Noble False Widow Spider Steatoda nobilis

Several spiders in genus Steatoda are known as False Widows due to their resemblance to the highly venomous Black Widow Spider (genus Latrodectus). The one above has colonised southern UK from the Canary Islands and is fully called the Noble False Widow but it is often referred to as just the False Widow in the UK and is the only spider in the country with a significantly painful bite (caused by its venom). The spider has a shiny, round, dark brown abdomen with light cream markings and orange-brown slightly banded legs.

One of these spiders has lived in or around my car for a couple of years and makes very strong, three dimensional, tangled webs on each wing mirror to catch flying insects. The webs remain intact when putting the mirrors in or out and when driving. When I need to break them, they remain sticky, hanging and strong (unless completely removed).

The round-bodied spider in the centre above is also thought to be a female Noble False Widow although the cephalothorax is much lighter than usual and the legs more evenly coloured.

A juvenile Noble False Widow at 3mm long.