Are there black widows in California?
Short answer
Yes
Yes. The black widow lives in California. Open records come from 47 counties.
Where in California
- None
- 1 to 2 records
- 3 to 9
- 10 to 49
- 50 or more
Black widows across the US
- Lives here
- Rare records
- Gone
- Not here
How to recognize one
Black widow Latrodectus mactans, L. variolus, L. hesperus
- Shiny black female with a round abdomen
- Red hourglass or two red marks under the abdomen
- Messy, strong web low to the ground, often in garages, wood piles and water meters
Medically significant. Venom affects nerves and can cause strong muscle pain and cramps. Deaths in the US are very rare.
Related species in California
Often mistaken for black widows
- Black Widow vs False Widow False widow: harmless, lives in California
- Black Widow vs Brown Widow Brown widow: painful, rarely serious, lives in California
Questions
Are there black widows in California?
Yes. The black widow lives in California. Open records come from 47 counties.
What related species live in California?
Brown widow. See the section below.
What do black widows look like?
Shiny black female with a round abdomen. Red hourglass or two red marks under the abdomen. Messy, strong web low to the ground, often in garages, wood piles and water meters.