Black+Widow

__**Phyla:**__Arthropoda

__**Class:**__Arachnida __**Common Name:**__Black Widow


 * __Scientific Name:__**//Latrodectus mactans//

__**Location:**__Black Widows can be found in every continent ,mostly in forests. //__**Size:**__// //Length-1-1 1/3 inches// //Weight-1 gram//

//**__Human Impact:__**Black widows avoid human dwellings.// __**Habitat**__:Any undisturbed dark areas and forests.


 * __Living Requirements__**:Black widows can live in most enviornments, regarles of how harsh the climate,black widows spin little insects as prey.

__**Life Cycle**__:The female widow spider lays her eggs in a spherical or tear-drop shaped silk sac (Figure 1) approximately 1/2 inch (~1.25 cm) in diameter. Each egg sac contains between 200 and 400 eggs (more are possible). A single female can produce between four and nine egg sacs in a single summer. The female guards the egg sac and moves it from one location to another within her web to maintain a consistent temperature and humidity. The widow spiderlings hatch approximately eight to ten days after they are laid. The new spiderlings undergo a single molt within the sac and emerge from the egg sac after two to four weeks. The young spiders disperse by ballooning on air currents with a strand of silk. It takes seven additional molts for the young spiderlings to reach sexual maturity. Depending upon geographic location and time of year, the young that survive can reach sexual maturity in as little as three to four months but this is dependent upon suitable temperature and humidity and the availability of prey. Typically, there is only one generation of widow spiders per year. The young overwinter as subadults and become sexually mature in the spring. Mating and egg laying begin shortly after sexual maturity in the late spring.

Males-Red undermarking on the side of abodomenm,immature coloration. Females-Classic brown black look with red hourglass shape on back.

Interesting Facts-The female spider does not always eat the male after mating.The female only eats the male mistakenly as prey.It is only done as a ritual.

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