Brown Widow

L. geometricus is slightly smaller and generally lighter in color than the black widow species; the color can range from tan to dark brown to black, with shades of grey also possible. Like the black widow species in the United States, L. geometricus has a prominent hourglass-shaped marking on the underside of the abdomen; the brown widow's hourglass, however, is usually a vivid orange or a yellowish color. Unlike the black widow, L. geometricus has a black-and-white geometric pattern on the dorsal side of its abdomen. They also have stripes on their legs. Brown widows can be located by finding their egg sacs, which are easily identifiable. They resemble a sandspur, having pointed projections all over, and they are sometimes described as "tufted", "fluffy", or "spiky" in appearance. Eggs hatch in approximately 20 days. Female brown widows lay about 120–150 eggs per sac and can make 20 egg sacs over a lifetime.

This species constructs three-dimensional webs in dark corners in a variety of microhabitats and is commonly found around houses. The egg sac is distinctive with spikes. L. geometricus builds webs with a retreat from which delaying retreats radiate. From the delaying threads to the ground, sticky threads are laid down. The retreat has either one or two openings, with the main one opening onto the delaying threads. Webs are built at varying heights above the ground in vegetation and around buildings. In South Africa, Latrodectus geometricus inhabits a large range at altitudes from 0 to 1941 m above sea level. It has been sampled from all floral biomes in South Africa and is commonly found in crops including avocado, citrus, cotton, maize, pistachio, prickly pears, and vineyards.