I recently found out something very interesting, and somewhat disconcerting, about black widow spiders: they live among us right here in Massachusetts.
We’ve heard stories about black widows spotted locally over the years. There was one captured in Rhode Island in 2015. A five-year-old girl was bitten by one in Mendon, Massachusetts back in 2017. A woman discovered a black widow in her Dartmouth garden in 2020.
Because black widow spiders are normally found in warmer, drier climates like the western and southern parts of the United States, or more tropical countries, people would assume these spiders arrived here in, say, a shipment of grapes or an Amazon package from the actual Amazon (the rainforest, not the warehouse). However, Massachusetts has its own black widow species, the northern black widow (Lactrodectus variolus).
Where Do Northern Black Widows Hide?
According to MassWildlife, the northern black widow is native to Massachusetts, although it is rare to actually encounter one. That’s because they primarily inhabit wild areas and live under rocks or logs.
A man recently posted in a wildlife Facebook group that he had encountered two different black widow spiders on two different occasions at job sites in Dartmouth, and shared photos of each. The photos were definitely of northern black widow spiders as opposed to their more dangerous cousins, the western and southern black widows. Those spiders are usually larger in size than the northern variety and have a much more potent venom.
While western and northern black widows have the traditional red or orange "hourglass" marking on their underside, northern black widows usually have an incomplete or split hourglass marking.
How Dangerous Is a Northern Black Widow Bite?
That’s not to say the venom of the northern black widow isn’t serious; it is definitely toxic to humans. However, a northern black widow bite is rarely serious as long as you get immediate medical attention.
According to Michigan State University, the northern black widow is very timid and would rather run away than bite. If it does bite, its venom is 15 times more toxic than that of a rattlesnake, but only a small amount of venom is actually secreted in a bite.
A black widow bite will feel painful for a few hours up to a day, and the toxin affects the central nervous system. "In severe cases, large muscles become rigid with spasms, there is a rise in body temp, blood pressure, profuse perspiration, and a tendency to be nauseous," according to Michigan State University, although it noted that there is less than one percent mortality in those bitten by a black widow, and those deaths are mostly children.
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Safety Tips: What to Do If You Spot a Black Widow
It is recommended that if you find a black widow spider, you observe the following:
- Keep children and pets away from it
- Avoid handling it directly. If you must move it, wear gloves and use tools
- Consider hiring a pest control company to remove it if you are not comfortable doing it yourself
- If someone is bitten, seek medical care immediately
Hopefully this information didn’t creep you out too much. Have fun cleaning out the shed or grabbing wood from that woodpile now.
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