Black Widow Spider - In the Bathtub

I found this female Black Widow in the warehouse I work at in Sturtevant, WI on March 24th. 2009 It must have hitched a ride on a shipment of parts coming from out west or down south because these are NOT common here in Wisconsin. I got her up off the floor using a stick and put her inside a 20 ounce bottle and kept her in there for a few hours until my shift ended. She looks horrible in this video ... watch my other videos (links below) of her and you will see the red hour glass and shes alot more healthier.

Black Widow Preps a Earthworm to Eat - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hEUCcVZAY8

Black Widow Spider Close Up - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi4swEiR1hQ

Black Widow Attacks Crickets - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPHzBCgW4v8

Black Widow Vs. Cicada - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljQHCGbm6IQ

Black Widow Runs - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPkxesPrz8I

Black Widow Walking on Her Web - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXsmOL-QuzM

Black widows are notorious spiders identified by the colored, hourglass-shaped mark on their abdomens. Several species answer to the name, and they are found in temperate regions around the world.

This spider's bite is much feared because its venom is reported to be 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake's. In humans, bites produce muscle aches, nausea, and a paralysis of the diaphragm that can make breathing difficult; however, contrary to popular belief, most people who are bitten suffer no serious damage—let alone death. But bites can be fatal—usually to small children, the elderly, or the infirm. Fortunately, fatalities are fairly rare; the spiders are nonaggressive and bite only in self-defense, such as when someone accidentally sits on them.

The animals most at risk from the black widow's bite are insects—and male black widow spiders. Females sometimes kill and eat their counterparts after mating in a macabre behavior that gave the insect its name. Black widows are solitary year-round except during this violent mating ritual.

These spiders spin large webs in which females suspend a cocoon with hundreds of eggs. Spiderlings disperse soon after they leave their eggs, but the web remains. Black widow spiders also use their webs to ensnare their prey, which consists of flies, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars. Black widows are comb-footed spiders, which means they have bristles on their hind legs that they use to cover their prey with silk once it has been trapped.

To feed, black widows puncture their insect prey with their fangs and administer digestive enzymes to the corpses. By using these enzymes, and their gnashing fangs, the spiders liquefy their prey's bodies and suck up the resulting fluid.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Racine
• Wisconsin
• WI
• wisconsin
• Black
• Widow
• spider
• deadly
• venom
• venomous
• bite
• CheesyCheetah
• Latrodectus
• hesperus
• red
• hourglass
• bowtie
• lethal
• poison
• female
• Sturtevant
• March
• scary
• creepy
• fear
• halloween
• radio
• show

[zither74]

Yeah, ummm... no. This is not a Black Widow. The body shape is completely wrong.

[CheesyCheetah]

@zither74 You didnt read the description or look at the other videos of the same spider ... once she was healthy. Your right the body shape is wrong thats because she was near death when I found her. I really dont need a confirmation from you. I know what I caught and had it confirmed.

[aimi360]

I dont like spiders... but the black widow is awesome... I mean, they kill the male after having sex. How cool is that? lol

[nerualmmis]

I'm never bathing again o_o

[Landrar]

@aimi360 That is not entirely true. Sometimes that happens, but it is more the exception than the rule.

[UltraRareBreed]

Wow...the first video of saw was your black widow attacking the stir stick.  This video does her NO JUSTICE! :-)

[kimmyfreak200]

widows can survive 6 months with no food or water... think that one can be living under your bed.i found many spider nests under my bed, even a recluse

[FanGirlYell]

i once saw a black widow

[Adrian74453]

The spider is cute and creepy...i am little scared of spider..

[Daniel27051]

KILL IT WITH FIRE!

[crazymike65]

If I saw that in my bathtub, I would grab the hairspray and a lighter.