Black Widow Spider (Latrodectus Mactans)

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Black Widow Spider (<i>Latrodectus Mactans</i>)

Black Widow Spider (Latrodectus Mactans)

A female black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans) gathers up a future meal. The venom from its bite is poisonous, though rarely fatal. Often, if disturbed, this spider will retreat rather than bite. The web is an irregular mass with a funnel for retreat. The strands are noticeably high in tensile strength and were, in the past, used as reticles for telescopic gunsights. Imaged in September 2006.

Mark Doiron
on Sep 10, 2006 6:52 pm
Lat/Lon: 35.44627°N / 97.34221°W
Image Type(s): Wildlife
Image ID: 224667

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