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Western Black Widow Video Stock Footage
Female black widows have potent venom containing a neurotoxin active against a range of mammals. (See latrodectism.) Symptoms are pain, nausea, goosebumps, and localized sweating. Fatalities have been reported at between 0.5% and 12%. The female's consumption of the male after courtship, a cannibalistic and suicidal behavior observed in Latrodectus hasseltii (Australia's redback), is rare in this species. Male western widows may breed several times during their relatively short lifespans. Males are known to show preference for mating with well-fed females over starved ones, taking cues from the females' webs. Learn more about Western Black Widow
View related species in family group: Spider
Animalia: Arthropoda: Araneae: Arachnida: Theridiidae: Latrodectus hesperus