Button spiders and Widows are the same thing in the South African context.
Widow is just the name given to Button spiders by Americans.
The spiders you have are Brown button spiders and these are most common around houses. They build spiky eggcases and their venom is apparently 1/4 the strength of Black button spiders. Black button spiders build smooth eggcases and are mainly found in veld areas.
Black button spiders are black with a red marking on the abdomen above the spinnerets and brown buttons vary from white to brown to black and have the red hourglass on the abdomen ventrally.
The females make up to 15 eggcases (Personal experience) after mating once with each eggcase containing about 200 eggs, so a whole bunch of babies from each mating.
The females are not like tarantulas that moult after their maturing moult. They would have an ultimate moult, mate, lay eggs and then die. Usually a lifespan of a year.
Anything else?

Can we get some pics here or maybe start a new thread of pictures of true spiders that some of the members may have?

T-rad wrote: Can we get some pics here or maybe start a new thread of pictures of true spiders that some of the members may have?

:thumbsup:

I unfortunately dont have any pics of spiders, but if someone opens a new thread and asks for info on any local true spider i should be able to help with info. So someone open a new thread and fire away.