Black widows are a dreaded species of spiders that crawl into our
thoughts late at night and spin nightmarish webs. The paralyzing effect
of these deadly spiders has been popularized by movies that shed light
on the phobias that surround them.
There is something creepy about these tiny little arachnids that manage to scare the wits out of us. Perhaps it's their tiny legs that move so fast across the floor, or their hairy little bodies that scratch against the surface of your skin, causing you to jump in panic. Most frightening, however, is the reality of how deadly the black widow spider can be. For this reason, it is important to take steps to make sure you can identify and protect against these dangerous little black insects by using proper pest control and pest prevention techniques.
Black Widow Basics
The female black widow averages about half an inch long and one and a half inches when the legs are spread. Both females and males have glossy, globular abdomens. While for the most part females and males are black, they can sometimes be brown. The females usually carry the dreaded reddish hourglass symbol on the underside of their abdomens, while other species may have a series of red spots and two crossed bars on the abdomen.
Black widow spiders are inhabitants of the warmer parts of the world. They can be found in all four deserts in the American Southwest. There are various kinds of related spiders, such as widow spiders (genus Latrodectus). Widow spiders are the largest of the cobweb weavers (family Therididae). All types of widow spiders are venomous, but not all pose a threat to humans. Overall, black widows comprise six different species.
Common in the westernmost parts of the U.S. is thespecies L. Hesperus, which is found in the North American deserts. The eastern and central parts of the U.S. are home to the species L. Mactans. Another species, L. Geometricus, or the brown widow spider, can be found in the U.S. as well. Throughout the Americas is the species L. Curacaviensis.
The female black widow is the most venomous spider in North America. In spite of this, its bite hardly is a cause of death due to the fact that little venom is released. The human mortality rate from black widow spiders is less than 1 percent, so that ought to put some fears to bed. Still, it is important to seek immediate medical attention if you are bitten by a black widow spider and, if possible, to capture the spider to identify it.
