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Young black widow spiders are lilac in color. Poisonous black widow spider. Rules of behavior in nature

One of the most common arthropods throughout the Earth is the black widow spider. Its variety has 31 subspecies. These spiders make their home in secluded places where there is little sun and enough small insects.

One of the most common arthropods throughout the Earth is the black widow spider.

Ruthless arthropod cannibal

The black widow squad got its name because famous cannibalism . The female spider of this species eats the male after mating, and can feed on similar arthropods and even her own brood of spiderlings.

But some scientists refute these facts by the fact that such observations are carried out in laboratory conditions, where very often spiders have no choice but to eat their loved ones. And the male will not be able to avoid such a fate, because he has nowhere to run. But in the wild, in the natural environment, their behavior is significantly different.

Before mating, the male black widow courtes his lady for a long time and performs mating dances. Some scientists explain this flirting by the fact that sudden aggressive actions can provoke the spider to attack. In this case, the groom risks becoming dinner, and not the father of offspring.

Due to such cannibalistic incidents, the lifespan of spiders is short. In addition, karakurt (black widow) is a favorite treat for many birds and mantises. Usually the bright color helps its owner, warning everyone about the poisonous properties of the body. But in this case, the female karakurt is not saved by her red spot on her abdomen.

Life cycle spiders most often do not exceed a year, but there are also long-livers that reach three years. Among the latter one cannot find males, in natural environment habitat, their life is much shorter than that of females of this species. Only in artificial conditions can they live for a long time, without ever mating.

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How to determine the habitat of karakurt (video)

Characteristics and description

In fact, the black widow spider is not aggressive. Karakurts bite people not out of a desire to kill or eat, but only for the sake of protection when a person poses a threat. Even an accidental intrusion into the territory of a karakurt provokes an attack by a spider.

A healthy adult may not be afraid of karakurt poison. Fatal consequences from a bite can only occur in sick people, children and the elderly. But be that as it may, an antidote is necessary for every victim. The black widow spider's venom, which enters the bloodstream, can lead to further problems with the psyche, nervous system and muscles.

The female black widow has stronger venom than the male. The spider is much larger than its mate, has a red or orange hourglass mark on its abdomen and shiny dark organs. The male is paler, with red or pink spots on the back. These karakurts have 4 pairs of legs approximately 12 mm long, and the body reaches 40 mm in females and approximately 20-25 mm in males.

The web of snares is stronger than silk, and makes it convenient to pull over prey thin threads, these spiders have curved bristles on the back pair of legs. Karakurt weaves thick fabrics, rather than delicate lace, to catch grasshoppers, various insects and other spiders.

Gallery: black widow (43 photos)

Unusual pet

Many people do not know what a black widow spider looks like and confuse the poisonous one with its relatives. There are a lot of dangerous spiders on Earth that look like black widows, each of them has its own habits and characteristics. In the vastness of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, the false black widow is found.

For example, white karakurt, which is most often found in steppe areas, is one of the subspecies of the black widow. This spider is not so poisonous; its bite will never lead to fatal consequences. But that doesn't mean it's safe to try his fangs.

The black widow spider or Latrodectus mactans is distributed across all continents globe. Its homeland is North America. Over time, the arthropod appeared in Oceania. Some varieties are found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. There are 31 species of black widows in total; the bites of some of them result in the death of animals and humans.

What does a black widow look like?

The main feature of the spider is moderate long legs with bristles. With their help, the black widow skillfully throws a web onto her prey. Spider webs often contain insects, beetles, caterpillars, as well as amphibians and rodents.

Note!

The color of the abdomen of each species may vary, but the legs are always black. A true black widow has a shiny, glossy finish black body, long powerful legs. Distinctive feature spider is the presence of a pattern on the lower part of the abdomen in the form of a red hourglass. Males do not have such identifying marks.

The body of an adult female reaches a size of 2 cm, legs - 5 cm. Males are always smaller. There are 6-8 eyes on the head, but the spider sees poorly. The senses of touch help us navigate in space. The predator senses the approach of the prey by vibrations of the air and the web.

Photos and descriptions of other types:

  • False black widow. It lives on all continents and differs from its relative in the color of its characteristic pattern. Instead of a red hourglass, it's pink. The spider leads a similar lifestyle, but is better adapted to harsh climatic conditions. There is a spider from other CIS countries. The poison is less toxic, but not so toxic as to classify the arthropod as a harmless creature.
  • Red Widow. Found in several places in Florida. The size and shape of the body are no different. The color of the chest and legs is red, orange. The abdomen is black with yellow rings around it. Lives in wild environment under the leaves of sand pine. does not pose a great danger to humans. But local irritation, pain, and swelling occur.
  • Brown widow. Distributed in America. It has a brighter color - orange, brown, red. On the underside of the abdomen there is a bright yellow and orange hourglass pattern. The spider tries to stay away from people, their homes, lives in wildlife. Bites for protection own life. The bite is the weakest of all widow species, but is valued medicinally.
  • White widow. Refers to . Found in Russia. Included in the list. It is distinguished by its light color - white, yellow. Hunts insects, caterpillars, beetles. Poison has no idea mortal danger for humans, but leads to a temporary deterioration in well-being, causing weakness, headache, nausea, and pain in the areas of attack.

A photo of a black widow spider can be seen below. There are cubs there different stages developments that differ from adult individuals in size and lighter color.

Origin of the name

The black spider with a red hourglass on its abdomen is well known throughout the world, not only because of its extremely toxic venom, but also because of its lifestyle. The male and female meet only to mate during the mating season. It is important for the “boyfriend” to calculate the mood of his “passion” in advance. A hungry female will eat her partner before he even begins his mating games. If the spider is waiting for the male, he calmly approaches her and does his job.

The fate of a “man” directly depends on his physical condition, and also on how full the female is. If the widow suddenly gets hungry, she will eat the “suitor” in an instant. The same thing happens to a weakened spider that has mated with several female spiders. A strong male can crawl away safely, and then appear again for another mating.

The arthropod received its second name - black death - due to its strong poison. Toxic substance the widow injects when bitten. The spider's venom kills a horse in a few minutes; in the absence of timely qualified assistance, a person dies within half an hour.

Note!

The Latin name for the black widow, Latrodectus, comes from the Greek, literally meaning “biting in secret.” The spider hides in a secluded place, waiting for its victim. A person is attacked for the purpose of self-defense. The inconspicuous black color helps to camouflage at night, when animals are most active.

Where does the spider live?

Varieties of black widows are present on all continents. live in tropical countries. According to official data, 13 species live on the American continents, African and Eurasian - 8 each. In Oceania and Australia, 3 species are found. One is found on all continents of the globe with the exception of Eurasia - Latrodectus geometricus.

In the wild, spiders live among vegetation, under stones, in tree hollows, and soil. , once in the house, they hide in corners, behind furniture, in shoes, cabinets, any places where there are no direct sun rays. Habitat in Russia - the south of the country, forests, forest-steppes.


Note!

Often a black widow is taken as a pet. It does not attack by itself, but attacks in self-defense. They keep her in a special terrarium. Lives in captivity for about 4 years, in the wild – 12 months.

Lifestyle

Spiders live alone. They gather in pairs only for mating. After fertilization, the female lays up to 900 eggs at a time. Envelops them in a web, forms a cocoon, and drags them along. In 4 weeks, spiders are formed inside, which are also cannibals. In the cocoon they feed on each other, and the strongest are born. A maximum of 10 cubs remain alive. For some time the young generation sticks to their mother, then scatters in different directions.

The black widow feeds mainly on insects, beetles, larvae, and weaker spiders. Snakes, snakes, frogs, lizards, and rodents often get caught in the web. The predator paralyzes them with poison, injects saliva, which liquefies the insides, then calmly drinks it.

Note!

Spiders similar to the black widow lead a similar lifestyle, but differ in less toxic poison. The most similar are karakurts. Many species are found in Russia. They are often called false widows.

Danger of poison

The bite of a black widow spider is 15 times more toxic than that of a rattlesnake. Around the world, people die from attacks every year. more people, than from sharks, snakes. In terms of the frequency of bites, the black widow ranks first.

Death can occur in cases of weakened or pathologically weak immunity. The consequences are more serious in young children, the elderly, and the sick. Manifestations begin a few minutes after the bite. The complexity of the situation depends on the amount of poison entering the blood. Upon provision of timely medical care the person recovers successfully.

The poison spreads throughout the body, affecting the nervous system. Causes severe muscle spasms. As a result, the following symptoms appear:

  • increased salivation;
  • lacrimation;
  • dizziness;
  • headache;
  • nausea;
  • vomit;
  • abdominal pain;
  • tachycardia;
  • vomit;
  • urinary incontinence;
  • diarrhea;
  • pallor of the integument;
  • dyspnea;
  • muscle spasms;
  • increased blood pressure;
  • anxiety;
  • weakness.

There is pain, swelling, and redness at the site of the bite. Over time, suppuration appears. The very moment of the attack feels like a needle prick. The most dangerous female is during the period of pregnancy, at the time of bearing cubs. Males are less poisonous and not as active.

The black widow spider is very unusual and in some way is a collective term, since about 30 species of arthropods are hidden under it. These creatures gained fame because some representatives of this genus are distinguished by their ability to secrete an extremely toxic poison that can cause severe intoxication in humans and even cause fatal outcome. Wherever this segmented creature lives, people are well aware of the degree of its danger.

The black widow is a very unusual spider

Representatives of this order are found almost everywhere where climatic conditions quite soft. They are widespread in the countries of East and South Asia, America, North Africa. Some of them are found in Australia and Oceania. Only a few species can live in the northern regions, which are not as dangerous as their heat-loving counterparts.

The spider seems rather inconspicuous, so often a person, due to his own carelessness, becomes its victim. Adults reach 2 cm in length. The female black widow is larger than any of her mates. Despite their increased toxicity, these creatures are characterized by an unremarkable appearance. Locals in many regions with tropical climate they know what this black spider looks like, sometimes living next to a person’s home, but even this does not always save them from a chance meeting.

The chitinous covering on the paws and cephalothorax is varnished black. Some varieties do not have additional decorations. The most poisonous representative of this genus has a characteristic hourglass-shaped mark on its abdomen. The spot has a reddish tint. The rich red color of this element is very eye-catching and helps many predators determine the degree of danger of the spider.

In some varieties the spot has a pink tint. The steotoda, called the false black widow, is no less dangerous to humans. Despite external resemblance creatures, the spot on the abdomen of this spider has a white or orange tint.

Spiders of this species have from 6 to 8 eyes, but they see very poorly and basically get all necessary information, assessing the vibration that comes from various living objects.

A true black widow has short legs that resemble a comb. On hind limbs these creatures have curved bristles. This structure of the legs is necessary for the spider to throw a trapping net when attacking prey.

In addition, black widows weave extremely untidy horizontal chaotic webs. It allows the spider to sense the slightest movement of the victim caught in it. Females of this species are larger and more venomous than males.

Adult healthy person can quite successfully survive the attack of this spider. At the site of the bite, extensive tissue death can occur due to their impregnation with toxins.

Typical general manifestations of black widow damage include:

  • mild erythema;
  • muscle spasms;
  • severe pain in the bite area and in the abdomen;
  • salivation;
  • increased sweating;
  • hypertension;
  • anxiety;
  • headache;
  • tachycardia;
  • parasthesia;
  • vomit;
  • urinary incontinence;
  • dyspnea.

Some victims of this spider develop kidney failure. Because black widow venom is neurotoxic, it can leave a person with serious injury. nervous system, which may not have the most favorable effect on his mental state.

For children and the elderly, attacks by these creatures often have fatal consequences. Only timely administration of an antidote can reduce the destructive effect of spider venom on the body.

Only females of this species are characterized by increased aggressiveness. The male, as a rule, flees if he is attacked, and therefore is considered less dangerous to humans.

Gallery: black widow spider (25 photos)




Black widow spider (video)

Black widow lifestyle

These creatures are extremely whimsical when choosing a home. They often settle in the grass of open steppe space, and also in ditches, ravines, cracks in the ground and tree hollows, and rodent burrows. Under certain circumstances, these arthropods can live in people's homes. These spiders got their name because often after mating the female spider attacks her partner, which ends tragically for him. However, this does not happen in all cases.

Strong males who have mated for the first time in their lives are quite capable of running away from their partner in the future. However, multiple sexual acts deplete their reserves, so when already on the verge of death, they often become victims.

Despite the fact that all black widows, regardless of gender, are immune to the poison, weakened males do often become a nutritious snack for their partners. After mating, the female begins to produce offspring. Like other types of spiders, it weaves a cocoon in which it carefully wraps its young.

The spiders usually leave the nest after 8 days. However, they need to moult many times to become sexually mature. The life cycle of spiders living in the northern hemisphere is longer.

Black widows are very effective predators. Their diet includes all types of insects, including praying mantises, which are significantly larger than themselves. But often small lizards and amphibians end up in spider webs. Such delicacies are not very common in the spider’s diet, since the enzymes that the black widow spider injects into the body of the victim do not always allow the digestion of large prey.

Black Widow (video)

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Black Widow is one of the the most dangerous spiders in the world, with 30 species in the genus. The length of a female karakurt is 10-20 mm, which is significantly longer than males, in best case scenario their length is 5-7mm. All female species bite off their partner's head after mating. You should only be wary of a bite from a female (for people or livestock); males are not able to bite through the hard layer of the epidermis.

The black widow (Latrodectus mactans) weaves its web most often close to the ground, in dark, hidden places. True, sometimes snares are found above plants, between logs, in all kinds of crevices, under stones, in vineyards, etc. Despite 6 - 8 eyes, spiders have poor vision, but perfectly sense the approach of an object with their body, using vibrations. The life cycle is only one year and at the end of October or beginning of November, adult spiders die from the cold, and the baby spiders remain in the cocoons, waiting for spring.

The young offspring are orange, white or yellowish-white, becoming darker after the next molt. The cubs appear after 3-4 weeks. Interestingly, tiny black widows are also cannibals. Already in the cocoon they begin to eat each other. As a result, only 10-12 spiderlings are born.

In essence, the black widow is a predator and a loner. The female is often positioned upside down in the web; its bright red mark, reminiscent of an hourglass, is a warning of danger. This arthropod creature is poisonous. Sensing minimal danger, the spider falls out of the web, pretending to be dead. Outside the trap, the female is quite clumsy.

It feeds on insects, but, however, does not disdain woodlice, diplopods, and other arachnids. After a bite, it drags the prey to the side to be eaten. The digestion process occurs from outside the spider. During the bite, digestive enzymes are introduced through the wound, and after a certain period, the mixture is eaten.

Black widows live almost everywhere, but their main habitats are Central Asia Also, many species live in Africa and America. Typically, representatives of the black widow are increasingly found in various cities around the world, where they have not been observed before.

Video: Black Widow Spider (Latrodectus mactans)

Black Widow(Latrodectus mactans) is deadly dangerous look spiders which densely populates 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, shaped like an 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, you must immediately call ambulance, because if you do not do this on time, then death cannot be avoided.

A black widow's bite is deadly

The neurotoxin contained in black widow venom is 15 times stronger than poison rattlesnake. 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 becomes 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 doubled fewer females and less dangerous, and the babies of this species are born white or yellowish, and with each moult they darken more and more until they reach puberty 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 mating season the male, who has discovered the female’s lair, shows extreme caution when approaching his beloved’s web. Male in 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!