How dangerous are brown widow spiders?

Question

There is a brown widow spider that has a web stretched across the legs of the chair on my front porch. He dissapears during the day and is back every night. I really don't want to kill it but I haven't sat in the chair since he made it his home. Would it be unwise to try and relocate it? I read an article recently that brown widows were a threat to black widows in Louisiana which is where I live. So should I kill it?

Spiderloverjack(reverejack) · Accepted Answer

The current scientific community is very skeptical about the toxicity of a brown widow in the event of a bite, but it is more likely that it isn't dangerous to humans.
The spider has similar venom to the black widow, but is not as potent and injected in smaller amounts.
They are actually a threat to black widows, which is sad because they are native to here and shouldn't be kicked out by another species.It's kind of hard to find any other latrodectus species these days other than L. geometricus where I live, but did find a black widow a few days ago.
The brown widow (latrodectus geometricus) is also extremely unlikely to bite.I have kept two as pets, one died, and one I still have, neither have bitten or even made a threat, even when severely provoked (fangs pressed against skin).Heres a video of me handling my old one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8wKjpy8LBM
Quite harmless , eh?
If you aren't comfortable with it, you should just relocate it, and it will make its home somewhere else.
It's not for me to choose if you kill it, I just advise against it.
Hope I helped, let me know how things go.

daniel g · Answer

I would just relocate the spider, but these do like outdoor/patio furniture.
I won't say they are harmless, but statistically, they don't have the bad bite as their black brethren.
These are cobweb spiders, and if you can trap her with a jar and lid, just put her someplace out of the way. She may also have egg sacs under the chair.
What you read in the article, is likely true, as these spiders have invaded parts of southern California, and seem to be displacing the western black widows.
It is your call if you want to kill her, but there will always be more where she came from.
A friend, also in La., keeps these as pets, and even freely handles them(not suggested), perhaps he can give you some insight, he is more familiar with these spiders than I.
(spiderloverjack)

John R · Answer

Brown Widows are apparently not particularly troublesome to people, for a number of reasons including reluctance to bite and generally mild effect of bites.  I suppose the first question would be "are you certain that this is actually a widow?"  If it is, it's probably not the only one you have in the area, and while they seem to be no more troublesome than any regular house spider in practical terms, I don't see any particular reason not to move it along, either to somewhere else in the area or to its next incarnation (if you happen to be more Hindically inclined).  They're certainly not endangered.

Anonymous · Answer

Um, don't try anything cause they can make you really sick and give you something called yellow fever.

Just either leave it there for a good pet cause they control the bug population or have a trained professional take care of it.

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How dangerous are brown widow spiders?

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