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View Full Version : How do I go about finding black widows?

ScottySalticid
10-06-2008, 01:40 AM
Also, I'm in PA. Temps are in the 60s right now. Is it still possible to find any?
What
10-06-2008, 02:09 AM
My technique for finding latros follows below...

I go look for them.
buthus
10-06-2008, 02:09 PM
Once you recognize widow webs vs others, you'll be able to spot em easy. Sometimes its helpful to check out an area in the day... spot their webs and then go back in the evening when they are out of their hides.

THough mactans seem a bit more sensitive to low temps compared to hesperus and variolus, overall widows thrive in those low temps. Ive gotten hesperus to respond to bug wiggles in their webs at around freezing.
ScottySalticid
10-06-2008, 07:21 PM
My technique for finding latros follows below...

I go look for them.

Great advice, man. Will read again and show this to my friends who are looking to find some.
ScottySalticid
10-06-2008, 07:22 PM
My technique for finding latros follows below...

I go look for them.

Dude I really can't thank you enough for your great advice.

Thanks again!
Diggy415
10-06-2008, 09:24 PM
come to calif much, i could make you pant, i have 6 around the outside of my house and three babies in the garage that i know of thought about packing them up for my self, but i have 14 T's as it is, who knows might get brave and get one in a jar, at least i know they won't get big as a T
crpy
10-06-2008, 09:29 PM
Dude I really can't thank you enough for your great advice.

Thanks again!

lol:clap:...........
proper_tea
10-06-2008, 09:33 PM
I live in PA and I found mine in the pet store. $25.

Never found one in the wild. Fishing spiders and jumpers are another story...
lizmotobike
10-06-2008, 11:49 PM
i am in van nuys ca. they are all over. not too many of the geos. (by the web sac) none the less tons........ just even on my cars, my back fence, the garage, under the house, the wood pyle........... you name it they are here. have all you want. just let me know when your coming so i can bring the dog in.................land shark!
What
10-06-2008, 11:56 PM
Dude I really can't thank you enough for your great advice.

Thanks again!

Not a problem, feel free to ask for more advice any time. ;)
buthus
10-07-2008, 12:45 AM
I live in PA and I found mine in the pet store. $25.

Never found one in the wild. Fishing spiders and jumpers are another story...
Pets store had widows?
Kris-wIth-a-K
10-07-2008, 09:29 AM
Here in FL they are literally EVERYWHERE. I generally see them on the underside of benches and chairs or old pieces of "junk" hiding away.
ScottySalticid
10-07-2008, 12:22 PM
Not a problem, feel free to ask for more advice any time. ;)

Maybe you , or anybody else can help me on this one with a real, serious answer this time lol.

What exactly do widow webs look like? And where can I find them lurking at this time of year?
ScottySalticid
10-07-2008, 12:23 PM
come to calif much, i could make you pant, i have 6 around the outside of my house and three babies in the garage that i know of thought about packing them up for my self, but i have 14 T's as it is, who knows might get brave and get one in a jar, at least i know they won't get big as a T

East Coast, gangsta
crpy
10-07-2008, 12:32 PM
East Coast, gangsta

They will have disheveled hammock type webs with random single line webs leading to the ground "swathing film".

barns, aircraft hangers, everywhere, one place here is the corners next to the garage door.

Sense they are all over, in fairness to "what" (in spite of his vague answer, lol), anyplace.
What
10-07-2008, 01:30 PM
Maybe you , or anybody else can help me on this one with a real, serious answer this time lol.

I was being totally serious... Whenever I want to find them, I go out and look. Doesnt take anything special.
proper_tea
10-07-2008, 03:27 PM
I was being totally serious... Whenever I want to find them, I go out and look. Doesnt take anything special.

I think this is the difference between CA and PA.
crpy
10-07-2008, 03:37 PM
I think this is the difference between CA and PA.

Plenty of variolus around Ptea
hardlucktattoo
10-07-2008, 04:46 PM
they love sitting piles of aluminum I kid you not find an aluminum pile start searching
crpy
10-07-2008, 04:55 PM
they love sitting piles of aluminum I kid you not find an aluminum pile start searching

You know where I find mactans and C. hentzi (not together)= shingle piles

pile a bunch of shingles and boom there it is.
GOMER113
10-07-2008, 05:15 PM
I was being totally serious... Whenever I want to find them, I go out and look. Doesnt take anything special.

You mean you have to *look* for them? Usually, they end up finding me!
What
10-07-2008, 07:21 PM
I think this is the difference between CA and PA.
I managed to find 5-10 L. variolus around my relative's house in Fairfax, VA last november... Does that count as different? :cool:
ScottySalticid
10-07-2008, 11:21 PM
I managed to find 5-10 L. variolus around my relative's house in Fairfax, VA last november... Does that count as different? :cool:

I'd have to say so, as people in VA do not have to wear 3 layers of shirts and gloves to stay warm yet!

Also, I'm on a campus, so finding aluminum is like.....not happening.
buthus
10-08-2008, 01:14 AM
I'd have to say so, as people in VA do not have to wear 3 layers of shirts and gloves to stay warm yet!

Also, I'm on a campus, so finding aluminum is like.....not happening.
If they are there, Id bet Id find em by walking around those campus buildings. They make irregular scaffold type webbing thats usually 2' or lower to the ground ...its stronger then most spider webbing and not sticky. Look esp in/around nooks n'crannies like big cracks in brick buildings, corners, retaining wall weep holes, fire/water hoses, electrical junk/conduit..etc, etc.
As it gets colder only the well fed, strongest will survive making them harder to find. Webs will be made closer to the ground. Ive observed hesperus laying out webbing an inch or less from the dirt during nights when temps skirt the freezing mark. Some will give up or are well fed enough to just hunker down in their hide to wait out the cold. If the structure they are hiding in does not retain heat well, they will often attempt to find a new hide closer to the ground.
BTW...collecting widows at refridg temps or lower... its wise to allow them to warm up slowly. Ive killed a couple via fast warm-ups. ;)

Good luck! :)
ScottySalticid
10-08-2008, 03:09 PM
If they are there, Id bet Id find em by walking around those campus buildings. They make irregular scaffold type webbing thats usually 2' or lower to the ground ...its stronger then most spider webbing and not sticky. Look esp in/around nooks n'crannies like big cracks in brick buildings, corners, retaining wall weep holes, fire/water hoses, electrical junk/conduit..etc, etc.
As it gets colder only the well fed, strongest will survive making them harder to find. Webs will be made closer to the ground. Ive observed hesperus laying out webbing an inch or less from the dirt during nights when temps skirt the freezing mark. Some will give up or are well fed enough to just hunker down in their hide to wait out the cold. If the structure they are hiding in does not retain heat well, they will often attempt to find a new hide closer to the ground.
BTW...collecting widows at refridg temps or lower... its wise to allow them to warm up slowly. Ive killed a couple via fast warm-ups. ;)

Good luck! :)

I could really use pictures of black widow webs. Descriptions alone aren't enough for me. I tried googling, and I don't get any good pics of widow webs.
crpy
10-08-2008, 03:22 PM
I could really use pictures of black widow webs. Descriptions alone aren't enough for me. I tried googling, and I don't get any good pics of widow webs.

http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/Spiders/Theridiidae/Theridiidae.htm

scroll down a bit ,theres a good one:D