All About Black Widow Spiders

 The Black Widow spider is by far the most venomous species of animal within the United States and a single bite has the potential to kill a human being within hours. Only mature females actually carry venom, males and juveniles of both sexes pose no danger to humans.

Their lethal blends of neurotoxins reap havoc on a victim's nervous system, blood pressure, and respiratory rate; in smaller prey the strike can often lead to death almost instantly. The venom also breaks down skin, muscle, and even bone into liquid form for the Black Widow to digest, which in humans can take as little as thirty minutes to an hour. The only reason Black Widows are not one of the leading causes of death in North America is because of the spider herself. She fears humans, and will only strike when there in no other option. Even when she feels completely trapped and forced into attacking, her focus is still on escaping alive. Therefore, the Black Widow only injects a trivial amount of venom before releasing a human and running for safety. It is this reason alone that the tiny 1% fatality rate from Black Widows is not enormously greater.


Like all species of spider, the Black Widow is nocturnal and prefers to hunt prey during evening hours. The females are easily identified by their solid black color and signature red hourglass shape on their lower abdomens, while the males are closer to light brown in color with various tan markings. Both sexes weave an unsymmetrical web in various shapes and sizes that contain a stronger silk compound than any other spider.


These arachnids will also burrow into the ground to secure warmth during the winter, but are also likely to seek shelter inside a home or building during these months. The average lifespan of the female Black Widow is between nine and fifteen months, during which time she can produce in upwards of 700 offspring. Their primary diet consists of other spiders, mice, insects, moths, crickets, and other small mammals, and their greatest threat comes from predatory birds and many of the same species they feed upon.


Black Widows are normally live a life of solidarity except when mating or caring for their young, so an infestation of this species is not common unless an overwhelmingly abundant presence of insects are available. This can be avoided by removing any standing water from your property since this typically serves as a breeding ground for flies and mosquitoes. Another approach would be to make your residence less attractive to spiders by cutting back shrubbery, removing any tree limbs close to the roof, and raising firewood and any other debris at least twelve inches off of the ground.
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