How Old Can Widow Spiders Get?
WouterBlack widow spiders are nocturnal predators that prefer to catch insects and arthropods in their webs. They are found in coastal areas across the Gulf and Atlantic states.
Females are typically 1/2 inch long and a little darker than males. They often have a red hourglass marking on the underside of their abdomen. They live for around three years. They can produce up to 20 egg sacs.
Black widow spiders usually molt several times during their lifetimes. The males only molt once or twice, while the females molt up to six or eight times. In the early stages of their lives, they are generally pale brown, but they become darker with age.
Adult female black widow spiders have a jet black bulbous abdomen. They also have large venom glands that are unusually potent. Their venom contains a neurotoxin called latrotoxin. This venom can be harmful to large vertebrates. The venom can cause nausea and chest pain.
During the summer months, the female black widow spider may produce four to nine egg sacs. These egg sacs are about the size of a pea. They are then placed in a cocoon spun by the mother. The eggs stay in the sac until they hatch.
The female black widow spider lays her egg sacs in dark, sheltered spots. The webs of the spider are irregular, and they are about a foot in diameter in all directions. In the fall, many spiders move indoors.
