Outside California, western black widows are common in urban Colorado, in central and eastern Washington state, and in southern British Columbia.īecause the holes, cracks, crevices, trash, and clutter associated with human structures provide ideal habitat for the western black widow, these spiders are often very common around homes, barns, outbuildings, and rock walls. However, black widows also can be found in mountainous terrain above 5,000-foot elevation in Southern California, where snow covers the ground every winter. In California, it is a common desert spider that can survive very hot, dry conditions. Its habitat ranges from British Columbia and Alberta to Mexico and throughout the Rocky Mountains to the western portions of the Great Plains. Several species of black widow are common in North America, but in the western United States the only species present is the western black widow, Latrodectus hesperus. Although it isn't nearly as dangerous as the black widow, it causes alarm because of the reputation of its relative. In the first decade of the 21st century, the non-native brown widow became established in southern California. It is well known in many localities, and nonprofessionals can identify it easily. The western black widow, a native species, is widespread, and is the spider posing the greatest potential envenomation threat to humans in the western United States. Both are in the genus Latrodectus and are characterized by a similar body shape, reclusive habit, and irregular cobwebs. There are two species of widow spiders in California, the western black widow and the brown widow.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |