10/11/2026
🕷️ BUG OF THE WEEK #8: BROWN WIDOW SPIDER
That little spiky ball in a messy web isn’t a tiny Halloween decoration—it may be a brown widow egg sac!
Brown widows can range from tan to very dark brown. Look for banded legs, a rounded abdomen and an orange-red hourglass marking underneath. Their most recognizable clue may be the cream-colored, spiky egg sacs, which resemble sandspurs.
They often build messy webs in protected, undisturbed areas around structures, fences, sheds and outdoor furniture.
If you find a suspected widow spider:
🔍 Look without touching
📸 Take a clear photo from a safe distance
🧤 Use caution when moving stored items
🚫 Never handle the spider or egg sacs bare-handed
Widow spiders have medically significant venom, so identification and caution matter.
Found a spider you don’t recognize? Send The Bug Doctor a clear photograph or call 352-237-0122.
📸 Photos by Daniel D. Dye II