cobweb/comb-footed spider

5586 Hello.    I found this in our basement today Jan 24,2016.  I Live in Ottawa Ontario. It’s about the size of a dime with the legs stretched out. I have found 2 similar in my garage this summer. Just wondering what it is because it has a similar body type as a black widow but without tell tale markings. Thank you so much.   Thomas
This is a cobweb/comb-footed spider (family Theridiidae) in the genus Steatoda, likely S. borealis; see http://tinyurl.com/hcfxopo for an image. These spiders usually are shy and non-aggressive, but can bite if handled carelessly.  Ed Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.