Wikijunior:Bugs/Black Widow
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[edit] What does a Black Widow spider Look like?
A Black Widow Spider is a black shiny spider with a large abdomen. On the bottom of the abdomen is a red hourglass marking. Black Widow Spiders are very beautiful but can be dangerous so please don't play with them.
[edit] Where does the Black Widow Spider live?
Black Widow Spiders are found throughout the United States, but are most commonly found in the southern parts of the United States. They generally can be found under porches, logs, houses, and in darker places. Their webs look like the great white puffs of spun sugar found at carnivals.So stay away!
[edit] What does the Black Widow Spider Eat?
The Black Widow Spider is an arachnid that eats insects and other spiders that she catches in her web. The Black Widow is a very venomous spider. That means its bite has poison in it that kills its prey, or the insects it eats. Even though a Black Widow Spider's bite probably won't kill a grown up, it could hurt or even kill a small child, so please don't play with these spiders.
[edit] How does a Black Widow Spider defend itself?
A Black Widow Spider has a good ability to defend itself. The spider has a very strong venom that when injected into a grown up will cause a lot of pain and cramping sometimes all over the body. The Black Widow Spider can also move very fast if it has to, but they prefer to sit and hide in dark places which they blend into very well.
[edit] What is so special about the Black Widow Spider?
The Black Widow Spider is the most distinguishable venomous spider in the United States. Its red hourglass marking on the bottom of its large black round abdomen is very easy to spot.
[edit] How does the Black Widow Spider affect people?
The Black Widow Spider has caused only a handful of deaths among adults, but it is a painful enough bite to cause humans to try and keep them away. In the past Black Widow Spider bites were much more common because outhouses were in use, which is where they made their home.1
