The black widow spider is one of North America's most famous and feared spiders, though it's actually quite shy and prefers to avoid humans. Female black widows have glossy, jet-black bodies about the size of a grape, with a bright red or orange hourglass shape on their underside. Males are much smaller - only about half the size - and are tan or brown with lighter markings, making them far less recognizable.

Black widows live throughout the United States, especially in warmer regions. They like dark, undisturbed places like woodpiles, sheds, garages, under rocks, and in cluttered areas. Their webs are messy and irregular, not the neat spiral webs you might picture when you think of spiders. These strong webs are built low to the ground where the spider waits upside down, showing off that warning hourglass.

While black widow bites can be painful and make people sick with symptoms like muscle cramps, nausea, and difficulty breathing, deaths are extremely rare thanks to modern medicine. Black widows only bite when they feel trapped or threatened - they'd much rather run away and hide. These spiders actually help humans by eating lots of pest insects like mosquitoes and flies. In nature, black widows are important prey for birds, lizards, and larger spiders, playing a key role in keeping ecosystems balanced.