Image: LatrodectusHesperus 1186

Description: Latrodectus hesperus, female - western black widow Identification: The spider was judged to be a western black widow and not an eastern or northern based on the location. Its egg sac was observed a few weeks after this image was taken and it was black widow like and not brown widow like. Description: There is a wrapped up moth with eggs laying on its exterior. The female black widow was observed to have killed and wrapped this moth. The wrapped up prey in the foreground was a funnel web spider. The source of the eggs on the moth is not certain. They may have been those of the funnel web spider that were laid just before it was killed. The smaller spider may have been a Steadota male. There were several of these smaller spiders in this nest and a Steadota female was observed in the nest. Two much larger male black widows were also observed in the outer periphery of this nest. The images of these can be seen here: Location: Fullerton, CA, USA
Title: LatrodectusHesperus 1186
Credit: Own work
Author: Davefoc
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
Attribution Required?: Yes