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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Cobweb Spiders (Theridiidae) » Widow Spiders (Latrodectus) » Southern Black Widow (Latrodectus mactans)
Photo#46781
Southern Black Widows - Latrodectus mactans - male - female
Copyright © 2006 Lynette Elliott

Southern Black Widows - Latrodectus mactans - Male Female
Fort Bragg, Cumberland County, North Carolina, USA
April 2, 2006
In the back left you can see the front legs of the female sticking out from her hiding place. The only time I've seen her out of that hole is when she had a meal in her web. The male is a recent addition.

I have a ethical question to pose. These spiders are on the side of a school building, near the playground. Since I know they are there, should I remove them? I know where there are others around the building as well, but I can't reach them. Should I inform the school? My first instinct was yes, but then changed to no. Any opinions?
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Contributed by Lynette Elliott on 4 April, 2006 - 5:59am
Last updated 19 July, 2008 - 10:35am

Black Widow Male has died.
I think it was my fault. I was cleaning the tree droppings out of their web and I disturbed them to the point where the male went up into the hole with the female. I thought it was a bad idea for him to do that, and sure enough I returned today to find him expired.
… Lynette Elliott, 9 April, 2006 - 1:31pm login or register to post comments

Maybe
If there is any chance at all that someone, child or adult will get hurt from these spiders, I would certainly speak up.
Carla Finley
Venice, FL
http://community.webshots.com/user/CarlaFinley
… Carla Finley, 4 April, 2006 - 6:09am login or register to post comments

 
My first reaction as well,
but then got to thinking how common these are here. When people move they find many....under sheds, outdoor storage boxes (toy boxes), etc. I'm pretty sure me pointing out three spiders won't make a dent in the problem. I'm also not sure that the chemicals sprayed aren't more harmful than the spiders??
… Lynette Elliott, 4 April, 2006 - 6:42am login or register to post comments

 
Aware
I guess if people are aware of these spiders and watch out for them, then your 3 wouldn't matter. I didn't know they were so common. I have to search high and low for a spider here. LOL And I live in the country, in the woods, in a RV community, on the river. You would think there would be more insects than I could take pictures of.
Carla Finley
Venice, FL
http://community.webshots.com/user/CarlaFinley
… Carla Finley, 4 April, 2006 - 6:57am login or register to post comments

 
....
Widows can be exceedingly common spiders. In North and Central Florida, almost every crevice or corner or light fixture near any house has a few Brown Widows. Likewise back home in Victoria BC, every basement and woodpile is loaded with Western Black Widows. I wouldn't worry about a few near a school. There is basically no (permanent) way to get rid of them either, so no sense getting people worried about it.
-Sean McCann


triatoma.blogspot.com
… Sean McCann, 4 April, 2006 - 7:28am login or register to post comments

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