# Boreal Combfoot

*Steatoda borealis*

Males of this species can produce a faint clicking sound by rubbing specialized ridges on their abdomen against their cephalothorax to court females.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Arachnida › Araneae › Theridiidae › Steatoda
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Temperate deciduous and coniferous forests, often found under loose bark, rocks, and inside unheated human structures like sheds.
- **Diet:** Small insects, flies, beetles, and other spiders trapped in its sticky, tangled cobwebs.
- **Range:** North America, United States, Canada
- **Size:** 5 to 7 mm (body length, excluding legs)
- **Lifespan:** 1 to 2 years
- **Active:** nocturnal
- **Threats:** Widespread pesticide use in suburban areas and loss of mature forest microhabitats.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless and non-aggressive. If encountered, keep a safe distance or gently relocate it outside using a cup and paper. If bitten (which only occurs if pinched or squeezed), wash the area with soap and water, apply a cold compress, and seek medical help only if an allergic reaction develops.

## About

Steatoda borealis is a species of cobweb spider in the family Theridiidae. It is found in the USA and Canada.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/ad5ec421-ebb0-41a3-bd01-99069b849174
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/146631
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steatoda borealis
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/118728640/medium.jpg (Bill Keim, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.