The Black Widow Spider is a spider that -with its similarly called relatives- is broadly distributed. It can vary widely in size and many can have red, white or brown markings on the upper-side of the abdomen. Some can be readily identifiable by reddish markings on the central underside abdomen, which are often hourglass-shaped. These small spiders have unusual potent venom, which causes pain, muscle rigidity, vomiting, and sweating. Female widow spiders have unusually large venom glands and their bite can be harmful to large vertebrates, including humans. Despite their notoriety, those bites rarely cause death or produce serious complications.
Black Widow Spider
14cm x 2.8cm