The spider Latrodectus lilianae is a member of the family of comb-footed spiders. They are found in parts of the Iberian peninsula.
Size: Male: 0.26-0.56 cm Female: 1.2-1.6 cm
Color: They are generally black or brown, with their abdomen having small, white, and orange markings.
Other Characteristic Features: The abdomen is covered with long simple hairs.
Females produce egg sacs laid inside the nests between May and July.
They disperse during summer, building small webs among the grass and weeds.
It consists of an inverted cone-shaped nest made of permanent, non-adhesive silk threads. Built in low shrubbery, 20-40 cm above the ground, the threads hang downwards, attached to the soil or nearby vegetation. The spider suspends highly adhesive hunting threads, spun at sunset, and removed at sunrise.
The exact effects of this spider’s venom remains unknown but can be assumed to be as dangerous as other true black widows.
| Lifespan | 1-3 years |
| Distribution | Portugal and Spain |
| Habitat | Dry or arid steppes |
| Common Predators | Birds like the hoopoe, wasps, and small mammals |
| Diet | Insects like beetles and woodlice |
Image Source: inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com
The spider Latrodectus lilianae is a member of the family of comb-footed spiders. They are found in parts of the Iberian peninsula.
Latrodectus lilianae
Size: Male: 0.26-0.56 cm Female: 1.2-1.6 cm
Color: They are generally black or brown, with their abdomen having small, white, and orange markings.
Other Characteristic Features: The abdomen is covered with long simple hairs.
Females produce egg sacs laid inside the nests between May and July.
They disperse during summer, building small webs among the grass and weeds.
It consists of an inverted cone-shaped nest made of permanent, non-adhesive silk threads. Built in low shrubbery, 20-40 cm above the ground, the threads hang downwards, attached to the soil or nearby vegetation. The spider suspends highly adhesive hunting threads, spun at sunset, and removed at sunrise.
The exact effects of this spider’s venom remains unknown but can be assumed to be as dangerous as other true black widows.
| Lifespan | 1-3 years |
| Distribution | Portugal and Spain |
| Habitat | Dry or arid steppes |
| Common Predators | Birds like the hoopoe, wasps, and small mammals |
| Diet | Insects like beetles and woodlice |
Image Source: inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com
