Should we pity the black widow spider?

The black widow spider is recognized as a cannibal spider, because some of them eat the male of the species. Not all black widow spiders do that, it is the Latrodectus hasselti of Australia that eat the males, this species is akin to the North American black widow spider. The male will probably gives his life for the pleasure of reproduction, because only the biggest and the strongest will be able to escape. Usually the female will pierce the male’s abdomen as he is transferring sperm to her. She will then eat him.

The black widow spider is known to have a deadly venom. There are five species living in the United States. The most lethal one is the Latrodectus mactans. It lives everywhere in North America regardless of temperature, humidity, city or rural areas.

It is rare, today, that a death follows a black widow spider bite. Medicine can counteract the venom. The real danger is when treatment is not available, and unfortunately it is not available in every part of the world.