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Shiny Brown Spider
I often confuse this spider with a black widow because of the silhouette. I’m sure it’s in the Theridiidae family of spiders but I cannot find any solid information. I’m tempted to leave it there because it seems to be a very good hunter of other spiders and it isn’t doing any harm in that little corner of our home.
-John
Location: Kent , Wa . USA

Ed. Note: Before we even had a chance to identify John’s spider he sent us this great link.

Found some information on the curious Spider I sent earlier from this site: http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/Spider/spiders.htm You mention the Steatoda grossa (false black widow) on your site but didn’t include any pictures. I hope you can use the ones I sent. Thanks for your time and your outstanding website
-John

Thanks for doing our work John,
Here is some additional information from Hogue: “The False Widow is very abundant locally and probably suffers considerable undeserved abuse because of its general similarity to the Black Widow, upon which it is reported to prey; it also eats sow bugs. It lacks the red hourglass mark of the BHlack Widow and has a marbled purplish-brown rather than black abdomen. Females are just over 1/2 inch long. Flase Widows are found in and around houses, under the loose bark of trees, and in rock and wood piles; these spiders are more tolerant of outdoor conditions than are the Black Widows.” Incidentally, your newly molted female with her cast off skin is a shiny, handsome spider.

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