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False Widow? (1 Viewer)

Andy Adcock

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Cyprus
Not generally one for over reacting to stuff like this but not knowing much more about the species than the sensationalist stuff that appear in the press, I'm not exactly delighted in finding this on our living room carpet just feet from out baby.

Can someone confirm the ID please?
 

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Spiders are not my thing, I know very little about their ID. But yours looks like a species of Lycosidae rather than a False Widow to me. This one is quite robust, with a different shaped abdomen, stronger legs etc.
 
I think it's more likely those (and other) images represent misidentifications. If birds are frequently mis-IDid on internet photos, I guess that'll happen much more frequently with spiders.
But wait for some more knowledgeable person to reply. Or try the NHM email on the leaflet linked above:
Get help identifying your spiders... visit the Natural History Museum’s forum
www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/community/identification/bug-forum/spiders
or email a photo to the Identification and Advisory Service [email protected].
 
Looks like some kind of lace web, but I've never seen one indoors, so could be wrong. There are a few similar looking.

Amaurobius species is common in Leicester, apparently.
H
 
I think it's more likely those (and other) images represent misidentifications. If birds are frequently mis-IDid on internet photos, I guess that'll happen much more frequently with spiders.
But wait for some more knowledgeable person to reply. Or try the NHM email on the leaflet linked above:

I agree.
 
Here's another link which identifies my spider as False Widow but it also shows Lace Web which is pretty similar and I reckon Harry is right?

http://home.bt.com/lifestyle/house-...s-youll-find-in-a-british-home-11364003665066

To my eye, both Lace Web and Noble False Widow are illustrated there by the same species (they're not only similar, they're the same IMO...). Note Amaurobius sp. is Lace Web (see post #3). Check the photos in the Wikipedia link: abdomen is globular not elongated, and much shinier; in the NHM leaflet you can also see the cephalothorax has a different shape.
So, unfortunately another error there IMO. Honestly I'd try the NHM email posted above, which no doubt will deliver an unambiguous and knowledgeable answer which is what you're looking for.
 
To my eye, both Lace Web and Noble False Widow are illustrated there by the same species (they're not only similar, they're the same IMO...). Note Amaurobius sp. is Lace Web (see post #3). Check the photos in the Wikipedia link: abdomen is globular not elongated, and much shinier; in the NHM leaflet you can also see the cephalothorax has a different shape.
So, unfortunately another error there IMO. Honestly I'd try the NHM email posted above, which no doubt will deliver an unambiguous and knowledgeable answer which is what you're looking for.

That's what I thought too Rafael.

Unfortunately, the NHM link returns a 404 error.
 
To confirm, the photo in the original post is of an Amaurobius species, probably similis though I don't know where the photo was taken.

The NHM forum closed down several months ago. I contributed regularly on there and was sad when it went.
 
To confirm, the photo in the original post is of an Amaurobius species, probably similis though I don't know where the photo was taken.

The NHM forum closed down several months ago. I contributed regularly on there and was sad when it went.

Sorry, should have been clear, it's in Nottingham.

I was confused by the wrong labelling of spiders on Google which should come as no real surprise to anyone. I simply wanted to be certain due to the potential for it being a False Widow in a home with a small baby.

Thanks all, though I would like to see a False Widow, I'd prefer that it wasn't in our home!
 
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When we moved house in 2014 over 30 False Widows were found under various bit's of furniture etc. Thankfully not one hitched a ride to the new house.
Luv Dave
 
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