# Fat Black Widow



## jackrat (Jul 21, 2011)

Was moving some lumber this evening and came across her.
Red hourglass on the underside.







She was as fat as a small grape.


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## Torty Mom (Jul 21, 2011)

Wow, that is BIG! Did ya squish her?


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## Fernando (Jul 21, 2011)

great camera!


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## mctlong (Jul 21, 2011)

Great pic!

They're beautiful spiders. Its a shame they're such bastards.


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## ascott (Jul 21, 2011)

Ewwwwwwww....my son and I went hunting the last two nights around the outside of our house/exterior door thresholds, ledges, etc. and got 6 of them...big and juicy like this one along with a couple young ones...we squished em because when they are this big they are going to lay an egg sac.... we don't use sprays at our house and that is why we hunt them out... we don't keep junk around the property so they try to get under the door thresholds and the ledges around the ground area of the house... 

The first round of egss sacs from these critters was about 2 weeks ago...so those will grow relatively quickly and lay their egg sacs...so we kill em off for the next couple of weeks then we are pretty good for the rest of the warm season  

and I have to agree....that is an awesome camera  I had to scroll past the pics really fast....they creep me out and make my skin crawl....likely a primal thing...LOL


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## jackrat (Jul 21, 2011)

LOL I guess I'm tender hearted. I relocated her across the creek from me.


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## hali (Jul 21, 2011)

ewwww yukky


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## Chucky (Jul 21, 2011)

I squish about 20 of them a year and those are the ones I just happen to see. I don't think I want to hunt for them, I'd probably wear out my squishing foot.


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## dmarcus (Jul 21, 2011)

She must have been eating very good..


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## ascott (Jul 21, 2011)

LOL...Chucky the only reason that I hunt them is because during the "tortoise season" I try to decrease their population every time I can so my guys don't have to deal with them so much getting into their burrows 

It is odd, I know when a widow takes up residence in one of my guys burrows/hides because the tortoise do this weird thing: they circle the entrance (as though they are getting a good look in), they then will either go right in or they will back up and lay at the entrance for a moment (as if to give the thing a chance to move) then they will go in unusually slowly...I know some may think I am crazy, however, this is my observation.... as when they do this thing I will go get the flashlight and peer into the entrance/back of the burrow/hide roof and yup, one will be there and it is now my duty to try to smash her.... once I leave that crouching tiger position, my guy will walk up right behind me and trot right in...


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## Stephanie (Jul 21, 2011)

Reminds me of the one I found on my windowsill a few years ago. I brought it attention to my dad, who called me a liar, came in to see the sucker, and make a weird girlish squeal before slapping it with his shoe. 
Two sounds I'll never forget? 
1. My dad (who claims it was a "bubble in the throat") getting his girly scream stuck in his throat. 
2. The *SPLAT* sound that black widow made hitting the driveway...*shudder* 

That was kind of you to relocate her. 
Also, very smart as well due to the fact that she's probably going to lay eggs...and by the looks of it, quite a bit of them


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## Newbie5564 (Jul 21, 2011)

that has to be annoying having to worry about something as little as a spider i live way to far north for any of them to live here but i guess your tortoises get to go outside more than 3 months out of the year


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## Missy (Jul 21, 2011)

My husband makes fun of me because I love snakes but I am scared to death of spiders. It all works out well because he is scared of snakes,LOL.


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## Laura (Jul 21, 2011)

you said it WAS as big as a grape, so I thought you squshed it.. HA!
Spider Rescue....


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## ALDABRAMAN (Jul 23, 2011)

WOW, great shot sir.


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## webskipper (Jul 23, 2011)

People in buy these for $25+ each. 

I'd rather admire a Pit Viper from my couch than an invertebrate whose offspring can escape through a pinhole and give me a wallop without a warning.

Checkout 1000 ways to die.


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## Angi (Jul 23, 2011)

Webskipper~ Are you saying people buy Black Widows or Pit Vipers? Why would a person buy a common spider?

It is a beautiful picture!


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## SnakeyeZ (Jul 23, 2011)

Very nice pictures! I'm so glad we don't have those here.


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## webskipper (Jul 23, 2011)

Look for buying some bw's in that google machine.

People are fascinated with all kinds of creatures.


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## Stephanie (Jul 23, 2011)

webskipper said:


> Checkout 1000 ways to die.



I remember that episode! That guy was ridiculous. They said he released his myriad of animals, but they didn't say what type they were...never have been able to find the story on Google..


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## Angi (Jul 23, 2011)

But really.....a spider? They are every where. I could use some cash, so if there is a market for spiders I will be all over it


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## Turtle Guru (Jul 27, 2011)

nice shot, did you squish it because those bad boys dangerous lol


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## ChiKat (Jul 27, 2011)

Yikes, I am so glad we don't have anything like that here in Illinois


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## RV's mom (Jul 28, 2011)

we patrol the yard in the evening. The webs are very tenacious, sticky, strong. You just KNOW you have a widow with this web. Flashlight in hand, spot sprayer with chemicals if no where near RV's enclosure, a good stout spade with LONG handle to kill the beastie. Males are very small and not brightly marked. Their web is not as big as the female web, but every bit as strong.

ugh.

Great pic tho.


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