28 Black and Orange (or Red) Spiders (with Pictures)

Black and orange or red spiders are common in homes, parks, gardens, grassland, and woodland. The contrasting coloring of such spiders makes them appear venomous.

Not all black and red spiders are venomous as are black and orange spiders. These can be some of the most intriguing species as opposed to gray or brown spiders which are more common in certain parts of the world.

Black and red spiders can also come in other colors, covering a smaller percentage of their bodies. However, the following species are mostly black and red.

Are Black and Orange (or Red) Spiders Venomous?

Black and red or black and orange spiders can be venomous or non-venomous. Their vivid coloring isn’t representative of a highly poisonous species.

Some of the most common venomous spiders are black and red or black and orange, especially those in the US.

Black Widow spiders are some of the most popular black and red spiders found in the US. Western, Northern, and Southern Black Widows are almost completely black.

The bite of these spiders requires medical attention.

Other black and red spiders such as many jumping spiders aren’t venomous.

The coloring of these species can differ from male to female. It’s the female that typically influences how the color of the species is perceived, even if the male has different coloring.

Female black and red spiders are also most likely to bite. However, many of the following species prefer not to willingly bite people as they like to avoid confrontation.

Many only bite when squeezed or roughly handled.

Types of Black and Orange (or Red) Spiders

1. Spinybacked Orbweaver

Spinybacked orbweaver. Image by Toby via inaturalist

Scientific name: Gasteracantha cancriformis

Common name: Spinybacked orbweaver

Highly common in Florida, the Spinybacked Orbweaver is a black and red species with white as a third color visible both in males and females.

These spiders are known for being mostly black and for having a round shape. Their legs are black while the abdomen is white with black spots.

Red abdominal projections are characteristic of the species. These are often referred to as spines, which inspired the name of the Spinybacked Orbweaver.

The spines of the species are easily visible on females which are a few times larger than the males.

Female Spinybacked Orbweaver grows up to 13mm while males grow up to 3mm.

2. Western Black Widow

Western Black Widow. Image by Amanda Barth via inaturalist

Scientific name: Latrodectus hesperus

Common name: Western black widow, Western widow

The Western Black Widow is one of the most common black and red spiders that are also venomous.

Black Widows are spiders people are afraid of due to their venomous bite, even if these spiders don’t always bite.

Western Black Widows are identified by a black body, black legs, and a red hourglass-like marking on the abdomen.

Western varieties of this species might show a disconnected hourglass-like marking in the form of 2 red triangles.

While black and red, these species appear black and orange in their early days. Young Western Black Widows have an orange hourglass-like marking on the abdomen.

Even some adult males tend to have a yellow-orange marking on the black body as opposed to the pure red marking on the adult females.

3. Southern Black Widow

Southern black widow. Image by Gabriel Sanchez via inaturalist

Scientific name: Latrodectus mactans

Common name: Southern black widow, black widow, shoe-button spider

Southern Black Widow spiders are another highly common species of black and red spiders with a venomous bite.

While similar to the Western Black Widow, the Southern Black Widow has a distinct line of traits which includes a full red hourglass-like marking on a black body as opposed to a disconnected marking on the Western Black Widow.

The Southern Black Widow is mostly referred to as a black and red species with an hourglass marking when it comes to the females of the species.

Males might not have an hourglass marking at all. They might have a few disconnected round red marks on their bodies.

Female Southern Black Widows are a few times larger than males. Their bites are rare but neurotoxic.

The bites of this species might require hospitalization.

4. Northern Black Widow

Northern Black Widow

Scientific name: Latrodectus variolus

Common name: Northern black widow, Northern widow

The Northern Black Widow is a black and red spider species common in North America. 

As Black Widows from other regions, the Northern group of Black Widows has black and red coloring and a venomous bite.

Spiders of this family have an interrupted red hourglass marking or multiple red marks with white margins or even white marks on the abdomen.

Northern Black Widows have a venomous bite but actual bites are rare, as are mortality rates.

Bites in soft areas of the body of children or the elderly are believed to be more dangerous.

Personal characteristics such as age or size are important factors when it comes to the reactions of a person to a Northern Black Widow bite.

5. Redback Spider

Redback Spider

Scientific name: Latrodectus hasselti

Common name: Redback spider, Australian black widow

Redback Spiders are closely related to Black Widow spiders. 

This is also a venomous species that should not be handled.

Most Redback spiders live in tropical climates and Australia.

They are identified by their black bodies with a red-orange stripe on the lower abdomen.

This stripe can be a row of hourglass markings at times or even an orange stripe at times.

Spiders of this genus can have a deadly bite, albeit in rare cases. More than a few hundred bites are reported each year.

Antivenom is recommended against the Redback spider bite.

However, bites are rare since humans need to be in very close proximity for these spiders to bite.

Disturbing the spider web or actively squeezing the Redback spider might trigger the bite.

6. Johnson’s Jumping Spider

Johnson’s Jumping Spider. Image by Juli Mallett via inaturalist

Scientific name: Phidippus johnsoni

Common name:  Johnson’s jumping spider,  red-backed jumping spider

This type of spider is a jumping species. It can crawl, but it prefers to jump and pounce on its prey.

The species is identified by a black and orange (or red) color.

Both males and females have a mostly black body with an orange abdomen.

The abdomen of the female is further characterized by a black line in the central portion  

Known for its thick hairy legs, this spider species can jump a few times its body size.

While not venomous, the spider is still to be avoided due to its painful sting.

It can be found in piles of wood, under rocks, and commonly on grape wines.

7. Red-bellied Jumping Spider

Red-Bellied Jumping Spider

Scientific name: Philaeus chrysops

Common name: Red-bellied jumping spider

This species is known to be atypical in the world of spiders as the males are larger than the females.

Spiders of this family are mostly black and orange, with white and gray coloring on their legs.

The Red-bellied Jumping spider gets its name from its orange-red abdomen.

Its body is black with 2 central white stripes.

Its legs are mostly black with gray or white lines.

Some members of this species are also known for having orange legs. 

There are also small coloring differences between the females and the males, mostly in the size and frequency of the white stripes.

Females of the species have fewer white stripes.

8. Brilliant Jumping Spider

Brilliant Jumping Spider. Image by crobinson3209 via inaturalist

Scientific name: Phidippus clarus

Common name: Brilliant jumping spider

The Brilliant Jumping Spider is a common North American non-venomous species.

This spider comes in multiple color variations which include a black and orange-red morph.

Jumping spiders of this genus are mostly black with a white stripe on the upper abdomen and wider orange-red markings on the lower abdomen.

Further white lines can be seen on its front legs.

This spider grows to a size of 0.5 inches and it’s characterized by very good vision.

Its eyes are placed on 3 rows and they help this species jump directly on its prey.

Brilliant Jumping spiders live on woodlands and in open grassland.

9. Red House Spider

Red House Spider

Scientific name: Nesticodes rufipes

Common name: Red house spider

The Red House Spider is the most common black and red species in homes.

As its name implies, this spider is mostly found in homes and other human-populated buildings. 

Its presence in homes is dictated by the specific insects it finds indoors. This includes mosquitoes, its favorite prey.

Red House Spiders have a dark brown or black abdomen, a red-brown cephalothorax, and red-brown legs.

This spider is venomous. The Red House spider bite might not kill people, but it’s still painful.

Most Red House spiders build spider webs around the house to catch insects such as mosquitoes.

These can be found behind furniture or in corners, particularly on walls next to windows.

10. Grayish Jumping Spider

Grayish Jumping Spider (male). Image by ctomera via inaturalist

Scientific name: Phidippus princeps

Common name: Grayish jumping spider

The Grayish Jumping spider is also known as the Gray and Orange Jumping spider. 

Males and females of the species have different coloring which might make correct identification difficult.

The female has a gray-orange color. The male is almost completely black with an orange abdomen.

Further marks of various colors can sometimes be distinguished on males and females of the species.

Males sometimes have white marks on the legs, but these are exceptions.

Both the male and the female have a wide body with thick legs, specific to jumping spiders.

11. Whitman’s Jumping Spider

Whitman’s Jumping Spider. Image by I. M. A. Shark via inaturalist

Scientific name: Phidippus whitmani

Common name: Whitman’s jumping spider

This species is common across North America. It’s often confused with Mutillidae wasps which resemble velvet ants.

Spiders of this genus take on the appearance of other wasp species to protect themselves from potential predators.

As with other black and red or black and orange species, there’s a difference in home males and females look.

Female spiders of the species can be brown. 

Males are known for being orange and black.

There are large orange sections on the cephalothorax or the first 2 body segments of the male.

Its legs are black, as are the margins of its body.

Both males and females can also show white stripes along the abdomen and legs as well as small white marks on the abdomen.

12. Cardinal Jumping Spider

Cardinal Jumping Spider

Scientific name: Phidippus cardinalis

Common name: cardinal jumping spider, cardinal jumper

Cardinal Jumping spiders also mimic velvet ants and multillid wasps.

Spiders of the genus have different coloring depending on their sexes.

Females are mostly orange and gray while males are true black and red-orange spiders.

These jumping spiders are known to feed on crickets and similarly-sized insects.

Although they mimic wasps, they are easy to spot in grassland due to their contrasting color.

Catching these spiders isn’t easy as they can jump long distances easily.

These spiders should not be handled. Cardinal Jumping spiders aren’t venomous but they have a highly painful sting.

13. Katipō

Katipō. Image by Arnim Littek via inaturalist

Scientific name: Latrodectus katipo

Common name: Katipō

This genus of spiders is native to New Zealand. It has multiple coloring variations but most people identify the species by the black and red-orange color of the female spider.

The female grows to a maximum size of 1.3 inches. Female spiders have a black body with a red central stripe on the abdomen. It resembles Black Widows.

Male spiders are a few times smaller. They have different colors as well. Males are brown with a white marked abdomen.

This species is venomous and it should be avoided.

While bites aren’t common, they can be accompanied by a neurotoxin-type venom which means hospitalization is needed.

Analgesics are part of the standard medical treatment for the bite of this spider.

14. Steatoda paykulliana

Steatoda paykulliana. Image by Ali Ali via inaturalist

Scientific name: Steatoda paykulliana

Common name: Steatoda paykulliana

Found in dry grassland and other dry habitats, this spider is also known as a False Black Widow.

This species is routinely confused with a true Black Widow, but the spider should still be avoided as it’s a venomous species. 

The venom of the Steatoda paykulliana is still painful and it might still cause adverse reactions.

However, these reactions are life-threatening.

Spiders of this genus are identified as black. However, they are only partially black upon close inspection.

The female spider has a purple-brown to black cephalothorax and a black abdomen.

There’s a red line on the center of its abdomen.

Some females have multiple red stripes on the abdomen.

Females of the species are a few times larger than the males as they grow to 13mm.

15. Apache Jumping Spider

Apache Jumping Spider. Image by katebrabham via inaturalist

Scientific name: Phidippus apacheanus

Common name: Apache jumping spider

This jumping spider species is mostly black and orange.

Males and females of the genus have a black color with orange coloring on the top of the cephalothorax and the top of the abdomen.

The legs are black both on males and females.

Apache Jumping spiders use jumps to move. They don’t spin spider webs.

These spiders only create small retreat webs they hide in. Commonly seen under rocks or plants, these webs are only used for resting.

Apache Jumping spiders can be seen looking for food.

They prefer to eat moths, beetles, and other insects.

The reduced size of the Apache Jumping spider also makes it vulnerable to predators. Birds and wasps are among the most common Apache Jumping spider predators.

16. Red-spotted Ant-mimic Sac Spider

Red-spotted Ant-mimic Sac Spider. Image by Jacob Weston via inaturalist

Scientific name: Castianeira descripta

Common name: Red-spotted ant-mimic sac spider

Red-spotted Ant-mimic Sac spiders take on the appearance of ants as it’s often found next to ant colonies.

This spider is also often compared to Black Widow spiders as both species are black with red markings on the abdomen.

However, this species only has a red line-shaped marking on the abdomen. It’s also a darker red compared to the bright red markings of Black Widows.

Spiders of this genus often feed on ants. Their mimicking looks allow them to get closer to ant nests before ants get alarmed.

These spiders can bite and their bite might need hospitalization.

However, these spiders don’t have an aggressive nature.

17. Ladybird Spider

Ladybird Spider. Image by Gábor Keresztes via inaturalist

Scientific name: Eresus kollari

Common name: Ladybird spider

Resembling ladybirds with their orange-spotted abdomen, the Ladybird spider is a burrowing species.

This spider has a black body with a red-orange abdomen. 4 black spots are distinguished in its bright abdomen.

The ladybird spider has black legs with white stripes. Its posterior legs also show superficial red-orange coloring.

Spiders of this genus are very good at ambushing prey. Given they have a robust body and a jumping ability they can ambush all types of bugs and insects.

Long beetles are among this species’ favorite foods.

18. Long-horned Orbweaver

Long-horned Orbweaver. Image by zicky via inaturalist

Scientific name: Macracantha arcuata

Common name: Long-horned orbweaver

Long-horned orbweavers are common in Southeast Asia.

These are a spectacular species of orbweavers, mainly through their long abdominal projections that extend upwards and nearly meet each other. 

These abdominal projects are anchored at each side of the abdomen.

Spiders of this genus have such distinct abdominal projections that they stand out immediately. These abdominal projections are a few times longer than their bodies.

The abdominal projections of the Long-horned Orbweaver spider grow to a full length between 20 and 26mm.

The coloring of the spider is black or black and red. The abdomen has the red section of the body in most cases.

Rare morphs of this spider are also found in black and yellow combinations.

The coloring of the species depends on its environment. Some of the most colored Long-horned Orbweavers live in the rainforest.

19. Peatland Sheetweb Weaver

Peatland Sheetweb Weaver. Image by Jeffrey G. Cramer via inaturalist

Scientific name: Hypselistes florens

Common name: Peatland sheetweb weaver

Part of the Linyphiidae family, Peatland Sheetweb Weavers are common across the world.

These spiders have a red cephalothorax and a black abdomen.

The shape of the abdomen is round and there are no markings on it which make for easy identification of the species.

Most people know Peatland Sheetweb Weavers as beneficial spiders that eat aphids. They have even been introduced to some regions of the world to control aphids on crops.

These spiders are also known for being very good at moving over long distances.

They are part of a group of ballooning spiders capable of releasing a gas that helps them catch drifts and follow along the wind cover ground quickly.

The species is seen across multiple countries in Europe as well as in North America in the US and Canada.

20. Mexican Red-rump Tarantula

Mexican Red-rump Tarantula. Image by Georgia Born-Schmidt via inaturalist

Scientific name: Tliltocatl vagans

Common name: Mexican red-rump tarantula

This black and red species is known for its multicolored body. The tarantula has a black cephalothorax and a black abdomen with red hairs on its abdomen.

The tarantula also shows distinctive white hairs on its legs.

Tarantulas of this genus aren’t more dangerous to people than other species. They can release urticating hairs when trying to defend against predators and people.

This tarantula is venomous and its bite can come with mild health complications such as hindered breathing capacity.

At the moment, the venom of the Mexican Red-rump tarantula is part of further investigations as possible used for the benefit of humans in medicine.

21 .Red-legged Purseweb Spider

Sphodros rufipes
Red-legged Purseweb Spider. Image by eamonccorbett via inaturalist

Scientific name: Sphodros rufipes

Common name: Red-legged purseweb spider

The Red-legged Purseweb Spider gets its name from its red legs. The rest of its body is black.

Spiders of this genus are known for their bi-colored bodies, but they are also known for an atypical method of catching prey.

Red-legged Purseweb Spiders make tunnel-like spider webs and attach them to tree trunks, rocks, or other solid objects.

They settle inside the tunnel-like web waiting for prey to come close. 

This is when the Red-legged Purseweb spiders grabs the insects and snatch them inside the web preventing a quick escape.

22. Red-headed Mouse Spider

Red-headed Mouse Spider

Scientific name: Missulena occatoria

Common name:  Red-headed mouse spider

This species is common in Australia. The female is mostly red-brown but the male has a black color with a red thorax and a blue abdomen.

The species has atypical coloring and considerable size differences between the sexes, as with most other spiders.

Red-headed Mouse spiders can be very toxic when they bite. This is one of the most venomous red and black spiders in the world.

Bites are rare and never fatal. Antivenom is given to those bitten by these spiders in Australia.

23. South American Black Widow

Latrodectus curacaviensis
South American Black Widow. Image by Célio Moura Neto via inaturalist

Scientific name: Latrodectus curacaviensis

Common name: South American black widow, Brazilian black widow,  Araña del trigo

The South America Black Widow is very similar to Black Widow spiders found in the US. 

Most of the body is shiny black, including the legs.

The abdomen is where this species exhibits parallel red lines and a black mark varying in shape.

The red lines on the abdomen contrast the red hourglass marking on the North American Black Widow.

This spider has higher aggression than other black spiders.

Females South American Black Widows are particularly aggressive when it comes to mating and to carrying the egg sac. 

24. Red-and-black Spider

Red-and-black Spider. Image by Graeme Rigg via inaturalist

Scientific name: Nicodamus peregrinus

Common name: Red-and-black spider

This species is common in Southern Australia.

The Red-and-black Spider isn’t a bright red species as these spiders have a scarlet red coloring and a black abdomen.

Both males and females have similar coloring albeit the female is larger growing to a size of up to 15mm.

Both males and females live on the ground. Males are known for taping the ground to avoid dangers due to poor vision.

Females are the only members of the species that build spider webs.

The females are also known for carrying the egg sac.

Red-and-black spiders are prolific breeders. Up to 50 live young spiders can emerge from a single sac.

25. Emerton’s Bitubercled Cobweaver

Emerton’s Bitubercled Cobweaver

Scientific name: Theridula emertoni

Common name: Emerton’s bitubercled cobweaver

Emerton’s Bitubercled Cobweaver is one of the smallest black and red spiders.

It grows to an average of 1.5mm in the case of males and an average of 2.3mm in the case of females.

This spider has a bulbous abdomen that’s a few times larger than its head, which makes it resemble bugs.

Spiders of this genus are dominated by a red-brown base color. The head is black while the legs are pale yellow.

Black marks are also distinguishable on the shiny abdomen of the species. 2 small black dots are seen on the sides of the abdomen.

This spider also has a larger yellow spot in the middle of the abdomen.

26. Broad-Faced Sac Spider

Broad-Faced Sac Spider

Scientific name: Trachelas tranquillus

Common name: Broad-faced sac spider

The Broad-Faced Sac spider has red-brown legs, a lack of cephalothorax, and a gray abdomen.

Males of the species grow to a maximum size between 5 to 6mm while the females grow to a size of 7 to 10mm.

Females of the species lay an egg sac of up to 50 eggs at the end of the summer.

The bite of this species is considered very painful.

Furthermore, Broach-Faced Sac spider bites can result in serious infections and high levels of pain that last for days.

Hospitalization is recommended if bitten by this species.

A diet that includes feeding on bugs and insects is associated with infections caused by the bite of this species.

The bite of the Broad-Faced Sac spider is very painful and this pain might not subside for hours or even days without medical care.

27. Orange Ant-mimic Sac Spider

Castianeira amoena
Orange Ant-mimic Sac Spider

Scientific name: Castianeira amoena

Common name: Orange ant-mimic sac spider

This spider is mostly orange with black marks and rings around its body and legs.

The species is believed to mimic ants and wasps but not a species in general as much as an entire group of orange-brown ants and wasps.

Orange Ant-mimic Sac spiders are believed to be mimicking velvet ants to a small extent as they are believed to mimic the ground they live on most of the day.

Whatever these spiders are mimicking seems to be working as many potential predators stay away from Orange Ant-mimic Sac spiders as they are perceived as poisonous.

28. Red Widow

Red Widow. Image by Eric C. Maxwell via inaturalist

Scientific name: Latrodectus bishopi

Common name: Red widow spider

The Red Widow spider is native to the sandy Florida habitats.

This species has a red-orange cephalothorax and a black abdomen. Red markings with white borders are distinguished on the abdomen of the spider.

Red Widows are highly venomous but they rarely kill people. These spiders aren’t in contact with humans too often given they live in remote areas.

Even if it bites, the spider can rarely inject as much as half of the venom needed to kill a human.

The Red Widow has diminishing distribution in the US.

Further Reading: