What are Black Widows? 
(Lansing State Journal, July 9, 1997)

Black widows are tiny spiders that live all over the U.S. and throughout the world.  Until 1900, these spiders were known by a number of names.  They were called hourglass spiders, shoe-button spiders or just "the poison ladies."  The black widow is a shiny black spider with a red, yellow or orange design on its abdomen which is often in the shape of an hourglass.  Her male counterpart is more dark brown than he is black and he has white stripes running down the side of his abdomen.  The pattern on his abdomen is dull and not well defined and he is only about a third the size of a black widow.

The venom of a female black widow is more deadly, drop for drop, than rattlesnake venom and it is poisonous to insects and humans.  The male black widow makes little or no poisonous venom and the venom that he does have is so weak that it cannot even stun insects.

The male black widow must be wary of his female counterpart during mating time.  He actually "knocks at her door" by vibrating her web with his abdomen.  If she sends a welcoming vibration back, then he is probably safe mating with her.  If she is not in the mood or she is hungry after mating, then she may wrap the male up in her silk and eat him.

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