Northern black widow (Latrodectus variolus)
The northern black widow is a venomous spider in the family Theridiidae. GBIF holds 570 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 30 states, most of all Massachusetts (162), Virginia (63) and North Carolina (40). Its observation records peak in June.
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Latrodectus variolus, the northern black widow spider or northern widow, is a venomous species of spider in the genus Latrodectus of the family Theridiidae. The population is closely related to the red widow, Latrodectus bishopi. In North America, the species is commonly found in Middle Atlantic states (New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut, Maryland).
From Wikipedia: Latrodectus variolus, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the northern black widow poisonous or venomous?
Yes. The northern black widow is a widow spider (genus Latrodectus). Its venom can cause pain, cramps and sweating spreading from the bite. Bites are rarely fatal but worth a call to Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.
Spiders often mistaken for it
Species commonly confused with widow spiders and recorded in the same states: triangulate bud spider (recorded in all 30 of its states), common house spider (recorded in 29 of its 30 states), boreal combfoot (recorded in 20 of its 30 states), twospotted cobweb spider (recorded in 13 of its 30 states) and false black widow (recorded in 9 of its 30 states).
Which states have the northern black widow?
Records are spread over 30 states; the top three, Massachusetts, Virginia and North Carolina, hold 46% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 162 | 3.5% | 5th of 189 |
| 2 | Virginia | 63 | 0.5% | 44th of 176 |
| 3 | North Carolina | 40 | 0.5% | 50th of 184 |
| 4 | Kentucky | 37 | 2.0% | 11th of 103 |
| 5 | Maryland | 37 | 0.7% | 41st of 153 |
| 6 | Missouri | 31 | 1.3% | 17th of 117 |
| 7 | New Jersey | 30 | 1.3% | 20th of 127 |
| 8 | Tennessee | 20 | 0.5% | 45th of 138 |
| 9 | Delaware | 19 | 0.9% | 31st of 71 |
| 10 | Illinois | 18 | 0.1% | 136th of 243 |
| 11 | Indiana | 14 | 0.3% | 65th of 133 |
| 12 | Ohio | 14 | 0.2% | 75th of 332 |
| 13 | Texas | 13 | 0.0% | 188th of 386 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 9 | 0.1% | 93rd of 164 |
| 15 | Arkansas | 7 | 0.4% | 52nd of 114 |
| 16 | Georgia | 7 | 0.1% | 107th of 186 |
| 17 | New York | 7 | 0.1% | 91st of 149 |
| 18 | Oklahoma | 6 | 0.1% | 96th of 149 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 5 | 2.9% | 8th of 53 |
| 20 | Alabama | 4 | 0.1% | 93rd of 143 |
| 21 | Kansas | 4 | 0.2% | 59th of 94 |
| 22 | Michigan | 4 | 0.2% | 65th of 122 |
| 23 | Mississippi | 4 | 0.3% | 62nd of 117 |
| 24 | Florida | 3 | 0.0% | 208th of 237 |
| 25 | South Carolina | 3 | 0.1% | 82nd of 121 |
| 26 | West Virginia | 3 | 0.4% | 40th of 90 |
| 27 | Louisiana | 2 | 0.0% | 96th of 107 |
| 28 | Connecticut | 1 | 0.1% | 69th of 86 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | 1 | 0.0% | 130th of 149 |
| 30 | Vermont | 0 | — | — |
When is the northern black widow seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the northern black widow run mostly April through October, peaking in June with 23% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 3% of them.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in March (Kentucky, New Jersey and North Carolina) and latest in May (Massachusetts). The most common peak month is May, shared by Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina and Virginia.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | May through August | August | 162 |
| Virginia | April through November | May | 63 |
| North Carolina | March through September | May | 40 |
| Kentucky | March through October | May | 37 |
| Maryland | April through September | June | 37 |
| Missouri | April through October | June | 30 |
| New Jersey | March through July | May | 30 |
Where the northern black widow is recorded in each state
Massachusetts
Massachusetts holds 162 licensed records, the 5th most recorded of 189 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Massachusetts run mostly May through August, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Norfolk County, Middlesex County and Essex County. Next come Barnstable County (2) and Plymouth County (1).
Virginia
Virginia holds 63 licensed records, the 44th most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly April through November, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Prince William County and Loudoun County. Next come Montgomery County (4) and Rockbridge County (3).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 40 licensed records, the joint 50th most recorded of 184 spiders listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly March through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Orange County, Wake County and Dare County. Next come Chatham County (3) and Currituck County (3).
Kentucky
Kentucky holds 37 licensed records, the 11th most recorded of 103 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Kentucky run mostly March through October, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Madison County, Fayette County and Garrard County. Next come Rowan County (1) and Crittenden County (1).
Maryland
Maryland holds 37 licensed records, the 41st most recorded of 153 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Maryland run mostly April through September, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Harford County, Frederick County and Prince George's County. Next come Worcester County (4) and Montgomery County (3).
Missouri
Missouri holds 31 licensed records, the 17th most recorded of 117 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Missouri run mostly April through October, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Boone County, Texas County and Greene County. Next come Lewis County (2) and Platte County (2).
New Jersey
New Jersey holds 30 licensed records, the 20th most recorded of 127 spiders listed there. Its observation records in New Jersey run mostly March through July, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Cape May County, Monmouth County and Burlington County. Next come Cumberland County (3) and Middlesex County (2).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norfolk County | Massachusetts | 101 | 17.7% |
| 2 | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | 35 | 6.1% |
| 3 | Madison County | Kentucky | 27 | 4.7% |
| 4 | Essex County | Massachusetts | 22 | 3.9% |
| 5 | Cape May County | New Jersey | 13 | 2.3% |
| 6 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 12 | 2.1% |
| 7 | Orange County | North Carolina | 9 | 1.6% |
| 8 | Wake County | North Carolina | 7 | 1.2% |
| 9 | Prince William County | Virginia | 7 | 1.2% |
| 10 | Harford County | Maryland | 6 | 1.1% |
| 11 | Frederick County | Maryland | 5 | 0.9% |
| 12 | Dare County | North Carolina | 5 | 0.9% |
| 13 | Prince George's County | Maryland | 4 | 0.7% |
| 14 | Worcester County | Maryland | 4 | 0.7% |
| 15 | Boone County | Missouri | 4 | 0.7% |
How recent are the northern black widow records?
Most of what is known about the northern black widow is recent: 96% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2025 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1939; the busiest year was 2026, with 219 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 1940s | 2 | 0.3% |
| 1950s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 1970s | 2 | 0.3% |
| 1990s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 2000s | 6 | 1.0% |
| 2010s | 45 | 7.7% |
| 2020s | 524 | 90.0% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 82 counties where the northern black widow is most recorded, 54 are also top counties for the familiar jumping spider, more than for any other spider. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Familiar jumping spider | 54 |
| Nursery web spider | 51 |
| Paraphidippus aurantius | 51 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 49 |
| Dark fishing spider | 49 |
| Spotted orbweaver | 48 |
| Bold jumper | 47 |
| Orchard orbweaver | 47 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other species of the genus Latrodectus with profiles here: Western black widow, Brown widow and Southern black widow.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.