Northern Black Widow
Latrodectus variolus
The northern black widow is a small web-building spider found in eastern and central North America, often in sheltered places such as wood piles, stone walls, sheds, and undisturbed corners. It waits in an irregular tangle web for insects and other small arthropods, then subdues prey with a venomous bite. Females are glossy black with a broken red hourglass or red markings on the underside of the abdomen, while males are smaller and much less conspicuous. Its venom is medically significant, but bites are uncommon because the spider is shy and usually retreats when disturbed.
- Type
- Venom
- Conservation status
- NE