Black Widow, Friend or foe?

[wegotchickens]

Quote:
Wait a minute and I'll get a good picture of her. She's staying.

Cool. Give her a chance.
They are seriously weird looking spiders, but they do their job.

 

[Coop-a-kick]

Quote:
Applauding your decision!

Whitehall, the easiest way to tell it's a black widow is the hourglass shape on their abdomen; I think they're always red or orange. The spiders aren't gigantic. I wish brown recluse spiders were easier to recognize (or see, period!).

 

[Coop-a-kick]

Quote:
Wait a minute and I'll get a good picture of her. She's staying.

If you are not back in 10 minutes, should we call 911?

 

[wegotchickens]

I've been told by some that the bite isn't any worse than a bee sting.
I've been told by someone else that it's as bad as a brown recluse.

The person who said bee sting has been stung several times by 'pet' widows (he has a widow tattoed on his arm and his friends call him Spider Man).

The person who said it's like a brown recluse said a friend had been bitten.

I'm hoping Spider Man is right!
But these ugly little arachnids are not at all aggressive. I only see them if I dribble some dirt on their webs.

 

[Southern28Chick]

LOL no need to call 911...I made it out alive. She wouldn't come out to get her picture taken, I reckon she's shy.

She is very shiny black with red on her back and belly. She's not that big. I think she's lovely.

This is the best pic I could get:

http://www.desertusa.com/july97/du_bwindow.html

 

[Southern28Chick]

No one's posting now. Did the picture scare everyone off?

 

[wegotchickens]

Nope, just had to pretend to be working

She looks just like my 'girls'.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

You've got yourself a real beaut there!

I've not seen one like that one, just the common all black with the hourglass on the bottom like futurechickenman's pictures.

 

[wegotchickens]

I think these are a different variety, not like desert widows.
Mine make webbs just like Southern's do, and they definitely like being low to the ground. I never see them up high where other predators like a mantis would be.

Mine are the Southern variety, and immature widows do not have a clear hourglass marking. And males also have red spots more than an hourglass. So you probably have a teen spider, Southern. UT has a good article on Southern widows...

 

[CritterHill]

I was out putting away power tools. Hope this storm hits soon and cools things off!

Happy she didn't eat you.