Black widow spiders are nocturnal and are often found in warm, dark places such as under rocks or ledges. These spiders are dangerous because they can bite humans and cause serious harm. Black widows have also been known to attack people when they’ve been disturbed by them while they’re sleeping or doing other activities around their homes.
Types of black widows in South Africa
The Southern Black Widow
The Southern Black Widow, Latrodectus revivensis, is a venomous spider found in southern Africa. They are not aggressive and bites only occur when they have been provoked.
I can find them in some areas of South Africa (including the Western Cape), but are not particularly common. They build their webs inside houses, especially under window sills or eaves.
Brown Button Spiders
Brown button spiders are a species of spider that is found in the southern parts of Africa, including South Africa. They are not poisonous and are not dangerous to humans, but they can cause skin irritation and necrosis when they bite. Brown button spiders are small, brown spiders with a shiny button on their back. They also have six eyes as opposed to eight like other species of spider. You may know these spiders as the brown house spider due to their prevalence in homes throughout South Africa and around the world.
False Widows
The false widow spider is a small, pale-coloured spider that is native to southern Europe and Africa. They are not related to the black widow spider, which has a distinctive red hourglass marking on its underside and can be found in North America. The false widow also goes by other names including:
- Steatoda Nobilis
- Steatoda Grossa
What to do when you see a black widow
- Don’t try and kill black widow spiders as this will just make them angry, and rather call a professional to deal with it.
- Don’t try and catch them with your bare hands. The bite from this spider is very painful and can cause serious illness or death in some cases, so leave it to professionals who know what they’re doing.
- Don’t try and catch them with a broom. This won’t work because the black widow spider has an excellent sense of balance on its eight legs; it will just run away from you if you do this!
- Don’t try and catch them with a vacuum cleaner either: It’s impossible for one person alone to suck up all the spiders without getting bitten or stung by their sharp barbs (called fangs).
