Medically significant, though bites are usually milder than a black widow's and often stay local to the bite. Treat it as a widow: it is easy to mistake for a harmless house spider because it is not black.
We identify, we don't diagnose. If you've been bitten or stung and symptoms develop, or you're worried, seek medical attention.
Size7–10 mm body for the female
MarkingsTan to dark brown, not glossy black — this is why it gets missed · Orange or yellow hourglass on the underside
WhereUnder garden furniture, plant pot rims, letterboxes, playground equipment.
What it is not
A brown widow is most often confused with a species that is medically significant. If you are trying to rule those out, check these:
Tan to dark brown, not glossy black — this is why it gets missed
Orange or yellow hourglass on the underside
Banded legs and a mottled, patterned abdomen
Egg sac covered in silk spikes — unmistakable, unlike any other widow
Tangled web in a sheltered gap
Where you’ll find it
Established across the southern United States, from Florida through the Gulf states to southern California, and still spreading. In much of that range it is now more commonly encountered than the black widow.
Under garden furniture, plant pot rims, letterboxes, playground equipment.
How it behaves
It lives in the same sheltered gaps as a black widow but sits closer to human activity — the underside of patio furniture, the rim of a plant pot, inside a letterbox or the recess of a garden chair. It is more timid than the black widow and usually drops and hides rather than holding position. The egg sac settles the identification on its own: no other widow makes a sac covered in silk spikes.
What a bite looks like
Usually a small red mark with local swelling. Brown widow bites tend to stay local rather than producing the widespread cramping a black widow can cause, which is thought to be because less venom is delivered.
A sharp sting followed by aching around the site. Systemic effects are possible but much less common than with a black widow.
We identify, we don't diagnose. In the US, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 after a suspected widow bite, especially if pain spreads beyond the bite. Use emergency services for severe symptoms.
A skin mark cannot confirm which animal caused it. Read the bug bite and sting guide for the limits and the symptoms that should end an online search.
You’ve found one indoors
Check the undersides of things before you grab them — patio furniture, pot rims, letterboxes and playground equipment are exactly where this species sits. If you find the spiky egg sacs, removing them does more for the population than removing any one spider.
Common questions
Is a brown widow as dangerous as a black widow?
Generally less so. The venom is potent, but bites tend to stay local and produce milder effects, which is usually attributed to smaller amounts being injected. It is still a widow and still worth treating seriously.
How do I know it is a brown widow and not a house spider?
Look underneath for an orange or yellow hourglass, and look for the egg sac. A silk ball covered in spikes is a brown widow and nothing else.
Why do I keep finding them on my garden furniture?
That is their preferred habitat. They favour the sheltered underside of man-made objects at knee height, which unfortunately is exactly where people put their hands.
Rudolph Steenkamp · CC-BY-SA