Random Most Terrifying Widow Spiders (12 items)

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  (#1) Northern Black Widow

  Species: Latrodectus variolus

  Size: 4 - 11mm in length.

  Location: The Northern Black Widow can be found as far north as Ontario and Quebec, and will appear in most of the northeastern states with the furthest south being Virginia.

  Distinguishing Features: Unlike its southern cousin, the red hourglass is broken and appears as two opposing spots on the underside of the spider. The Northern Black Widow is predominantly black, but they often have red markings on their legs. Both the male and female have red and/or white markings on their backs.

  Why You Should Be Scared: Their bites can cause latrodectism, which manifests in local redness and severe pain. Their bites aren't fatal in adults but can lead to serious complications in babies, but even then, multiple bites from several spiders would be required to deliver a fatal dose of venom.
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  (#2) Mediterranean Black Widow

  Species: Latrodectus tredecimguttatus

  Size: 7 - 15mm in length.

  Location: The Mediterranean Black Widow can be found throughout the Mediterranean region, extending from southern Iberia to central Asia.

  Distinguishing Features: The body is black in color but differs from most Widow species due to the presence of 13 yellow or orange spots. The species name, tredecimguttatus, is Latin for "with thirteen spots."

  Why You Should Be Scared: Like most species of Widow spiders, a bite is rarely fatal in adults, but that hardly means they aren't dangerous. In 2004, camel-breeders in Kazakhstan reported bites among their herds, and many were slain. The local village lacked any antivenom, and as a result, the camels perished soon after being bitten.
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  (#3) Brown Widow

  Species: Latrodectus geometricus

  Size: 6 - 8mm in length.

  Location: Though believed to originate in South Africa, the spider has been introduced in South America, Australia, Europe, North America, the Middle East, and many other places.

  Distinguishing Features: Brown Widow spiders aren't black like their cousins, and instead have a mottling of brown and tan coloring on their bodies. The dorsal area has a longitudinal abdominal stripe, and three diagonal stripes on each flank. They do possess an hourglass marking, but it's orange in color, not red like others in the genus.

  Why You Should Be Scared: The bites from a Brown Widow spider are often less toxic than those of the darker variety. This isn't due to the venom's toxicity, which is almost identical and is primarily due to the amount of venom injected in a bite. Their bites aren't as serious as other species, and will often result in a painful swollen red mark at the bite location. There have been reports of hospitalizations, but these are rarer than bites from other Widow spiders.
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  (#4) Western Black Widow

  Species: Latrodectus herperus

  Size: 12.5 - 35mm in length.

  Location: The Western Brown Widow prefers to live in warmer regions and can be found in all four deserts of the American southwest. Typically, they make their homes under ledges or rocks, in plants, and in various types of debris that helps shield it from the sun.

  Distinguishing Features: The Western Black Widow spider looks much like other species in that it is black with a red hourglass on its underside. Their silk is particularly strong and registers at 100 MPa, which is significant, as steel measures at 800 MPa.

  Why You Should Be Scared: Like other Widow species, the males are quite small and aren't harmful to humans, but the female — that's another story. Bites from females can require medical treatment, and occasionally, hospitalization in serious cases. Historical literature about the species places its lethality at 0.5% to as high as 12%, but this doesn't appear to be accurate, nor has it been confirmed.
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  (#5) Southern Black Widow

  Species: Latrodectus mactans

  Size: 4 - 13mm in length.

  Location: The Southern Black Widow is found predominantly in the southeastern United States, and can spread as far west as Texas and as far north as Ohio. It occasionally overlaps with L. variolus, and due to their similar appearance, they are often confused with one another.

  Distinguishing Features: Unlike the L. variolus, the L. mactans' hourglass connects in much the same way as other species in the genus. They are consistently black with a bright red hourglass, and while they may have other markings on their backs.

  Why You Should Be Scared: The males of the species are tiny and harmless when compared to the females, which is common for all species within the genus and family. Bites from the females can be fatal, but only in the rarest of circumstances. Typically, a bite will cause significant pain via latrodectism, which results in severe pain and redness at the bite site. Passings have been recorded, but they do not occur in otherwise healthy adults.
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  (#6) Katipō

  Species: Latrodectus katipo

  Size: Up to 8mm in length.

  Location: Katipō are found only in New Zealand, where they exist as the only native venomous spider. They are listed as being in "Serious Decline," and are threatened with extinction.

  Distinguishing Features: Katipō are black in color, though they feature a distinctive stripe on their backs, which can be red, yellow, or cream-colored. The markings are present only on the females. The males are all white with black stripes and diamond-shaped markings.

  Why You Should Be Scared: Bites from Katipō are rare, but they can lead to latrodectism, which typically produces a painful, red area in the location of the bite. More serious envenomations can result in hypertension, seizure, or even coma. No deaths have been reported since 1901, though they can occur in children.
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  (#7) Phinda Button Spider

  Species: Latrodectus umbukwane

  Size: Up to 31.9mm in length, making it the largest species of Widow spider.

  Location: Phinda Button spiders can be found in the Phinda Private Game Reserve where they get their name, but also in the sand forest environments of Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

  Distinguishing Features: L. umbukwane is one of six species of the genus known as a button spider. They are black in color and feature red markings on the top and bottom of the abdomen. They are often surrounded by a thin outline, which is yellow or white in color. Males are smaller and are predominantly brown in color with cream-colored spots on their abdomens. The species was discovered in 2014 and described in 2019. The spiders are noteworthy due to their size, but also because their eggs are bright purple in color.

  Why You Should Be Scared: Envenomization has not been fully studied as of 2020, but the toxicity of the Phinda Button spider's venom is similar to that of other species in the genus. Due to its size, it's probable that a bite would inject a larger amount of venom than others, but the full effects beyond probable pain are not fully understood.
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  (#8) Latrodectus Elegans

  Species: Latrodectus elegans

  Size: Up to 9.53mm in length.

  Location: L. elegans can be found in India, Myanmar, China, and Japan. It was first identified in the late-19th century, when it was collected in the Carin Cheba mountains in Myanmar, Thailand.

  Distinguishing Features: L. elegans is predominantly black in color, though it features a unique marking on the back of its abdomen, which appears as three stripes with two of the rear, red stripes connected by a perpendicular stripe. They have a red marking on their underside, which somewhat resembles an hourglass, but looks more like a large "U" with a dot at the base.

  Why You Should Be Scared: They possess venom in the same level of toxicity as other members of the genus, and cause significant pain at the bite location.
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  (#9) Latrodectus Lilianae

  Species: Latrodectus lilianae

  Size: 12 - 16mm in length.

  Location: These spiders are found primarily in the steppes of the Iberian Peninsula, and don't often live near human activity.

  Distinguishing Features: L. lilianae is black in color and features a small, white, and orange markings on its abdomen.

  Why You Should Be Scared: They carry venom like other members of the genus, but due to their preference to be located in places where humans don't typically go, the full effects of its venom are not currently known, though they possess enough venom to potentially be lethal in rare cases.
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  (#10) Redback Spider

  Species: Latrodectus hasseltii

  Size: 3 - 10mm in length.

  Location: The Redback Spider (also known as the Australian Black Widow) is believed to have originated in South Australia or near the Western Australian deserts. It is now found throughout Australia, Southeast Asia, and parts of New Zealand.

  Distinguishing Features: Females are black in color and have a bright-red stripe on the upper side of the abdomen. The hourglass is present on the underside, and it can be colored either red or orange. Males are brown and black in color and are considerably smaller than females.

  Why You Should Be Scared: The venom of the Redback Spider is dangerous to humans, and can result in significant pain at the bite site. It can also cause nausea, vomiting, headaches, and other serious issues that could require medical treatment and hospitalization. An antivenom for the Redback Spider has been available since 1956, and will counter the effects of a bite.
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  (#11) Red Widow

  Species: Latrodectus bishopi

  Size: Up to 12.7mm in length.

  Location: The Red Widow spiders are found only in Florida, where they typically live in and around the sand dunes dominated by sand pines. These are found int he central and southern areas of the Sunshine State. Interestingly, its range is limited by its favored prey, which is any of five species of scarab beetles endemic to Florida scrub habitats.

  Distinguishing Features: The abdomen of the Red Widow spider is black with red spots, but the rest of the body, head, and legs are vermillion red in color.

  Why You Should Be Scared: Red Widow spiders are nocturnal and don't typically bite humans unless disturbed. They possess the same venom as other species in the genus, and pose a similar threat, though they aren't known for causing any fatalities in humans.
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  (#12) Black Button Spider

  Species: Latrodectus renivulvatus

  Size: 4 - 11mm in length.

  Location: The Black Button spider is endemic to southern Africa, though it can be found in Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

  Distinguishing Features: Their bodies and legs are primarily black, but their abdomen can contain red stripes that wrap around in a unique pattern. There is no hourglass pattern on the underside.

  Why You Should Be Scared: A bite from a Black Button spider will often cause painful burning at the bite location, which is especially prevalent in the extremities. Severe reactions are possible and can require medical attention. An antivenom is available but should be administered as soon as possible due to the venom's lasting effects, which can carry on for up to a week.

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