Author:
Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation:
4 August 2021
Update Date:
1 July 2024
Content
The black widow spider, named after its mating habit, is a poisonous spider that is present in many parts of the world. The easiest way to identify a black widow spider is to observe the glossy black color and characteristic crimson spot on the female spider's abdomen. However, the young and male spiders of this species are a bit more difficult to identify, as they have only one simple brown color for life. With a little practice, you will be able to correctly identify the black widow spider safely to avoid the pain and risk of falling ill from a bite.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Determine colors and traces
Look for dark red spots on the female spider. The female black widow spider is famous for red spots on her abdomen. This imprint can be an hourglass under the abdomen or two separate triangles that closely resemble an hourglass.
- A black widow spider has a row of red dots instead of the characteristic hourglass shape.
- There are many color variations of the black widow spider. Occasionally, these marks can be brown, yellow, or orange. Also, hourglass shapes are sometimes replaced with a triangle or a dot.
Observe that the body is glossy black and hairless. The female black widow spider is glossy black. Black covers the legs and belly of the spider, except where there is a red mark. The spider's body is hairless and smooth.
Look for brown and white color in juveniles and males. Males and juveniles (both male and female) have a smaller body, brown color and white markings. Their appearance is different from female spiders, as they are lighter in color, usually skin color, brown or gray. There are no red hourglass shapes as in females, male spiders and juveniles have white or yellow stripes on their backs.
- The male spider is smaller than the female, almost half the size.
- The belly of the male spider is smaller and tapered.
- Male black widow spiders are not as dangerous as female spiders because their bites contain no venom.
Method 2 of 4: Identify body features
Examine the bristles under the spider's legs. Black widow spider has eight legs that grow out of the chest. The hind legs are covered with hard hair, which helps the spider to wrap silk around prey.
Pay attention to long legs. Black widow spiders' legs are longer than their body size. The forelegs are the longest, the three hind legs are shorter.
- The legs of female spiders are black, while the male and female spiders have brown legs.
Consider the size of the spider. Black widow spider is relatively small. The female spider is about 3.8 cm long, including legs. Their bodies are about 1.3 cm long.- The male spider is much smaller with a length of about 2 cm including the legs.
Observe the round belly. Black widow spiders have round and fat bellies attached to their breasts, located behind their hind legs. The color of the spider's abdomen coincides with the color of the spider's head. You will see characteristic marks in this part of them.
- Male spiders have a smaller abdomen than female spiders.
Method 3 of 4: Consider a spider's web
Observe the uneven shape of the spider web. Black widow spiders' webs are often of an irregular shape. The spider silk is slightly stronger and thicker than the webs of other spiders. Black widow spider webs look tangled, although they are woven with high precision. Black widow spider webs usually have a diameter of approximately 30 cm.
Look for spider webs in dry, dark places. If you find a spider web in a clear spot with a lot of sunlight, it probably isn't a black widow spider. Black widow spiders often prefer to live in dark, dark, and dry places.
- Black widow spiders also often appear in areas near the ground, so the high webs are probably not those of black widow.
Watch out for spiders hanging upside down. Black widow spiders have a very unique way of resting when in their webs. At night, they often hang upside down in spider webs to watch for prey. During the day, they often hide in a private place.
- If the black widow spiders hang upside down in the web, you will probably see a crimson color on their stomach.
Method 4 of 4: Stay safe
Beware of black widow spiders in closed, dark areas. Black widow spiders are generally reclusive spiders, often in dark and quiet places like nooks and crannies and in secluded places in basements, warehouses, attics, and outdoors. You can also find them in woodpiles, under rocks, in trash, in the garden, even in shoes if you leave your shoes outside.
- Whenever working in areas known to be inhabited by black widow spiders, take safety precautions and watch them carefully before entering dark corners or sticking your hands or feet into closed corners.
Protect yourself. If you must stay in an area known to have black widow spiders, wear protective clothing. Use gloves, pants, long sleeves and boots. This will reduce the chance of you getting bitten by a spider.
- Spray an insect repellent on clothing, such as DEET or Picaridin. These medicines can prevent spiders from getting near you.
Contact an extermination service. If you have black widow spiders in your home, do not try to get close to, interact with or kill them yourself to avoid the risk of spider bites. Instead, you should contact an extermination service. They can make a plan to get rid of the black widow spider for you.
Treat the bite. Black widow spider bites can cause muscle spasms, nausea and vomiting, breathing problems, sweating, itching, swelling, weakness, and abdominal pain. These symptoms can appear within 8 hours of being bitten.
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible.
- Wash the spider bite with soap and water, then apply a cold washcloth. You can take over-the-counter pain relievers like Tylenol. Raise the affected leg or hand to prevent swelling.
- If a child is bitten by a spider, take him to the emergency room immediately.
Advice
- Black widow spiders have no aggressive nature. Although spider bites are dangerous, the chances of you getting bitten by them are very low. However, pets are at risk of being bitten due to the spider's defensive instincts, so you should make sure there are no black widow spiders in your home.
Warning
- Regardless of your age and medical condition, you should go to hospital if bitten by a black widow spider. Although the general belief that you will die when bitten by a black widow spider is incorrect, the bite of this spider can cause severe pain, nausea, and shortness of breath. In addition, it can also cause death in children, the elderly or the sick. Sometimes you may not notice a black widow spider bite until symptoms appear, as the bite itself is not so painful.
- By nature all spiders have venom. However, only certain species have a significant effect.
- Be extra careful when identifying a spider. You probably don't want to come close to a spider, and by realizing it has venom, it's too late. To keep a safe distance, you should use the magnifying glass or take a picture that can zoom in. It's a great way to observe details while keeping a safe distance.Some spiders can be very aggressive and will chase even with little or no excitement.
