Orkin Exterminator & Termite Control

Black Widow Spider Web

Black widow spider webs are commonly found near ground level inside storage sheds or in small holes and crevices around building foundations and outdoor furniture. Inside, webs are common in crawl spaces and basements. Webs act as retreats for spiders, traps for prey and defenses against predators.

A black widow spider's web is usually about a foot in diameter. The web is irregular in shape and is made of threads that are stronger than most spiders' webs.

Black widow spider webs appear uneven and tangled and are oftentimes funnel-shaped. In actuality, the architecture of the black widow web is carefully composed of three structural levels: the uppermost portion is made of supporting threads, the central zone is made of tangle threads and the lower zone consists of vertical trap threads. Webs appear more stable when inhabited by spiders and slacken in the arachnids' absence.

Females tend to hang upside down from their webs, allowing the red, hourglass marking on their abdomens to become visible. This marking signals danger to predators and other attackers. At the slightest disturbance, the female detaches herself from the web and feigns death.

Poisonous Spiders and Black Widow Spiders

Black Widow Spider Facts

Black Widow Spiders' Activity During Cold Weather

How the Black Widow Spider Received its Name

Extinction of Black Widow Spiders

Black Widow Spiders Food

Characteristics of a Black Widow Spider

Black Widow Spider Map