Identifying the Black Widow Spider – Country Living Tips
Identifying the Black Widow Spider – Country Living Tips
The black widow spider is one of the most notorious creatures on the planet but they seriously get a bad rap. They certainly are dangerous and can cause some serious harm to humans, but they are not the holy terrors that are hunting humans that the movies portray them to be. Black widow spiders want absolutely nothing to do with us humans. They can’t eat us and only bite us when they are threatened in some way. That said, the bite of a black widow can make us very sick and they are rather common throughout the United States, so it behooves us to know how to identify them.
The black widow spider is notable for the red hourglass markings on it’s abdomen but the markings are not quite so simple. There are several variations of black widow females across the country and these markings can vary. Both the color of the hourglass and the shape of the hourglass can vary. They are generally a shiny black color and have a bulbous abdomen. The males are considerably smaller in size and have even more variation. The black widow is generally about as long as a paper clip and would fit inside the perimeter of a quarter.
The best way to identify a black widow is to observe their web. The web will be erratic and irregular and will likely contain several egg sacs. These may be white, tan or pearl colored and are round or oval shaped. These eggs will contain hundreds of baby black widows but the vast majority will not survive. They are cannibalistic in the early stages and eat one another for nutrition. The female, noted for eating their mates, will do so on occasion but it is not always the case. If you find a black widow web with egg sacs, the female will no doubt be close by. They do not leave the nest for anything and will protect it at all costs.
If you find a black widow spider in your home on a regular basis, you should treat your area to get rid of them. Black widows, while shy and naturally reclusive, can be a serious danger when they come into contact with human beings. I’m not a big fan of hiring this type of work though. I do have a great home remedy for a Do It Yourself Pest control solution if you want to give it a try. I have actually watched my guy mix this exact solution when he was treating my home not that long ago. The only difference is they do it in bulk. I promise you it really does work!
On a separate note, I love to teach my kids about all kinds of bugs. Here’s a really good one for the kiddos: National Geographic Readers: Spiders
