Help identifying spider

RiaX said:
Other than a violin spider do you get any really poisonous spiders in SA ?
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Black Widow, Violin and Six-eyed crab spider are the worst. The latter is highly venomous but not found near humans. Another one of medical importance is the Sac spider - they leave wounds that have trouble healing and are often found in homes - wandering around at night. :)
 
:O i didnt know you get black widows in SA >.<
 
Any chance of an ID of this spider living in the palisade fencing? Was chowing down on a flying ant

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IzZzy said:
Thanks!
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NP. A surefire way of telling is if the white egg sacs have little spikes on them or if they're smooth. Brown button spiders have spikes, black are smooth:

Black button spider with egg sac:

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Brown button spider egg sac:
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No egg sacs that I saw last night, just a stringy web that sprung up during the day.

Compared to the normal jumping spiders we get, he looks quite menacing :)
 
For those who are interested, here's a good read on the various button spiders including identification and distribution:

http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/2005/april/buttonspider.htm

I learned something new - there are a number of black button spiders in SA. The pics posted by @Bwana earlier were in fact black button spiders.

Also, the most common brown button spider in SA (geometricus) is thought to be introduced and is found in South Africa, South America, US, Australia, Afghanistan, Japan, Tanzania, Dominican Republic (I imagine Haiti too then), Cyprus, Costa Rica and El Salvador.

More on button spider bites:
http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/arachnids/spiders/button_spider_bites.htm
 
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IzZzy said:
No egg sacs that I saw last night, just a stringy web that sprung up during the day.

Compared to the normal jumping spiders we get, he looks quite menacing :)
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They can give a nasty nip - only the female can pierce human skin though. If you take the time, you should see others in the vicinity - usually in corners and crevices - you might see some egg sacs around. check garage doors and other places away from people.
 
iaywtimnbe said:
They can give a nasty nip - only the female can pierce human skin though. If you take the time, you should see others in the vicinity - usually in corners and crevices - you might see some egg sacs around. check garage doors and other places away from people.
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That post right there means my GF will never ever go into the garage again. The only reason I knew of its existence was her (to borrow a phrase from Oscar's trial) bloodcurdling screams about a spider. :P

Any benefit in catching it and releasing it far away before an egg sac appears?
 
IzZzy said:
That post right there means my GF will never ever go into the garage again. The only reason I knew of its existence was her (to borrow a phrase from Oscar's trial) bloodcurdling screams about a spider. :P

Any benefit in catching it and releasing it far away before an egg sac appears?
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Possibly, though they're so common. My personal feel is if they're anywhere that they can do harm (kids etc.) then feel free to use a stick to squash them :) They aren't endangered and I reckon as long as that's the case and you're not making them suffer or doing it on a large scale...
It's totally up to you IMO.

I don't use insect spray - I reckon that does more harm than good, especially if you're trying to 'protect' kids or animals... also, the poor critter dies a horrible death.
 
Nah wouldn't think of killing it. Just want to rehome it possibly over the wall :)
 
A few weeks back I seen these spiders on my security door and seen the little ones and killed most of them. I sprayed insecticide into the hole in my security door where the little spiders came out and a huge spider like one of the bigger ones came out. I also splatted it.

What kind of spiders are these? I think it could be brown widows.

I've had similair looking black ones like these in my garage and under the carport the other side of my house a few months back. A few days later I noticed an eggsac and got rid of it asap.

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