The Triangulate Cobweb Spider (Steatoda triangulosa) is an arachnid in the Theridiidae family of cobspiders and tangle-web spiders.
The Triangulate Cobweb Spider has a round, bulbous abdomen, a small head, and six thin, hairy, striped legs. It has dark-brown triangle-shaped patterns on the back of its light-brown abdomen. The female’s patterns appear zig-zagged.
It grows to about 1 centimetre (a third of an inch) long.
It is found in many parts of the world, mainly in Europe and Asia, as well as North America, southern Russia, and Australia. It is mainly a house spider, and prefers to live in window corners and in dark spaces.
It feeds on ants, other spiders, bugs, and ticks. It makes an irregular, tangled cobweb. It has poor eyesight and waits for vibrations on the cobweb to attack its prey. It is not aggressive towards humans.
The female Triangulate Cobweb Spider has an egg sac made of silk. It is about the same size as her and contains about 30 eggs.
Location of photographs: Paris, France
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM