The most poisonous spider in North America is the black widow. She is shiny black and has an hourglass-shaped mark on her abdomen. The black widow is more poisonous than a rattlesnake, yet her bite is unlikely to cause death. That's because very little venom is injected with each bite. Only the female of the species is poisonous. The black widow is not an aggressive species and is unlikely to bite unless she is disturbed.
The name, "black widow," is somewhat of a misnomer. The widow has gotten a bad rap. Contrary to popular belief, she doesn't always kill her mate. The act of mating leaves the male impotent. Regard-
less of speculation about the widow's murderous tendencies (or her mate's suicidal ones), the female generally allows the male to leave unharmed. The widow is a shy dame and rarely leaves her web.
The physical characteristics of the black widow, as described, apply mainly to the female. Males are smaller and look different. Also, there are brown widows and other similar species. For more information on the black widow, search:
Black Widows
