Black Widow Spider Facts
Black widow spiders belong to the Kingdom Animalia, Phyla Anthropoda, Class Arachnida, Order Araneae, Suborder Neocribellatae, Family Theridiidae and Genus Latrodectus.
Contrary to popular belief, spiders are not insects; rather, they are arachnids. Being arachnids, they have two body segments, eight legs, and do not have wings.
Most black widow spiders weigh approximately one gram and span three to 10 millimeters in size. They live an average of one year, although some species may survive for up to three years. These spiders live longest in captivity. Black widows are the largest of web-spinning spiders.
Black widow spider females earned their name for rumor that hey kill and eat males after mating. However, this behavior occurs most frequently in captivity or in the event of near starvation. Female black widow spiders are more threatening than males: their mouthparts are larger and their venom is much more potent. The venom of the black widow spider is reported to be 15 times stronger than that of the rattlesnake. Mud-dauber wasps feed on black widows, while birds that consume young black widows die of poisoning.
The black widow contributes to the balance of the ecosystem by consuming insects such as flies and mosquitoes. It also controls crop pest populations, feeding on pests that defoliate plants, including locusts, grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillars. In small concentrations, black widow spider venom may prove beneficial to human health. Research is being done concerning its inclusion in environmentally safe pesticides, as well as in medications intended to enable better blood flow.
Poisonous Spiders and Black Widow Spiders
Black Widow Spiders' Activity During Cold Weather
How the Black Widow Spider Received its Name
Extinction of Black Widow Spiders
Characteristics of a Black Widow Spider