Southern black widow Latrodectus mactans
Elegant in black patent leather and red bow. Stop! Spider, biter.
Black widow spiders live all over Virginia and prefer dark, undisturbed areas like woodpiles, outbuildings, crawlspaces, and storage boxes. Only adult females deliver a significant bite to humans, so look sharp for this spider! She is 1½ inches long – including her legs – and has a shiny-black, round abdomen with a distinctive red hourglass marking on the underside. The venomous bite may leave two puncture marks on the skin and initially feel like pinpricks. This reaction may change quickly to swelling and intense pain and muscle spasms. Seek emergency medical care for a suspected black widow spider bite.
Trish Crowe Southern Black Widow Watercolor 12 x 12 $250
28
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease