species 14,710 observations

Southern Black Widow

Latrodectus mactans

Field notes

Latrodectus mactans, known as southern black widow or simply black widow, and the shoe-button spider, is a venomous species of spider in the genus Latrodectus. The females are well known for their distinctive black and red coloring and because they occasionally eat their mates after reproduction. The species is native to North America. The venom can cause pain and other symptoms, but is rarely fatal to healthy humans.

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Range

United States

Greener is more native, amber more introduced; paler is less certain. How this was decided