Black Widow

Latrodectus mactans

The Black Widow is a shiny black spider with a red hourglass shape on its belly. It spins strong webs to catch insects for food.

Habitat: Urban areas

Appearance

The Black Widow is a medium-sized spider, famously shiny black with long, slender legs. It has a distinct, bright red or orange hourglass-shaped marking on the underside of its rounded abdomen, making it visually unique.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassArachnidaOrderAraneaeFamilyTheridiidaeGenusLatrodectus

Black Widow

Interesting facts

A female black widow's venom is 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake's venom!

Baby black widows sometimes float away on silk strands, like tiny parachutists!

Black Widows can survive for several months without eating any food!

Their silk is so strong that, ounce for ounce, it's tougher than steel!

Special abilities

Black Widow has incredibly strong, sticky silk that helps them build tangled webs to catch unsuspecting insects.

Black Widow can deliver a powerful neurotoxic venom because of specialized fangs that helps them quickly subdue prey.

Black Widow can sense tiny vibrations through their web that helps them locate and ambush prey hidden in the dark.

Measurements & details

Size: 3-13 mm
Lifespan: 90-1095 days
Leg Count: 8

Diet & Feeding

Black Widows are tiny hunters that mostly eat other insects trapped in their super sticky webs.

Primary Foods

flies
mosquitoes
beetles
grasshoppers
crickets
spiders

Foraging Method

Ambush

Ecological connections

hunts

House Fly

Musca domestica

A common insect often caught in their sticky webs.

hunts

House Cricket

Acheta domesticus

Frequently trapped by Black Widows in their ground-level webs.

eaten by

Great Golden Digger Wasp

Chlorion aerarium

Larvae of this wasp feed on paralyzed spiders.

Traits

Wildlife

Step into the incredible world of wild animals and plants living freely in nature. From tiny insects to towering trees, it's all part of the wild wonders around us!

Solitary

Meet animals that enjoy their independence! These creatures prefer to live by themselves, finding food and shelter on their own.

Web Builder

Witness the incredible artistry of creatures that weave intricate, silken structures right before your eyes. They create amazing traps and homes using their own unique silk.

Carnivorous

Discover fierce hunters and clever predators that get all their energy from eating other animals. They play a vital role in keeping nature's balance.

Keystone Species

Discover the hidden heroes of nature! These special species play an incredibly important role in their habitat, holding the entire ecosystem together like a crucial piece of a puzzle.

Urban Friendly

Spot amazing living things that thrive right alongside us in cities and towns, finding homes in parks, gardens, and even cracks in pavements.

Threatened

These plants and animals are facing challenges that could make them endangered if we don't act now. It means they are at risk and need our attention!

Venomous

Be amazed by animals that can inject special substances to defend themselves or catch their food! They deliver their potent dose through a bite or a sting.