And it has the same poisonous properties.
Spider black Widow- distributed throughout the United States, with the exception of Alaska; There are especially many of these spiders in the southeast. The body length is up to 1 cm, the leg span is up to 5 cm. This spider is shiny, black, with two red hourglass-shaped marks on the ventral surface of the abdomen, the abdomen is teardrop-like, convex, thick. The female is very poisonous spider, males are less common and are almost harmless. Males have four pairs of red dots located along the sides of the abdomen. After mating, the female devours the male, hence the name "black widow" - although this is found in most spiders and even praying mantises.
The black widow spins its web in the dark corners of sheds, barns, garages and under stones, boards, and pipes stacked for repairs. Most bites occur in the summer and early fall and occur when people destroy a spider's web or try to catch a spider.
The bite of a female spider is poisonous, accompanied by local pain, swelling, nausea, difficulty breathing and is sometimes fatal. At least three other black widow species are also poisonous to humans: the brown or gray widow spider; red widow spider, with sparse red and yellow markings; and the northern widow spider. Black widow spiders produce a neurotoxin that causes severe pain, muscle cramps and even paralysis in humans. The poison is more dangerous for children than for adults. Their bites are very dangerous, although antidotes have long been created that allow you to recover from the poison in a few days - because it takes time to be delivered to the hospital. But neurotoxins paralyze insects so quickly that the spider often starts eating while the victim is still alive. Most black widow species prefer flight to attack. A disturbed spider often pretends to be dead, with its legs tucked in, and runs only if they try to catch it or it seems to it that the danger has passed; it is not aggressive in itself and attacks people in case of its defense.
The venom of black widows is extremely toxic: they are considered one of the most dangerous spiders in the world.
Notes
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
See what “Black Widow (spider)” is in other dictionaries:
"Black Widow" redirects here. See also other meanings. ? Black widow Scientific classification Kingdom: Animals ... Wikipedia
This term has other meanings, see Black Widow (meanings). Black Widow Black Widow. Cover art of Black Widow Vol 2 #1, artist Greg Land... Wikipedia
This term has other meanings, see Avengers. The Avengers The Avengers ... Wikipedia
- (Aranei), a detachment of the arachnid class, which also includes ticks, scorpions, harvestmen, etc. Spiders are close to insects in a number of ways, but clearly differ from them, and these groups are related only by a very distant relationship. Well known... ... Collier's Encyclopedia
This term has other meanings, see Avengers. Avengers New Avengers #1 (February 2005). Artist Joe Quesada ... Wikipedia
Ultimate Comics: Ultimates ... Wikipedia
Developer Rogue Entertainment Publisher Activision Release date October 31, 1998 Genre First-person shooter Age ratings ESRB ... Wikipedia
This term has other meanings, see Eagle Owl (meanings). Eagle owl ... Wikipedia
Avengers New Avengers #1 (February 2005). Artist Joe Quesada General information Publisher Marvel Comics Debut ... Wikipedia
This article lacks links to sources of information. Information must be verifiable, otherwise it may be questioned and deleted. You can... Wikipedia
Books
- New Avengers: Breakout, Quitney Alice. Many prisoners have escaped from a special prison for superheroes, Raft. The Avengers fell apart, and Iron Man and Captain America had to unite again and assemble a new team, to...
No, the black widow is not a woman dressed in dark, mourning clothes. The black widow spider is one of the most dangerous spiders in the world, numbering 30 species in its genus, devouring its partner after mating, and whose venom can kill a person or large animal.
What does danger look like?
These spiders were able to earn such a bad reputation not only because they are extremely poisonous. Small size (an adult grows only 2 centimeters in length), dim black color, and not very noticeable network of cobwebs - ideal camouflage. Long, paddle- or comb-like legs, with powerful bristles on the hind pairs of legs; the legs and cephalothorax have a shiny, smooth, one might say “varnished” appearance. appearance. Some individuals are completely black, others have multi-colored spots; the black widow itself has a red spot on its back, which is somewhat reminiscent of an hourglass. Females are more poisonous than males. Males, in principle, are less dangerous and active, with the exception of the mating season, when they begin to wander anywhere and everywhere, including living quarters. The black widow's web is not like the smooth and beautiful patterns of large spiders; it is horizontal, long, and completely chaotic.
Black widow lifestyle
The black widow is a small spider. However, the victims are disproportionately larger than himself. Despite the impressive number of eyes, from 6 to 8, spiders see very poorly. The black widow perfectly senses the approach of an object with her body, using vibration, sometimes turning in the direction of movement and peering with two larger, stronger eyes. It lives in the steppes, ditches, ravines, on the ruins of abandoned villages, settling in cracks in the ground and trees, burrows of small rodents, and by the onset of cold weather they can move into living quarters, basements, cellars, which increases people's anxiety. But not for long, because at the end of October - beginning of November, adult spiders die from the cold, leaving the spiderlings in cocoons to wait for spring.
Reproduction and habitat
Despite all its poisonousness, the black widow never deliberately bites people. This is a defensive reaction to the danger that this small and insidious spider senses. After mating, females of all black widow species bite off the head of their partners, which is why they received such an unusual name. Individuals are immune to their own poison, so females have no problems with poisoning from a partner. Then, at the end of summer, black widow spiders attach cocoons to the web, from which after 8 days small spiders hatch, which become independent only in spring.
Black widows are widespread throughout to the globe, but the main habitat is the desert Central Asia, there are many species in Africa and America, and representatives of the black widow are increasingly being noticed in different cities of the world, where they have never been seen before.
Favorite delicacy
Not only insects, but also more major representatives fauna can be found in a black widow's web, such as small lizards or grass snakes.
Black widow and man
An encounter with a black widow can turn out to be very, very sad for a person, because this species of spider was considered the most dangerous in the world until it was supplanted from first place by the Brazilian soldier spider. The venom of the black widow is 15 times more toxic than the venom of a rattlesnake, the bite is invisible externally, and the toxins of the venom quickly spread throughout the body. It is noteworthy that spiders do not attack themselves, only if they are in danger or if their web is disturbed.
At first the bite goes unnoticed. But soon necrosis of the tissues located at the site of the bite begins. If measures are not taken, death can occur within a few days. A black widow bite can be fatal within a few days if you do not seek immediate help. You can save yourself from death if you cauterize the bite site within a few minutes, for example, with a just extinguished match head, after which you urgently need to go to the hospital.
The black widow spider got its name due to a special ritual - the female eats the male after mating. However, this does not always happen, often in cases where the female mistakes her boyfriend for prey. How dangerous is this creature for humans and how can it be recognized among other spiders?
Characteristic
Black widows are a genus of spiders, numbering 31 species, and they inhabit all continents without exception. Among them there are special representatives whose bite is very dangerous for humans.
The description of a black widow spider will largely depend on its species, but they all have characteristics characteristic of their genus.
- Dimensions – the body length of adult male spiders is about 1.2-2 cm, the length of the legs is approximately the same as the body size. Males are approximately half the size of females.
- Legs – The black widow has 8 legs. Characteristic– paws-combs. On the back pair of legs there are strong, curved bristles that help the spider close its web over its prey.
- Color - the body of an adult black widow spider, as can be seen in the photo, is black with one red or orange spot, which is shaped like an hourglass, or with several red spots. In females that have not reached sexual maturity, the red spots have a white edge. U European species the spot is colored white-brown. The body of young spiders is white or yellowish-white; after the next moult, it acquires a darker shade.
- Vision - the black widow's eyes are located in two rows, each of which has 4 eyes. The middle pair is the main one, the side ones are able to distinguish only light and movement.
On a note! Despite a large number of In general, the black widow spider's eyes see very poorly. He recognizes the presence of a victim solely by the vibration that it creates when it finds itself in the web!
Development
The fertilized female lays her eggs in a cocoon of cobwebs, which she attaches near her fishing net. The cocoon itself is a grayish ball with a funnel-shaped exit. The clutch is under the constant control of the mother until the spiderlings emerge from the eggs.
Development in the egg takes from 2 to 4 weeks. The young offspring, having just emerged from the eggs, immediately enter into the struggle for life. Stronger individuals eat the weaker ones, so not all survive. As a result, only a small handful of young black widows, often up to 12 spiderlings, leave the cocoon.
As mentioned above, immediately after birth, the body of young individuals is painted white. And only after several molts will they darken enough and look like adult black widow spiders.
Spreading
Where does the black widow spider live? Each species is attached to its own territory. For example, 8 species of black widows were found in Eurasia, 13 in South and North America, and 3 in Oceania and the Australian mainland.
Russia is also home to a certain type of black widow spider, which is known as the white spider. It can be recognized by its characteristic spherical abdomen, colored white or yellowish. At the same time, this black widow does not have a bright spot. Instead of a pattern, the white karakurt has four indentations on the surface of its abdomen, forming a rectangle.
Important! Despite the fact that the poison of the white karakurt is much less toxic than that of other black widows, it can be deadly for the elderly and children!
However, in Lately Due to significant warming, many species of these arachnids have changed their usual habitats. More and more often we hear about the appearance of the black widow spider in the Crimea, the Caucasus, Taganrog, Southern Urals and in the Rostov regions.
These spiders prefer to hang their webs in dark, dry shelters and settle mainly in poorly lit places. Therefore, encounters with them can occur in sheds, garages, toilets located on the street, as well as in abandoned animal burrows, hollow stumps and even in dense thickets of grass.
On a note! With the arrival of cold weather, the black widow spider always moves to a warm room, and therefore in winter they can be found even in a residential building!
Consequences of a bite
Female black widows are always more aggressive than males, but if the latter is accidentally disturbed, even he is capable of attacking and biting a person. At the same time, the risk of an attack from a spider increases significantly in the fall, when it moves into living quarters.
The bite of a black widow spider is moderately painful - feels like a pin prick. Characteristic symptoms are:
- expansion of capillaries, which leads to slight redness of the skin;
- swelling develops almost immediately;
- after half an hour - an hour, muscle spasms appear in the affected area, which are accompanied by intense pain;
- then the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall tense, the pain continues to increase and becomes excruciating.
On a note! This symptom is often mistaken for a sign of peritonitis, but palpation of the abdomen turns out to be painless!
Some additional symptoms may also develop, including:
- increased blood pressure;
- intense salivation;
- rapid sweating;
- vomit;
- attack of sudden shortness of breath;
- cardiac arrhythmia with increased heart rate;
- anxiety;
- general weakness;
- headache;
- urinary incontinence;
- muscle twitching;
- skin sensitivity disorder: from tingling and goosebumps to complete numbness.
An allergic reaction to the poison is also possible. After a bite, it is advisable to administer an antidote as soon as possible. After three hours, there is a high risk of aggravation of the victim’s already serious condition, even death.
On a note! At best, delay can lead to permanent injury. nervous system and deterioration of mental state without the possibility of its recovery or even minimal improvement!
To avoid trouble, watch for spiders when spending time outdoors or in a country house, and under no circumstances handle them.
The black widow is a mysterious spider, known for its interesting colors and cannibalism. In North America it is considered one of the most poisonous. However, its bite is very rarely fatal.
The black widow got its name because the female, mistaking the male for food, kills and then eats him. This explains the short life of the latter.
Habitat of the black widow spider
A separate species of black widow lives in different territories. For example, 8 species are common in Eurasia, and in Northern and South America– 13, in Australia and Oceania – 3.
In Russia you can also meet a species of this spider, it is known under the name white karakurt. main feature spider - round abdomen yellow or white. However, a bright spot is not typical for this species. Despite the fact that the poison of karakurt is not as toxic as that of other species, it can still be deadly for children, sick and elderly people.
Due to global warming, many species have migrated to other habitats. Thus, we are increasingly hearing about the appearance of a spider in the Caucasus and the Southern Urals, in Taganrog and Crimea, and in the Rostov region.
Main characteristics
Spider genus black widow has 31 species. Among the species there are especially dangerous representatives for a person and not very much.
Appearance
The appearance of a spider largely depends on its species. At the same time, there are features that are characteristic of all representatives:
Lifestyle
Black widows lead a closed and distant lifestyle. They prefer to live in dark and quiet places; spiders are active at night. The insect weaves a web 30–50 cm from the surface of the earth. Externally, the web looks asymmetrical, but is highly durable. The web is needed not only for catching prey, but also for storing the eggs of the female.
Spiders usually weave their webs in dry and dark shelters. You can meet the insect not only in open areas, but also in barns, toilets, garages, in abandoned animal burrows, and in stumps. With the arrival of cold weather, the black widow spider often moves into the living room.
Life in nature
Black widows are solitary spiders, except during mating season. In May, individuals mate. It happens that after mating, the female kills the male and then lays eggs.
Life cycle
The life of a black widow can be divided into three periods:
The lifespan of a black widow is one year, but some females live up to 3 years. Males are generally 1–2 months old. They live much longer as pets.
Nutrition
Like almost all spiders, the black widow feeds on other insects and spiders, which it catches in its web. The female hangs upside down and waits for the victim. So, she shows her bright body signs, which are known to scare away predators. The prey does not pay attention to these markings.
Spider eats midges, mosquitoes, flies, caterpillars and beetles. Once the prey is caught in the web, the female uses her crest legs to wrap the prey in the web. Then it pierces it with its fangs and injects special enzymes into it, which prepare the prey for consumption.
The black widow spider can live without food for a long time. There are cases where she survived in the absence of food for a year.
Black widow and man
A meeting between a black widow and a human can be dangerous for the latter. After all, these spiders have long been considered the most poisonous on earth, until they were supplanted by the Brazilian soldier spider. Black widow venom is 15 times more toxic than rattlesnake venom. The bite is almost invisible on the skin, but the poisons quickly penetrate the human blood. It has been noticed that these insects do not attack first. They can go on the attack if they sense danger to themselves or when their web is disturbed.
Bite symptoms
The spider's bite is slightly painful, feeling like a light prick from a thin needle. Symptoms of a bite include:
- redness of the skin at the site of the bite;
- development of edema at the site of the bite;
- after 30 minutes, muscle spasm appears, which is accompanied by pain;
- after another 30 minutes, the abdominal muscles involuntarily tense, the pain becomes more intense and stronger.
Consequences of a bite
Additional symptoms and possible consequences of a bite:
- increased blood pressure and salivation;
- intense sweating;
- nausea, vomiting;
- attacks of shortness of breath;
- heart rhythm disturbance, tachycardia;
- weakness of the body, anxiety;
- muscle twitching, headache;
- possible urinary incontinence;
- numbness or tingling of the skin;
- allergic reaction.
After a bite, an antidote should be administered as soon as possible. 3 hours after the bite and failure to take action, the condition may worsen, sometimes even leading to death.
Preventing Black Widows
There are some measures that you can take to protect yourself and your home from a black widow:
Despite such a scary name, the black widow is not an aggressive insect, but rather a shy one. She very rarely bites humans. We are a greater danger to her than the black widow is to us!
Black Widow(Latrodectus mactans) is deadly dangerous look spiders, which densely inhabits North America and Australia.
More often than not, our fears of spiders are unfounded, but not in the case of the Black Widow. Among all the spiders on the planet, this species is the most poisonous.
Male black widows are not aggressive; most often, females bite people. The female is much larger than the male, the diameter of her body is 1 cm, but the length of her legs is up to 5 cm.
Black widow spider - description and photos
The body of the black widow is painted glossy black, and on the abdomen the spider has a characteristic red spot, reminiscent in shape hourglass. Female black widows are extremely dangerous and aggressive, they will attack and bite their prey without warning! The slightest provocation or sudden movement - and you are guaranteed a bite from a black widow. If poison enters the human body, it is necessary to immediately call an ambulance, because if this is not done in time, then death cannot be avoided.
A black widow's bite is deadly
The neurotoxin found in black widow venom is 15 times stronger than rattlesnake venom. Black widow bite is accompanied by immediate acute pain at the site of the bite, and after some time (from 15 minutes to 1 hour) other symptoms begin to appear. First of all, this is severe pain in the abdominal area, due to which a black widow bite is often confused with an open ulcer, pancreatitis or other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The difference is that the pain does not increase with palpation. In addition to abdominal pain, pain and cramps begin in the limbs, the patient begins to rush around the bed and scream, breathing becomes difficult and difficult. In addition, nausea, severe headaches, salivation, severe sweating, hyperreflexia, hypertension, paresthesia of the extremities, and low fever may occur. With timely medical care, after 2-3 hours the pain subsides, but does not go away completely, and within a few days it can recur with new strength. Full recovery occurs only after a week. But bringing a patient to the hospital on time does not mean saving him; in children or elderly people, death often occurs due to cardiac or respiratory failure during the manifestation of the main symptoms.
Peak aggressiveness black widow spider falls between mid-April and October.
Adult male black widows are half the size of females and less dangerous, and the young of this species are born white or yellowish, and darken more with each molt until they reach sexual maturity and become glossy black.
Why is the spider called a black widow?
This species of spider received its name due to the cannibalism that the female exhibits towards the male immediately after fertilization.
During the mating season, a male who has discovered a female's lair shows extreme caution when approaching his beloved's web. The male literally “sniffs” the web, trying to understand how long ago the lady ate. If the female is hungry, then it is likely that the date will not even have time to begin, and the man will be eaten without having time to experience the pleasures of love.
If the female is ready for copulation, she will respond to the male's mating dances with a response vibration along the webs, and this will mean "welcome." However, if after mating the female suddenly becomes hungry, the male will be eaten without delay.
Not only females are distinguished by cannibalism: spiderlings, while in a cocoon, begin to eat each other, and in the end only from 1 to 12 babies hatch. The black widow's breeding season occurs at the end of summer - July-August. At this time, the female black widow is able to create 5-10 cocoons, in which she lays up to 600 eggs!
