Black Widow Spider
Most female black widow spiders look similar to one another. There are three major species and while the markings may vary somewhat, the general features are very similar. Characteristically, the females are shiny black with a round abdomen. They have a red or orange hourglass shaped marking (or similar looking dots) on the underside of their stomach. The female black widows get to be about a half inch in body length, with the legs making them even larger.
The males don't look like the females, though they also look similar to one another across the black widow species. They are lighter in color and have smaller, less distinct abdomens. They may have red or pinkish markings, but not always. They are also only about half the size of the females.
Black widow spiders will bite you if you get into their space, and that bite will cause pain, usually immediately. You will see tiny puncture wounds and it will start to swell around the site. In bad bites, the pain will intensify and begin to cramp surrounding muscles. The cramps can spread toward the center of the body. Black widow bites may require hospitalization to treat the bite and/or the symptoms. Additionally, protection from tetanus is also required after a black widow bite, meaning that you'll need to get a shot if your tetanus booster isn't up to date.
Getting bitten by a black widow can be a very extreme health event and may require medical intervention. Fortunately, death occurring from black widow spider bites is rare. In extreme cases, such as with those most at risk - like young children and the elderly - an antivenom will be administered.
Unfortunately, black widow spider bites can be fatal to pets. In fact, a single bite can be lethal, even to a larger dog. Larger animals tend to fare better than smaller animals, but all are susceptible. Even an animal as large as a horse can experience the extreme effects of the black widow spider bite.
To learn more about myths surrounding black widow spiders, check out our blog post