While building a fence I picked up a post and look what was clinging to the bottom of it…
Yes, that is a Black Widow spider, no it's not photo shopped. Usually the red marking is shaped like an hour glass - but this one being extremely large and fat has a heart shaped marking instead.
Black widow spiders as everyone knows are poisonous, and not at all uncommon in the South East. You usually don’t find them in houses fortunately, but it isn’t at all uncommon to see them in unheated garages. Usually they will be under a rock or other debris, but I have seen them nesting 8 feet above the ground in the open – inside of my garage. Usually you will run across these things in late spring and early summer.
Be careful where you put your hands, and teach children to be careful as well. If bitten, don’t panic, but seek medical help. If possible always catch the spider and take it with you (especially if you think you have been bitten by a brown recluse) for positive identification. However, with it’s distinctive bulbous body and glossy black and red paint job nothing else looks anything like a Black Widow spider.
Usually the red mark will be on the bottom side of the spider and will be shaped somewhat like an hourglass, but as you can see when they get big the markings get stretched out of shape and move around – just like most of those tattoos you see on the young folks nowadays probably will.
Dangerous little buggers. I found one of them last year in a pile of rock. The like those wood piles and rock piles!
we have the red back spider over here as far as i know they are related, venomous but not deadly that i have ever heard more like make certain people very sick.
the red heart shaped markings are somewhat attractive hey?
our method is to use a bit of stick or twig wind the web and spider and eggs all up together like you would candy floss and then burn the insect and its web using a lighter or match. with care of course.
surface spray don’t work, tried it once and kept watch on the spider about a week later she was ready to move off so she got the heel treatment.
You could probably make money selling that one to a casino. Heart and Diamond on a black widow. I have been bitten by them, and yes they can be deadly to some. The first time it almost killed me, the second time it made me sick and the last time (a week ago) it made an irritated spot that lasted for a couple days. Just like bee stings some are more sensitive than others.
I think that type is called a “Southern Belle” because of its heart markings.
Do you really think this is true?
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/fasulo/woodypest/spider.htm
Don’t know about the shape but the northern black widow had red spots in a line down the back like this one. See info at web address above. The Southern black widow is most common for bites but all are fairly reclusive.