Noble Fettspinne vs Fettspinne

Steatoda nobilis compared with Steatoda bipunctata

Key Differences

• Noble Fettspinne is Not Evaluated while Fettspinne is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Noble Fettspinne	Fettspinne
Kingdom same	Animalia (Tier)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Gliederfüßer)	Arthropoda (Gliederfüßer)
Class same	Arachnida (Spinnentiere)	Arachnida (Spinnentiere)
Order same	Araneae (Webspinnen)	Araneae (Webspinnen)
Family same	Theridiidae	Theridiidae
Genus same	Steatoda	Steatoda
Species	Steatoda nobilis	Steatoda bipunctata

Evolutionary Relationship

Noble Fettspinne and Fettspinne share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Steatoda.

Conservation Status

Noble Fettspinne

NE — Not Evaluated

Fettspinne

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Noble Fettspinne	Fettspinne
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Noble Fettspinne

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (7 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Ecuador).

Fettspinne

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Range

Found across Europe (4 countries) and North America (Canada, United States).

Noble Fettspinne

The noble false widow (Steatoda nobilis) is a theridiid spider that has attracted considerable media attention in the British Isles and along the Atlantic coast of Europe due to its painful but rarely dangerous bite and its rapid range expansion facilitated by human activity. Originally native to the Canary Islands and Madeira, the species arrived in southern England during the 19th century, likely via banana shipments, and has since spread northward through Britain and westward into Ireland, while also establishing populations along the Iberian Peninsula and Atlantic France. Females are robust, with a dark brown carapace and a distinctive cream-colored pattern on the bulbous abdomen that varies between individuals; females reach 8.5–14 millimeters in body length, making this one of the larger European theridiids. The species constructs persistent, tangled cobwebs in sheltered locations outside buildings—under window ledges, in door frames, and in garden walls—as well as within homes in cooler seasons. It is a generalist predator, capturing insects and other invertebrates, and has been reported to occasionally subdue prey considerably larger than itself, including small lizards. Steatoda nobilis venom produces steatodism, which can cause localized pain, swelling, and in rare cases systemic symptoms. Its conservation status has not been formally assessed, but its expanding range demonstrates considerable resilience.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇺🇸 United States