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Black Widow |
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Description
- Male 1/8" (3-4 mm)
- Female 3/8" (8-10 mm)
- Black
- The male's abdomen is elongate with white
and red markings on the sides
- The female's abdomen is almost
spherical, usually with red hourglass mark below or with
2 transverse red marks separated by black
- The legs of the
male are much longer in proportion to the body than those
of the female
- Spiderling are orange, brown, and white, gaining
more black at each molt
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Food
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Insects
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Web Irregular mesh with a funnel-shaped retreat, built in sheltered
spots.
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Life Cycle Female rarely leaves web, stays close to egg mass, biting defensively if disturbed
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Pear-shaped egg sac, 3/8-1/2" (8-12 mm) wide, is pale brown
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Female stores sperm, producing more egg sacs without mating
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Spiderlings disperse soon after hatching
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Some females live more than 3 years
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Habitat
- Among fallen branches and under objects of many kinds,
including furniture, outhouse seats, and trash
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Range
- Massachusetts to Florida
- West to California
- Texas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Most common in
the South
- Despite its reputation, this spider often attempts to escape rather than bite, unless it is guarding an egg mass
- Males do not bite
- After mating, the female often eats the male, earning the name "widow."
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Proudly serving the area since 1993
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