Black widow spider & hundreds of babies

[Still Waters]

Britain's first infestation of a the deadly Black Widow spider has been discovered in a machinery plant in East Norfolk.

Engineers at the plant discovered the notoriously viscous spider and after a Google search to identify it called in pest control. Factory workers and office assistants were evacuated by pest control officers as the spider was sealed in an air tight container.

A nest of eggs was later discovered in the same crate where the spider was originally found after more than 100 baby Black Widows hatched from a small sack the size of a pea.

http://www.dailymail...rate-Texas.html

[Simbi Laveau]

How .......adorable....baby killer spiders

[Keel M.]

Kill 'em ALL!

[AwakenAscension]

OMG That reminds me of when I was a kid.. LOL Well about 15- We found a black widow between these railroad ties in my grandparents' driveway, so I stuck it in a jar. Mind you I didn't know a whole lot about spiders. I put some sticks and debris in there for it to use and she made a web. Watching her feed was really something else.

Anyway, eventually she started making this cotton-ball looking thing and would always keep it near the top of the jar. I would turn it upside down and right side up just for me and my friends to watch her drag it back up. One of them told me "Oh ---! Thats an eggsack!" So I was like "Hey cool now I'll have a few more of them." I had no idea. But I heard that the babies also have venom, so I covered the lid (that had holes) with medical tape.

One day I went to feed her and it looked like dirt was EVERYWHERE in her web. Upon closer examination, I realised these were VERY TINY spiders. AND I MEAN THOUSANDS of them!! Literally. There was no way for me to feed her anymore, as they would have COVERED my hand, if I opened it. And oddly enough I think she was eating them. Eventually they all died, but I was affraid to even open it until a month after nothing moved in it, because the babies would sit stationary a while, then move a little.

Never saw one again since then.

Edited November 15, 2012 by AwakenAscension

[AwakenAscension]

The ones in that picture must have been out a while, or mine came out early, cause mine were way smaller the first day they came out. Like really small ants. But after about two days, they get black and about the size of the ones on that article pic.

[Twomarketing]

I took the pics this morning and they hatched during the night. Just really close up with the camera. Very small and lively

[Mnemonix]

I've never personally seen a black widow spider, and I'm not really keen on doing so.

[buckskin scout]

OMG That reminds me of when I was a kid.. LOL Well about 15- We found a black widow between these railroad ties in my grandparents' driveway, so I stuck it in a jar. Mind you I didn't know a whole lot about spiders. I put some sticks and debris in there for it to use and she made a web. Watching her feed was really something else.

Anyway, eventually she started making this cotton-ball looking thing and would always keep it near the top of the jar. I would turn it upside down and right side up just for me and my friends to watch her drag it back up. One of them told me "Oh ---! Thats an eggsack!" So I was like "Hey cool now I'll have a few more of them." I had no idea. But I heard that the babies also have venom, so I covered the lid (that had holes) with medical tape.

One day I went to feed her and it looked like dirt was EVERYWHERE in her web. Upon closer examination, I realised these were VERY TINY spiders. AND I MEAN THOUSANDS of them!! Literally. There was no way for me to feed her anymore, as they would have COVERED my hand, if I opened it. And oddly enough I think she was eating them. Eventually they all died, but I was affraid to even open it until a month after nothing moved in it, because the babies would sit stationary a while, then move a little.

Never saw one again since then.

Yeah, enclosed in a jar like that they will simply cannibalize each other (in survival of the fittest fashion). Eventually you would have had fewer and fewer widows that were bigger and bigger but many may have died due to lack of ventilation too IDK. Normally, when they achieve a certain instar (moult) they will build lines of silk in order to glide upon the wind and disperse themselves.

Here is an experienced individual handling a pet Southern Black Widow without provoking it to bite

Do not attempt this at home.