least I've reached one great milestone in my life, I found myself the woman whom I want to marry. I am a very lucky man to a found a woman so understanding of my hobbies and my personal difficulties. :-) I love you Alina.


For those of you are afraid of spiders I thought maybe you would like this shot. As summer comes to a close some flowers bloom and spiders reach their seasonal largest size. This coming up is one of my favorite times of year.


There are small anatomical changes as well as markings on the abdomen at make it clear to me this is not any species of widow (Latrodectus). So what is it?? I will have to do some more Internet research to find out but it appears to be related to a species that I only thought got 1/4 this size. This spider is new to me. It is approximately the same size as your typical black widow and the common harmless American house spider shown here.


I want to say for the recored that although this species may look intimidating it is my serious opinion that it is as harmless as the American house spider shown also here in this article. I have been bitten by the American house spider about 1/2 dozen times. When I was a kid I used to catch them at taking advantage of the drop technique they often used to escape their web. It happened because if they fall into your hand then you move your hand they will bite. People often associate a spider bite with a lot of pain and a large bite mark. I did not have so much as redness and as far as pain went; that tiny pinch of it's very small jaws was all I felt. Suffice it to say, I found the spiders at my friend's house and I would have alerted them they were dangerous and these are not as I will explain further.



This is the other species entirely new to me. I got really lucky this day capturing a few shots with my digital SLR. I did not have much left on my CF memory card, but I was able to capture these few shots of this spider which was truly fascinating. First off you can tell the size of the spider by looking at the screen it is hanging on. This is regular window screen found in most homes. The spider is most odd because it has as a very long (Tarsus)-- the last segment of its front legs. She seems to be living in a cob collection of webs built by other spiders as well as possibly its own but did not have any kind of retreat. It's strange flat-sided-drip abdomen seems to put it in a class of spiders not so closely related to the American house spider and the black spider was living near.


am going to consult some online databases and my books about both these species of spiders I will get back to you in this article if I can identify them. Some people tell me "well maybe you found a new species!", I wish. There is almost no chance of that unless you're in some of the most remote places in the world. Most people would be surprised how many people have taken an interest in spiders and are describing and photographing them. Every now and then they even make the newspapers, such as when a species that is little known, is first photographed mating. I wish I could be on the front lines but with my life challenge, I am currently not able to get the access or the money to do so. At least I've reached one great milestone in my life, I found myself the woman whom I want to marry. I am a very lucky man to a found a woman so understanding of my hobbies and my personal difficulties.

I am going to consult some online databases and my books about both these species of spiders I will get back to you in this article if I can identify them. Some people tell me "well maybe you found a new species!", I wish. There is almost no chance of that unless you're in some of the most remote places in the world. Most people would be surprised how many people have taken an interest in spiders and are describing and photographing them. Every now and then they even make the newspapers, such as when a species that is little known, is first photographed mating. I wish I could be on the front lines but with my life challenge, I am currently not able to get the access or the money to do so. At least I've reached one great milestone in my life, I found myself the woman whom I want to marry. I am a very lucky man to a found a woman so understanding of my hobbies and my personal difficulties.


This this is some type of ground beetle I thought I would put here just because I founded right near where the spiders were. I want to stress that if you see a bunch of spiders somewhere, chances are they are not dangerous. There is a common scenario of people freaking out thinking that the Sydney funnel web spider, seeing huge black widows, the brown recluse and other dangerous species are all over the place. I have heard such ridiculous rumors and spiders with "boxing gloves" that indicate they are the dreaded hobo spider. Personally I think the hobo spider thing is mostly hype and possibly even a myth. These "boxing gloves" are actually just a characteristic of all male spiders. These are the palps, the male mating organs.

My neighbors complain about ants and roaches. I don't have a lot of spiders that are visible in my house, I just let them do their thing. By doing so, I am letting them live in my basement and other places where they can get in the house quickly just naturally. I don't bring spiders and release them inside on purpose. I have virtually eliminated my ant and roach problem without the use of any pesticides whatsoever. People often forget that bug lights, pesticides and other gadgets are designed to actually seriously attract insects. They may end up inadvertently bringing more insects to your house then if you were to have left well enough alone and nature to itself. Try it and give it a good while. Cleaning up after yourself is the best policy. How else do you expect these companies that make all these fancy bug lights to make money?? Many species are becomeing immune to such poisons and harmless species in the end, get hurt. The food chain gets contaminated. I strongly believe that the use of many of these products actually creates and or exaggerates insect problems in a very hazardous and not environmentally friendly way.

--G.Beasley 2008

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